***Official*** NatWest Series/Challenge

[superkingdave]

Considering Fosters is a lager & VB is a bitter, makes it very hard for them to be the exact same beer.

It might be called Victoria Bitter, but that doesn't make it so

It is also sold in the United Kingdom as "Victoria Beer ". The name change from Victoria Bitter was necessary as the beer is a lager and not a true bitter in the technical sense (there is little distinction between a bitter and a lager in Australia and the names are often used interchangeably.

 

[tooextracool]

Pity about his captaincy really..

which hasnt been that poor after the the first 2 games.

 

[PY]

I was about to say that it isn't a bitter, it's very 'sweet' and fizzy if my memory serves me correctly. It reaches the heady heights of premium lager status I think too.

 

[tooextracool]

His first over was great. He put 6 balls on the spot, worked up decent pace, and was getting inswing to the left-handers. What more could you ask from him?

I can't see why you think 150kph inswingers wouldn't be successful in test cricket. The test for Lee is how he goes when things aren't going his way, which will inevitably happen in test cricket. I think he's far more up to that challenge than he was a couple of years ago.

the thing about lee though is that hes done all of this before in ODIs and yet not delivered in test cricket. if kaspa and gillespie were bowling the way they can, then i still wouldnt like b.lee to come close to the test side. but i'd think that by the end of the natwest challenge we'd know exactly who should be starting in the first ashes test.

 

[PY]

His first over was great. He put 6 balls on the spot, worked up decent pace, and was getting inswing to the left-handers. What more could you ask from him?

I can't see why you think 150kph inswingers wouldn't be successful in test cricket. The test for Lee is how he goes when things aren't going his way, which will inevitably happen in test cricket. I think he's far more up to that challenge than he was a couple of years ago.

The only thing is that while Lee may well be bowling well for a few overs but the batsmen don't have to worry about getting runs off his good bowling because they obviously aren't restricted. All they have to worry about for those inswingers is keeping them out rather than having to devise a way to score runs from them as well as keeping them out.

In all honesty, I (as an Englishman) would be quite happy to have Lee in the Test side if the others were on top form but they aren't at the moment so Lee is on an equal par with them with all to play for in the next few ODIs.

 

[marc71178]

which hasnt been that poor after the the first 2 games.

So in all of 1 game then.

Certainly nothing of any note on Saturday.

 

[tooextracool]

So in all of 1 game then.

Certainly nothing of any note on Saturday.

there was nothing wrong with his captaincy on saturday.
so its 2 games.
and his first game wouldnt have been as bad if his team's abysmalness didnt coincide with bangladesh's peak.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

the thing about lee though is that hes done all of this before in ODIs and yet not delivered in test cricket. if kaspa and gillespie were bowling the way they can, then i still wouldnt like b.lee to come close to the test side. but i'd think that by the end of the natwest challenge we'd know exactly who should be starting in the first ashes test.

He has indeed, but I don't think he's done it in quite the same way. I've been over the changes I've observed in his bowling, and it's showing in his consistency in ODIs as well. Since the start of the Australian summer there has been less and less games in which he has been hit around, his economy rate and his average have been steadily improving, and he hasn't really had a bad game yet.

 

[jlo33692]

First point - no, that's not possible (you can hold back on pace but you can't deliberately bowl like a donkey - unless you ARE a donkey).

Second point - I'm fairly certain he will respond.

Point taken... But i meant MAYBE THEY DONT WANT TO BE PEAKING AT THIS STAGE OF THE SERIES.
THEY HAVE HAD A FAIR BREAK AND AT THE AGE THEY ARE THEY ARE MAYBE TAKING MORE TIME TO GET INTO THE GROOVE AND GET USED TO THE PITCHES THAT THEY HAVE NOT PLAYED ON FOR 4 YEARS NOW...BUT AGREE THEY ARE TAKING THERE BLOODY TIME IN DOING SO HAHA

 

[jlo33692]

I just saw on cricinfo's ask steven section this week that Andrew Symonds is born in England, I never knew that before. Wonder if he would have made it into the England side.

Shaka..i think i read somwhere he was born in birmingham. This may explain the late night drinking episode last week...i said may explain , i also think i read he has either 1 or both parents from Jamaica so he is a bitsa but glad he wears the green and gold as he is an outsatnding one day player, the kind you would pay money just to go along and watch.
Do you think he would make a world 11 side ?

 

[Pratters]

Okay why is Clarke not in the Aussie one day XI?

 

[shaka]

Shaka..i think i read somwhere he was born in birmingham. This may explain the late night drinking episode last week...i said may explain , i also think i read he has either 1 or both parents from Jamaica so he is a bitsa but glad he wears the green and gold as he is an outsatnding one day player, the kind you would pay money just to go along and watch.
Do you think he would make a world 11 side ?

I think he would as he can do everything well, but it would be a matter of doing everything well in one game.. Plus he fits the bill for a world XI team as he is a global person

 

[jlo33692]

Fair enough, but it still stresses he's South-African born.



Good point - but you would think the Australian media would be a little more wary of their pointed observations about the origins of England's players, especially this guy:

http://origin.foxsports.news.com.au/story/0,8659,15690839-5000061,00.html

He's a little harsh, I think. It's over the top to suggest there's something wrong with non-English born players playing for England - if he'd said it about a black player such as Dean Headley (who obviously had West Indian roots) rather than Pietersen, then he'd be into dangerously racist territory.

http://news.google.com/news?sourcei...8&oe=utf-8&q=Ray+Chesterton+&btnG=Search+News

Here is more diatribe from Ray Chesterton...i think he just likes to be provocative , Reda about the 3 in 4 aussies believe in UFO,s (ps hope the link works as im just learning in school about links and attachments) If it dont work blame my dad as he is teaching me hahaha

 

[jlo33692]

Okay why is Clarke not in the Aussie one day XI?

He has been ruled out with lower back spasms...In local paper it said slipped disc but buchanan says he will most likely play in next match. Guess we have to wait and see huh?

 

[jlo33692]

I think he would as he can do everything well, but it would be a matter of doing everything well in one game.. Plus he fits the bill for a world XI team as he is a global person

Ha good one...Bat for Oz...bowl for England, Field for West indies, and umpire with the barman from last week. Do you think his hair is natural? My dad says it is the way it grows but i think it is dreadlocks or something as such..we have 3 weeks of school and by the time that is over i intend to find out if Symonds hair is real or artificial,,,When we get back to school and asked what we did for holidays do you think it would go down well saying that i tried to annalyze Andrew symonds hair and his parantage??? i think i would be heading for detention. If you had to name a world one day side right now (12 players) who would they be? Please if you have the time?

 

[Scallywag]

So in all of 1 game then.

Certainly nothing of any note on Saturday.

Botham had a different view than you Marc.

He thought that it was brilliant captaincy by Ponting to bring in the extra close in fielder to keep Bashar from coming forward which resulted in Bashar giving a easy catch to Gilchrist.

Not to mention that Symonds revealed that Ponting asked him to bowl spinners instead of his medium pacers in his interview after winning the man of the match.

Ponting as usual controlled his team perfectly for his 75th win in 95 ODI's.

 

[jlo33692]

Botham had a different view than you Marc.

He thought that it was brilliant captaincy by Ponting to bring in the extra close in fielder to keep Bashar from coming forward which resulted in Bashar giving a easy catch to Gilchrist.

Not to mention that Symonds revealed that Ponting asked him to bowl spinners instead of his medium pacers in his interview after winning the man of the match.

Ponting as usual controlled his team perfectly for his 75th win in 95 ODI's.

Scallwag is that toal of 75 wins in 95 ODI a record of some sort?
Where could we find out for example Steve waughs record or Mark Taylors?
Surley noone can get close to that record?
Do you know where they would have stats on things like that?

 

[Scallywag]

Scallwag is that toal of 75 wins in 95 ODI a record of some sort?
Where could we find out for example Steve waughs record or Mark Taylors?
Surley noone can get close to that record?
Do you know where they would have stats on things like that?

On the left hand panel under records on the home page of cricinfo.

http://www.cricinfo.com/db/STATS/ODIS/INDIVIDUAL/ODI_CAPTAIN_APPEARANCES.html

 

[jlo33692]

On the left hand panel under records on the home page of cricinfo.

http://www.cricinfo.com/db/STATS/ODIS/INDIVIDUAL/ODI_CAPTAIN_APPEARANCES.html

Thanks...will try and find the answer myself now. Do you think that it is the record though?
I t would be hard to beat huh? this would make him the mst successful ODI captain of all time and i will check tests although i dont think he has been long enough captain to beat Taylor or waughs record .....YET but on his day he is without doubt the best batsman in world cricket as he thrives on pressure and performs in big games (world cup 2004)

 

[jlo33692]

Thanks...will try and find the answer myself now. Do you think that it is the record though?
I t would be hard to beat huh? this would make him the mst successful ODI captain of all time and i will check tests although i dont think he has been long enough captain to beat Taylor or waughs record .....YET but on his day he is without doubt the best batsman in world cricket as he thrives on pressure and performs in big games (world cup 2004)

heres pontings stats as captain and overall in ODI

Ricky Ponting

P W L T NR % HS LS MC LC BatAv BowAv R/6b C/6b


94 73 16 1 4 82% 359 162 - - 40.4 - 5.40 -


S.R.Waugh

P W L T NR % HS LS MC LC BatAv BowAv R/6b C/6b


106 67 35 3 1 65% 349 125 - - 34.6 - 5.12 -


Mark Taylor

P W L T NR % HS LS MC LC BatAv BowAv R/6b C/6b


67 36 30 1 0 54% 304 120 - - 32.8 - 4.56 -

A.R Border

P W L T NR % HS LS MC LC BatAv BowAv R/6b C/6b


178 107 67 1 3 61% 332 70 - - 31.1 - 4.49 -


Gee what a great site that is...sorry the info is not lined up...Ricky Ponting has an amazing 82% win loss rate in ODI...i cant find anyone to come close over a period of time, Interesting to see who is 2nd...i will try and find out,maybe clive Lloyd