Neil Harvey........

[Mr. P]

um, we happen to be talkin about steve waugh the international cricketer, not steve waugh the domestic cricketer.

 

[Bazza]

Eclipse the bottom line is a batsman is in the side to score runs. That's the bottom line. You pick 4-5 guys who have to take 20 wickets for you to win, and then you have 6-7 guys who are paid to put runs on the board - more runs thatn the opposition. If someone is not scoring runs, it doesn't matter if they are in good form. You can't afford to wait two years for them to start making a return on that good form.

The bottom line is everyone says Steve Waugh is playing as well as ever but he isn't. Here is a guy with over 10000 test runs at 51, but in the last two years he averaged 32 up until the WI series. If a new player came in and averaged 32 over 17 test matches, well they wouldn't even last that long. And they wouldn't get another chance either. The Australians are being sentimental in letting Waugh carry on, and in the long run it will hurt them.

 

[Craig]

I would of thought it would of been perfect for Steve Waugh to go out after the Sydney Test and then Michael Clarke could come in. I have no doubt that Clarke will have a long Test career.

In essence I think he is a bit like Lehmann, except that he is right handed.

 

[Mr. P]

clarke is brill, yes. he is certain to have a massive test career. anyone who says australia need more slower scoring players is stupid.

 

[Anil]

India would be favourites especially if they are helped by some dodgy umpiring.

Let's not go there, shall we? Dodgy umpiring problems are there in every cricket playing country, not just India. It's just patronizing to assume that India regularly wins at home due to umpiring mistakes or favouritism or whatever you call it while Australia or some other country doesn't. BTW, the last series between India and Australia has been widely regarded as one of the greatest series in test cricket history and India were deserving winners.

 

[Craig]

I realise that, I'nm just making a point that India were helped by some poor umpiring in Kolkatta. If you chose to ignore it, then that is your problem. But I do see some poor umpires from the sub-contentant.

It was perhaps the the greatest three Test match series, but it cant be the greatest Test series ever as there have been some great four, five and six Test series.

 

[Mr. P]

I entrust to Mr. Ponting my life savings.

Fine. If you must.

 

[marc71178]

Statistics never tell you the full story and you should be wary of using them as an only means of backing up your argument.

Ironically that statement came directly after a paragraph where you just used domestic stats to prove he's playing as well as ever.

 

[marc71178]

clarke is brill, yes. he is certain to have a massive test career.

No player is CERTAIN to have a massive Test Career until they've played Test Cricket a fair bit.

 

[Bazza]

Wasn't Graeme Hick certain to have a massive test career once upon a time?! :rolleyes:

Craig with an elite panel of umpires, there is no more chance of having a dodgy umpire in India as anywahere else - they are all neutral now. It was a widely recognised problem in the past, and the likes of India and Pakistan seemed to be worse than anywhere else, but these days it is not an issue.

 

[Mr. P]

well, from what we've seen in ODI's so far, clarkes career looks the goods!

 

[Craig]

True but some of these umpires on the elite panel have made some very ordinary decisions (like Askoka de Silva)

 

[Mr. P]

Yeah, Asoka is SO stupid.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Eclipse the bottom line is a batsman is in the side to score runs.

Unless you're a great captain - which Steve Waugh is.

 

[Anil]

I realise that, I'nm just making a point that India were helped by some poor umpiring in Kolkatta. If you chose to ignore it, then that is your problem. But I do see some poor umpires from the sub-contentant.

No one is ignoring anything here. If you say that one of the greatest test matches in the last decade was won even partly because of biased or poor umpiring or whatever, I guess you're entitled to your opinion. BTW, please distinguish between biased and poor umpires. AFAIK, biased means clearly favouring one side and poor means making a lot of stupid mistakes. Poor umpiring generally affects both sides while biased umpiring affects only one side. So, what are you saying, that Indian umpires were biased or poor or maybe both? Also, I repeat that good and bad umpires are there in all countries playing international cricket, it's not restricted to the subcontinent and it requires pretty solid tunnel vision to say it is.

It was perhaps the the greatest three Test match series, but it cant be the greatest Test series ever as there have been some great four, five and six Test series.

Go back and check my post. I said "one of the greatest series in test cricket history".

 

[marc71178]

Also, I repeat that good and bad umpires are there in all countries playing international cricket, it's not restricted to the subcontinent and it requires pretty solid tunnel vision to say it is.

Agreed - Asoka de Silva goes all over the world at the moment!

 

[Craig]

No one is ignoring anything here. If you say that one of the greatest test matches in the last decade was won even partly because of biased or poor umpiring or whatever, I guess you're entitled to your opinion. BTW, please distinguish between biased and poor umpires. AFAIK, biased means clearly favouring one side and poor means making a lot of stupid mistakes. Poor umpiring generally affects both sides while biased umpiring affects only one side. So, what are you saying, that Indian umpires were biased or poor or maybe both? Also, I repeat that good and bad umpires are there in all countries playing international cricket, it's not restricted to the subcontinent and it requires pretty solid tunnel vision to say it is.

Oh I know that, Ian Robson of Zimbabwe was shocking. I mean poor, by some poor decisions. I certainly dont think they biased, not at all.

Judging by your name, do you come from India or have a Indian background?

 

[Mr. P]

from the profile, anil is currently in the U.S of A

 

[Craig]

So? I was born in NZ, and I'm living here.

 

[Mr. P]

a kiwi eh? do you follow australia? if not...*punches hand*