aussie
Hall of Fame Member
Aussie brought up a point on PC about Kieswetter, and him not looking 'clueless' against 'the likes of Nannes, Tait, Steyn, Morkel, Bond, Malinga.' This comment led me to look up some stats, and have to say, they definitely back up the theory that Kieswetter is awful against pace bowling.
Against Sri Lanka - T20 WC Semi Final
vs Malinga - 0 off 3 balls - dismissed by the 3rd ball
vs Mathews - 10 off 6 balls
vs Randiv - 10 off 5 balls
vs Jayasuriya - 8 off 3 balls
vs Mendis - 9 off 10 balls
Against Australia T20 WC Final
vs Tait - 9 off 9 balls
vs Johnson - 4 off 7 balls - dismissed by the 7th ball
vs Nannes - 22 off 16 balls
vs Watson - 24 off 10 balls
vs Smith - 4 off 7 balls
vs South Africa - T20 WC
vs Morkel - 3 off 4
vs Steyn - 6 off 4
vs Langeveldt - 15 off 10
vs Kallis - 5 off 12
vs Botha - 6 off 9
vs Duminy - 6 off 3
Against Pakistan - T20 WC
vs Asif - 10 off 5
vs Aamer - 6 off 10
vs Razzaq - 0 off 5
vs Hafeez - 7 off 4
Against New Zealand
vs Bond - 1 off 4
vs Mills - 2 off 3 - dismissed by 3rd ball
vs McCullum - 12 off 5
Against Pakistan - Sunday
vs Razzaq - 6 off 3
vs Akhtar - 0 off 4 - dismissed by 4th ball
The only genuinely quick bowler he's scored remotely quickly off by T20 standards is Dirk Nannes, the rest, he's looked pretty clueless against. The stats show that he's pretty good against Medium pace, the likes of Watson, Langeveldt, Asif, Razzaq and Mathews have been slapped around; and he's proven in the past that he's decent against spin, so it begs the question as to why he's opening the batting. Surely, if they wanted a guy like Kieswetter in the side it'd make much more sense to have him in the middle order? He can't cope with 90+mph bowling early on, yet carves medium pace and spin around with relative ease, batting in the middle order would be ideal for him. AFAIC he has no future opening the batting in International cricket, but then again he's not good enough to replace Trott, Pietersen, Collingwood or Morgan in the middle order either, so he's pretty stuffed really.
Haha oh my. I dont even know where to start here KP. But this is horribly revisionist.
I find it stunning that you or anyone after Kieswetters T20 WC performance could say Kieswetter looked horrible or clueless againts 90 mph pace during that tournament. I know for a FACT that on planetcricket ATT - you weren't saying that. So if find this revisionist position quite ridiculous.
Secondly lets go through each the game he played again.
Semi-final vs SRI:
How did he look clueless vs Malinga?. Did you even watch the game? (well i know you didn't so maybe you forgeot what happened). Malinga bowled a fantastic inswinging yorker that probably that would have dismissed 9 out of 10 batsmen & you call that looking clueless?. SMH
Semi-final vs PAK:
I didnt mention this game. Since i dont remember if Kieswetter by the time he got out even faced Aamir. All i remember was he was dropped early by Ajmal, smashed Asif around in an over & got out soon after.
vs SA:
Haha. Dear god. It is impossible you could have watched that game in the deliveries he faced Steyn & Morkel especially & tell me he looked clueless againts them. Madness.
vs NZ:
Same thing again. It is total madness to suggest he looked clueless at any of deliveries facing Bond.
Looking clueless againts quality pace is what Davies looked like facing Akhtar in the 1st two T20s. Which to date until the ODI series is completed backs up position i have had on Davies regardless of his county form & SR - that he is not the type of bowler againts international 90 mph that has the game to smash them about. I really want to know your view of his performances given i know your a massive fan of his & have been pushing for his inclusion all year.
As i siad before here & on PC. Kieswetter's problem since the T20 WC as Nasser is that teams have noticed Kiewswetter preffered scoring area is to give him self room outside off-stump & smash it through the off-side. Thus bowler like Akthar on sunday & AUS during the ODI series tucked him up & he has struggled to score.
But i'd be flabbergasted if you tell me in the second T20 on tuesday, that Kieswetter looked clueless facing Akthar on Gul - if he wasn't run out, who knows what more damage he could have done. In that innings he played his technique looked just as tight early on like in T20 WC Final - compared to what was seen in the ODIs vs AUS earlier this summer.
Fact Kieswetter remains without a shadow of a doubt the best options in ENG to open in the batting in both ODIs & T20s againts international new-ball bowlers. Since he & only he ATM has the ability to blaze them in the power-play overs.
Plus no i wouldn't support Kiewswetter batting down the order. It is totally untrue the he is clueless againts internaitonal 90 mph new-ball bowlers. So that would just as unwise as the past decisions to bat G Jones, Prior as openers in ODIs when they never did it in county cricket & expect them to be a success.
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