***Official Australia in South Africa***

[aussie]

Over 3 against a defensive side is still a very high economy rate.

And he wasn't taking the wickets quickly enough to get that good an average out of the series.

the fact is bowlers at Lee, Akhtar, Bond, harmison, Flinotff, Ntini's pace no matter how well they bowl, they aggressive nature of modern day batsmen would make it VERY unlikely for them to have economy rate of under 3. For example when Jones & Flintoff were so superb in the ashes their economies were 3.3 & 3.7..

Secondly you saying 32 wasn't a good average? and so what if he didn't take wickets quickly enough to get a under 30 average, if you actually saw the series you may agree that he certainly bowled well enough to average below 30.

 

[howardj]

Yeah, if you factor in the incredibly docile Perth wicket, and even Sydney was pretty unresponsive, an average of 32 was very respectable.

 

[kwigibo]

i would have

A Gilchrist
P Jaques
R Ponting
D Martyn
A Symonds
M Clarke
M Hussey
B Hogg
B Lee
J Gillespie
N Bracken

Now that's about the best team you can pick with McGrath absent. Possibly Martyn getting past his sell-by date, but he's a quality OD player and i don't think form is an issue as of yet. If form, or age (you know how Hohns likes his men young and supple) become an issue for him, I think Cosgrove or D Hussey or even White (I think he's a better no. 6 than a leggie) have proven themselves solid yet aggressive OD reserve options.

And it is resting on the assumption that Gillespie can reproduce the international success of old. But otherwise, I would be very happy with that team. Unfortunately, I don't think these selectors are out to pick the best team, or would even recognise it if they saw it.

 

[IndianByHeart]

i would have

A Gilchrist
P Jaques
R Ponting
D Martyn
A Symonds
M Clarke
M Hussey
B Hogg
B Lee
J Gillespie
N Bracken

Gillespie is getting old and i doubt that he will be able to make the WC 2007.I would prefer to have Tait or another promissing pacer in his place.

 

[Slats4ever]

Gillespie is getting old and i doubt that he will be able to make the WC 2007.I would prefer to have Tait or another promissing pacer in his place.

he's 31. 2007 is only next year...

 

[marc71178]

the fact is bowlers at Lee, Akhtar, Bond, harmison, Flinotff, Ntini's pace no matter how well they bowl, they aggressive nature of modern day batsmen would make it VERY unlikely for them to have economy rate of under 3.

So how do you explain Flintoff's career economy rate then?

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

So how do you explain Flintoff's career economy rate then?

Flintoff is an exceptionally economical bowler for someone who bowls with his pace, but even so you will notice that 3 is far from a poor economy rate for him. In his last series against South Africa, his economy rate was 2.85, the series before against the same opposition it was 3.25. In the Ashes it was 3.38, and over his career it is 2.98.

How is 3.17 a "very high" economy rate, then?

 

[social]

So how do you explain Flintoff's career economy rate then?

accuracy (even when he wasnt taking wickets, he'd bowl a relatively negative short of a length) and 4 men on the boundary

 

[howardj]

Such is the nature of pitches these days (universally flat) an economy rate under 3.5 is acceptable (works out to less than 315 runs in a day). Under 3 - exceptional (works out to less than 270 runs in a day). Under 2.5 - you're a freak.

 

[marc71178]

How is 3.17 a "very high" economy rate, then?

Who has 3.17?

 

[luckyeddie]

Secondly you saying 32 wasn't a good average? and so what if he didn't take wickets quickly enough to get a under 30 average, if you actually saw the series you may agree that he certainly bowled well enough to average below 30.

Strangely enough, that's exactle what Harmison averaged against Australia in 2005 - and there's plenty who have reverted to thinking that he's rubbish.

 

[luckyeddie]

The English are hardly the litmus test for world's bowlers.

Lee bowled a lot of crap during the Ashes and was dealt with accordingly.

The common denominator here is that they were too good last time out for both Australia AND South Africa.

 

[Slats4ever]

Strangely enough, that's exactle what Harmison averaged against Australia in 2005 - and there's plenty who have reverted to thinking that he's rubbish.

not rubbish. just not as good as he was portrayed as being

 

[aussie]

Strangely enough, that's exactle what Harmison averaged against Australia in 2005 - and there's plenty who have reverted to thinking that he's rubbish.

well in this case Harmy's average clearly reflected how he bowled, after the 1st innings at lord's he wasn't as effective has the rest of the seamers..

 

[andyc]

Strangely enough, that's exactle what Harmison averaged against Australia in 2005 - and there's plenty who have reverted to thinking that he's rubbish.

The point is, anyone who saw Lee bowl in the WI and SA series could tell how much he has improved, and, frankly, if you or anyone else simply judges him upon his average, they're just being stupid.

 

[howardj]

Junior Dispatches Micky Lewis.

Not unusual for Junior - he doesn't rate too many players! Could have a point here, though.

 

[howardj]

Andrew Symonds ruled out of the Twenty20

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Who has 3.17?

3.17 was Lee's economy rate against South Africa, which you described as "very high".

 

[social]

The common denominator here is that they were too good last time out for both Australia AND South Africa.

Casually mentions the word "Pakistan" whilst continuing to short sell his Multiplex shares.

 

[vic_orthdox]

Multi-who?