***Official*** Super Series

[Nate]

I just thought he was cold. =P

But I`d probably be a bit unenthusiastic as well if my team was being smacked around and I wanted a chance to prove myself.

 

[Eclipse]

Did anyone else think that Gayle looked a bit unenthusiastic when he was in the field yesterday? Although I can't say I've ever seen him play, so maybe that's just what he's like...

yes but he's always been like that from what i've seen of him.

 

[SquidAU]

I am sure that all the players in the World XI are playing to their abilities....it would be unprofessional not to!

It's is very hard to beat Australia on home turf. Has been for the last decade!

 

[Slow Love™]

Did anyone else think that Gayle looked a bit unenthusiastic when he was in the field yesterday? Although I can't say I've ever seen him play, so maybe that's just what he's like...

He just always looks stoned. Kinda like Dessie Haynes.

 

[Slow Love™]

Deviating from the main argument, why isnt Pollock included in most people's list of all rounders. We seem to look at batsmen who can bowl in the limited over version. The bowling all rounders get ignored, by and large when looking at multifaceted cricketers in the side.

Everyone is aware of Pollock's bowling prowess (322 wkts @24.2 with a strike rate in the thirties and an eco rate of 3.8). He is way way above all those listed in the list above in bowling. However, his batting figures are not bad either.

Nearly 2500 runs at 24.3 which isnt that bad when you consider that he comes in so low and that Afridi 24.1, Watson 27.7, Harvey 17.9 are not much better.

His Strike Rate with the bat is an impressive 83.9. This is ranks with the best and from this list Watson (67.8), Hooper (76.6) and even Gayle (78.9) are below him.

Some how his low profile persona has made the media and the media-led-fans do less than full justice to this all rounder who, in my humble opinion, should walk into any international side of his time in both formats of the game.

Actually he was also a very fine captain and leader of men till Ms Duckworth & Lewis and their complicated way of sorting out cricketing deadlocks did him in in one maddening evening.

I don't think Faaip was compiling a list of the best allrounders there though (one clue is the appearance of Ian Harvey in the list ). I think he was just looking for a range of players with comparable stats in terms of how many overs per match they've bowled per match, and inviting a categorization of whether they can be called an all-rounder or not.

As to the rest, I agree with your opinion of Pollock's skills. But as a leader of men, I would disagree. He was a captain that did things by rote for the most part, and didn't appear very capable of changing a gameplan if things didn't work for him. I don't think many people rate him very highly as an international captain, either - I think he only got this gig because it wasn't going to go to Lara, and Dravid hadn't been named in the squad at the time the captaincy was decided. (Mind you, given the choices, I would have given it to Lara anyway, particularly given that Smith was getting the gong in the tests.)

 

[Craig]

the point is these players shouldnt have been picked ITFP if they couldnt bat in regular positions. theres no point in picking kallis for example, if you have a player liked dravid who can bat at 4 and probably do a better job, and theres no point in picking pietersen if hes going to bat at no 8.

And why don't you put your money where your mouth is and give a side that can beat Australia and have the right balance? And if you can't then it will show a lot about your creditability.

As Slow Love said this side was picked for commercial interests (ie Sehwag) so the big names were picked and irrespective of where they would bat.

Something you obviously seem to miss.

 

[Craig]

He just always looks stoned. Kinda like Dessie Haynes.

Great new sig.

 

[Slow Love™]

And why don't you put your money where your mouth is and give a side that can beat Australia and have the right balance? And if you can't then it will show a lot about your creditability.

As Slow Love said this side was picked for commercial interests (ie Sehwag) so the big names were picked and irrespective of where they would bat.

Something you obviously seem to miss.

But, to be fair, I was agreeing with tooextracool. We can all agree that it made more sense commercially (although, to be fair, not many turned up to watch, but that may well have been for other reasons - certainly, not going for such a superstar lineup wouldn't have provided more interest, given many people assumed the World XI would smash AUS anyway) - but in terms of providing a well-balanced opposition, maybe it would have been different. Another thing I couldn't help thinking about was the value some of these dibbly dobbler "spare parts" kind of players have been in the ODI format.

Were TEC to provide a side though, he couldn't hope to prove his point anyway, because this side didn't take the arena - he'd probably just get ridiculed because Flintoff wasn't there, or Pietersen wasn't there, or whatever. But it wouldn't automatically make his point untrue.

 

[Nate]

- absolute gold from BB.

I`ve been quite impressed with the Aussie side, it`s easy to gloss over it and say "...it`s just another victory, one-dayers don`t mean anything." But the loss of Dizzy, Kasper and Hayden hasn`t done a thing. Katich has done very well, and the bowling has stood up. "Newcomers" to the side like Hussey, Bracken and Watson show some depth.

 

[jlo33692]

Can't you two just agree to disagree?

Makes the most logical sense as this isn't really going anywhere.

Yes Craig ,you little beauty,Best and most sensible post in last 24 hours,well done m8. Also good post on not all batsmen can bat in normal batting positions they hold for there country, If Kallis,Lara,Pieterson,and whoever else bat at 3 or 4 then they cant all fit in the same here as only 1 is allowed.
I will say it is easy after the event to say all these players for ROW are mostly useless,but for mine the team looked pretty god danm good to me,still does. Can someone please show me a post they did before a ball was bowled saying how bad the team was and who should be batting where.?
I think this excersise has proven the old adage that a champion team will beat a team of champions and contrary to some beliefs on the site every one of the Players picked in the ROW team is a top class player for his country. Does anyone want to give a stab at what the ROW team should really look like,for mine i would have Shane bond from NZ in and of course Sachin who is injured but i reckon the selectors have it about right.
Too extra cool you seem to have a bit of a grudge against Tendulkar but IMO i think we were blessed to see the next best batsman to Bradman in our life time. Big wrap? I dont know his batting averages and i dont really care as ,i think Craig showed before with Mcgrath averages in battoing and bowling in the ashes,you can make averages bend and look good for each example to suit your defence. ,also tooxtracool,can you tell me who is an allrounder these days in world ODI,if it not Kallis,not Symonds,Jayasiuara, Lehmann, watson,then who is ? i still dont think your correct in saying you must bowl your 10 overs to be considered an A/Rounder but thats your opinion and who are we mere mortals to argue the toss on that ?hahahaha

 

[jlo33692]

so you think we're better off having dravid bat at 6 and pietersen at 8,despite the fact that both of them look half the players they can be?
a batsman is only as good as he can be at a particular position, and there are very very few players who arent significantly worse in one position compared to another.

Gee tooextra i think one A Gilchrist might disagree there m8, opens the batting in ODI but bats at 6 for aussies in tests.

 

[Craig]

Yes Craig ,you little beauty,Best and most sensible post in last 24 hours,well done m8. Also good post on not all batsmen can bat in normal batting positions they hold for there country, If Kallis,Lara,Pieterson,and whoever else bat at 3 or 4 then they cant all fit in the same here as only 1 is allowed.
I will say it is easy after the event to say all these players for ROW are mostly useless,but for mine the team looked pretty god danm good to me,still does. Can someone please show me a post they did before a ball was bowled saying how bad the team was and who should be batting where.?
I think this excersise has proven the old adage that a champion team will beat a team of champions and contrary to some beliefs on the site every one of the Players picked in the ROW team is a top class player for his country. Does anyone want to give a stab at what the ROW team should really look like,for mine i would have Shane bond from NZ in and of course Sachin who is injured but i reckon the selectors have it about right.
Too extra cool you seem to have a bit of a grudge against Tendulkar but IMO i think we were blessed to see the next best batsman to Bradman in our life time. Big wrap? I dont know his batting averages and i dont really care as ,i think Craig showed before with Mcgrath averages in battoing and bowling in the ashes,you can make averages bend and look good for each example to suit your defence. ,also tooxtracool,can you tell me who is an allrounder these days in world ODI,if it not Kallis,not Symonds,Jayasiuara, Lehmann, watson,then who is ? i still dont think your correct in saying you must bowl your 10 overs to be considered an A/Rounder but thats your opinion and who are we mere mortals to argue the toss on that ?hahahaha

Thanks mate I do try sometimes so I appreciate your comments

 

[jlo33692]

Deviating from the main argument, why isnt Pollock included in most people's list of all rounders. We seem to look at batsmen who can bowl in the limited over version. The bowling all rounders get ignored, by and large when looking at multifaceted cricketers in the side.

Everyone is aware of Pollock's bowling prowess (322 wkts @24.2 with a strike rate in the thirties and an eco rate of 3.8). He is way way above all those listed in the list above in bowling. However, his batting figures are not bad either.

Nearly 2500 runs at 24.3 which isnt that bad when you consider that he comes in so low and that Afridi 24.1, Watson 27.7, Harvey 17.9 are not much better.

His Strike Rate with the bat is an impressive 83.9. This is ranks with the best and from this list Watson (67.8), Hooper (76.6) and even Gayle (78.9) are below him.

Some how his low profile persona has made the media and the media-led-fans do less than full justice to this all rounder who, in my humble opinion, should walk into any international side of his time in both formats of the game.

Actually he was also a very fine captain and leader of men till Ms Duckworth & Lewis and their complicated way of sorting out cricketing deadlocks did him in in one maddening evening.

Good point SJS and maybe Ditto Heath Streak? Very fine and underated player who also captained his team.

ps always wanted to ask you this question..
in what capacity was Jaggu Dalmia attending the meeting?
lol

 

[Craig]

But, to be fair, I was agreeing with tooextracool. We can all agree that it made more sense commercially (although, to be fair, not many turned up to watch, but that may well have been for other reasons - certainly, not going for such a superstar lineup wouldn't have provided more interest, given many people assumed the World XI would smash AUS anyway) - but in terms of providing a well-balanced opposition, maybe it would have been different. Another thing I couldn't help thinking about was the value some of these dibbly dobbler "spare parts" kind of players have been in the ODI format.

Were TEC to provide a side though, he couldn't hope to prove his point anyway, because this side didn't take the arena - he'd probably just get ridiculed because Flintoff wasn't there, or Pietersen wasn't there, or whatever. But it wouldn't automatically make his point untrue.

Point taken and you have forced me to agree with you.

What I am trying to do is trying to question and debate what I tend to precieve unfair comments towards the selectors that they have no choice to pick the big names if what you say is true.

 

[jlo33692]

Katich and Pietersen in doubt

Dunno if this has been brought up yet, but this is an article from cricinfo...

It said on the news here in Melbourne that Peiterson will be out of the game tommorow with a hamstring strain,and hopefully fit for the test starting in a week.

 

[SirBloody Idiot]

He isn't in the test squad, is he?

This series, in my opinion, was too rushed.

Not enough warm up games for the WXI, they were rushed straight in to play cricket.

I would have thought a format such as the 71/72 series would have been better, with practice matches and more than one test. Obviously that will never happen.

 

[jlo33692]

im not sure what the ashes series has to do with this, because its 2 completely different form of games. flintoff has bowled well in ODIs for years now without being able to reverse swing, and even did it on plenty of occasions in the Natwest series. AFAIC he didnt bowl as well as he can and didnt put in as much effort as he normally does, and i dont see any reason why he would.[/QUOT


What evidence is there that he didnt put the effort in?

He bowled 90 mph and you cant do that without effort.

He got smashed - get over it.

Anyone that thinks the World X1 isnt trying to capitalise on the Aussies' supposed decline is kidding themselves.

Cheers social,best post now... To east to say he is not really trying,i think he would be embarressed to hear someone say that,Tooxtra why would he be trying?its called professionalism,its also called pride. He is and always will give his all. Dont you doubt for 1 second that the W/Team are not all about winning.M8 thay are cricketers who are playing there chosen sport ,you use the word ludicrus a few times in your posts,now what you are saying that the players are not trying,,,that is ludicrus and scandallous,RED CARD FOR 2XTA COOL. and a penalty
oops sorry wrong game hahaha

 

[jlo33692]

Did anyone else think that Gayle looked a bit unenthusiastic when he was in the field yesterday? Although I can't say I've ever seen him play, so maybe that's just what he's like...

Andy believe me,that bloke will never die of stress,anyone who knows Mr Gayle will tell you he is ultra cool and is so casual,brett lee says he could not believe it at the pre function when gayle was putting prawn legs in Lee,s beer,and Having a snooze when the cheif sponsor was giving his speel,then he asked lee on eve of game to come to night club,lee says he was only having a joke but he is by all reports a real chatracter,and a funny man and joker to boot,definatly Australias favourite world 11 player ,but when he bats its all buisness,as he says thats his payday and his job!!!

 

[shaka]

Its about time that Freddie got promoted up the order, perhaps put Kallis as a floating player depending on the scenario, as opposed to having secured the no.4 spot!

 

[jlo33692]

Its about time that Freddie got promoted up the order, perhaps put Kallis as a floating player depending on the scenario, as opposed to having secured the no.4 spot!

I think you may have a point there shaka,they ob,have to try something different,I cant understand why they are playing McGrath tommorow when the series in ODI is over .he is needed for the test,when asked why he would bother playing McGrath said becuase i was picked and its a match against the rest and best in the world and its not everyday you get an oportunity to prove yourself against these guys,Maybe this is why at 35 years of age and saying he at least wants to play 2 more years is why McGrath is one of crickets leading bowlers and 1 of the best of all time.

Good night chaps its been fun , it all makes for good debate and interesting even a bit heated tonight ,but still only 1 red card shown...well played all hahaha