Nathan Astle Retired

[Fiery]

His choice to retire now is testament to his great general attitude: to do the best for the team.

I really don't think he was thinking about the team. It was a personal decision. He has left me with one of the highlights of my career as a couch potato...Jade Stadium is still fresh in my memory

 

[Fiery]

Not in ODIs. Crowe merely played more OD cricket, Twose on the other hand retired prematurely but he IMO he was just as capable as Martin Crowe and his record shows that.

No, no, no. You might be too young to remember, I don't know, but Martin Crowe was the best batsman in the world during the World Cup of '92 and was ranked Number 2 in the ICC ODI batting rankings around that time. He scored 2000 more runs and 4 times as many centuries as Twose, who wasn't really a kiwi anyway and only moved over because he was promised a national spot by NZC. He took the place of a New Zealander, stayed a few years, then buggered off to a banking career.

 

[Loony BoB]

I think this is the first time I've been genuinely saddened at the news of a cricketer's retirement. He was always one of my favourite players, and is one of the players who got me into cricket in the first place.

 

[ohtani's jacket]

I wonder if Gavin Larsen's in tears... Anyway, as Gav would say, "it's always great to see Nath!" Astle did the right thing here. He seemed so bored.

 

[JASON]

A great batsman for NZ.... a sad ending to a career that deserved better... Still a very brave and noble guy to retire knowing only he could that motivation was no longer there...

I personally rate him second to Fleming only in ODIs ... unfortunately because of poor form lately his good records have become diminished some what...

What a great knock that fast double Century against England was....really will be missed.

 

[Fiery]

I personally rate him second to Fleming only in ODIs

You rate Fleming ahead of Astle as a OD player?

 

[MoxPearl]

he will be missed.. he had a great run... hes been in the nz team forever since i can remember..

For those saying this will weak the nz team for the world cup.. .no way... he obviously didnt want to play anymore.. and his form has been pretty average in recent times.

He will b missed thou

 

[JASON]

You rate Fleming ahead of Astle as a OD player?

Yes. Over their career -they are probably par, but I rate Fleming ahead - unfortunately you and others might not agree -given the poor form Fleming is in at the moment. But given his fielding and leadership and his batting , I do.

There's a witch hunt going on in NZ and I suspect , if it doesn't stop soon, it will end with several retirements ....... watch this space....

http://www.cricinfo.com/db/STATS/NZ/ODI_AVS_BAT_NZ-ALLTIME.html

 

[Macka]

Jesse Ryder's name has been overused in this forum. Why are we still talking about him? He's not even in the World Cup train-on squad of 30 and unless he has a complete change of attitude from being an obese waster to getting fit, physically and mentally, in the next few years he'll never be in the side

Amen. Let's be honest here: the guy's overweight and hardly demanding selection. Talent? Yes, plenty. But as someone else pointed out in this form, that hasn't done McCullum any good. Give him time... he's young.

I don't understand why people want another inexperienced top-order player.

 

[Fiery]

Yes. Over their career -they are probably par, but I rate Fleming ahead - unfortunately you and others might not agree -given the poor form Fleming is in at the moment. But given his fielding and leadership and his batting , I do.

There's a witch hunt going on in NZ and I suspect , if it doesn't stop soon, it will end with several retirements ....... watch this space....

http://www.cricinfo.com/db/STATS/NZ/ODI_AVS_BAT_NZ-ALLTIME.html

Ah, a list of all NZ ODI players averages....mmm

 

[Zinzan]

I count Crowe as being a better one day batsman than Astle simply because Crowe generally faced a better class of bowler in his day, and didn't have the luxury of as many games against minnows. One day international hundreds were also a much scarcer commodity back then - I remember looking at Desmond Haynes' record and being in awe. "17 centuries? The man's a legend!"

I consider Astle probably our second best, and my fond memories of his one-day exploits are far fresher and numerous than any I have of Crowe. Will be missed

Totally agree with this assessment

 

[NZTailender]

There's a witch hunt going on in NZ and I suspect , if it doesn't stop soon, it will end with several retirements ....... watch this space....

Uh, what?

 

[Fiery]

Totally agree with this assessment

Glenn Turner was probably the best actually. He was an excellent ODI player with an average of 47. He is ranked by the ICC as the number 1 batsman in the world in ODIs in 1979. No other kiwi batsman has achieved that. He was a bit of a pioneer in the way he chipped the ball over the ring fielders early in the innings but yeah I agree that Crowe was a better batsman than Astle. Can't complain about 16 centuries though. That's a hell of a lot for any batsman

 

[Fiery]

Aside from all Nathan Astle's achievements in a Black Cap, I will remember that one innings. An innings so unbelievable that you had to see it to believe it and to appreciate it. An innings that forced me to drive to Whitcoulls and search out the DVD the day it was released which I've watched several times and could continue watching over and over again. I find it hard to believe that anyone has ever hit the ball so cleanly, so far and so regularly before that innings and have not seen anyone get close to achieving that sort of sustained assault on any bowling attack since. He clouted Caddick, Hoggard and Flintoff, all excellent test bowlers, to all parts of Christchurch with pure cricket shots and sent me (and I'm sure plenty of other cricket fans) into heaven for a few hours. I'm sure my grandchildren will get sick of me telling them about the day Nathan Astle hit 28 fours and 11 sixes all over Jade Stadium. For that innings alone, I will remember Nathan Astle.

 

[Richard]

I've said it a few times: I'm damn glad I managed to stay awake throughout that night (maybe the innings was the reason I did stay awake).

I've never, ever seen anything remotely like that. I'd guess only those who saw Richards at Antigua have - and even he didn't go on for as long as Astle did.

A chanceless 222 off 153 balls is something that I'd quite happily have considered impossible before that day, and I'd not bet against it never happening again for at least 150 years.

 

[Richard]

What, immidiately? Or after the World Cup?

If after the World Cup it's only to be expected, but immidiately... sheesh.

Evidently so...

I have to say it's a great shame, but if he's genuinely been fighting it for the last 8 months, well... we can only respect his decision. It'd have been worse to have him in the WC averaging 17 than not have him at all - the former would be a bigger disappointment.

IMO certainly NZ's second-best ODI batsman, and undoubtedly one of the best openers of the modern ODI era (along with the Johnsons, Gibbs', Kirstens, Anwars, Gangulys, Jayasuriyas, Knights, Gilchrists, Waughs and to a lesser extent Gayles).

And Roger Twose is certainly hard-done by. So what if he wasn't really a Kiwi? He gave his all for New Zealand and achieved more than the vast majority of Kiwis have ever achieved in ODI cricket, even in a relatively short career.

 

[Sanz]

Great ODI player..One of my fav. International players. He will be missed.

 

[honestbharani]

yeah, sad day, IMO. It is gonna hurt New Zealand, HARD. Feel really sorry for the players from that side. Not something you want ahead of the WC.

 

[nibbs]

all the best. who will fill the void of being my favourite player now? i do not know

 

[Richard]

^^^*gasp* nibblet in CC... has that happened since this?

(Yes, I know, it has, but it's the first I've taken note of since)