*Official* VB Series Thread

[Eclipse]

Well in that case Ponting is still better than Knight. he's got 10 ODI hundreds over 5000 runs and at a better strike rate and better avrage than Knight.

And I dont think hes been out of the PWC ODI top ten batsman for about 2 years.

 

[Top_Cat]

I dunno but I've been puzzled as to why Englnd won't persist with Knight in the Test side. He'd be the ideal number 3 or 4 as he certainly has a much straighter technique than someone like Mark Butcher. Then there's his fielding; he looks to be a pretty brilliant fielder.

On that, I think the English side ignores the importance of good fielders in the Test side. Graham Thorpe, John Crawley, Marcus Trescothick, Mark Butcher, Nasser Hussain and Michael Vaughan are all liabilities in the ground-fielding stakes and it shows as the fielding side is unable to maintain pressure on the batting side. It takes an unusually good bowling performance like Cad****'s in the 5th Test to put some pressure on but obviously great bowling isn't going to happen all the time.

Contrast this with England's one-day side and when you add exceptional fielders like Knight, Irani, Shah, Collingwood etc. into the side, suddenly even if the bowling is merely average, they can still put pressure on.

Compare that to the Aussie top 6 and there's not a weak fielder among them. Steve Waugh isn't as good as he used to be but he IS 37 after all and even then can still field quite well. Then there are guys like Hayden, Ponting, Langer and Martyn, all sensational ground fielders.

Just a thought, I guess.

 

[age_master]

hayden vs Knight
Hayden
48 matches
42.71 average
76 SR

Knight
89 matches
41.74 average
71.5 sR


come on rik, not even the stats are on your side, and in the last year or so i reakon Hayden further in front, also, Knight is more of a pinch hitter than Hayden, where as hayden is a solid tech, more trad batsman

 

[aussie_beater]

Jayasuriya gets dropped at point and he smashes Watson for a 6 and a 4 in the next two balls.....good going from SL with 79/0 from 13 overs

 

[Top_Cat]

Geez, SL 1/240 34.1 overs, Jayasuria just gone for 120 (105).

Slaughter seems to be too light a word for this................

 

[marc71178]

I dunno but I've been puzzled as to why Englnd won't persist with Knight in the Test side. He'd be the ideal number 3 or 4 as he certainly has a much straighter technique than someone like Mark Butcher. Then there's his fielding; he looks to be a pretty brilliant fielder.

If he couldn't get in after the year he had in 2002, he's got no chance!

 

[marc71178]

hayden vs Knight
Hayden
48 matches
42.71 average
76 SR

Knight
89 matches
41.74 average
71.5 sR


come on rik, not even the stats are on your side, and in the last year or so i reakon Hayden further in front, also, Knight is more of a pinch hitter than Hayden, where as hayden is a solid tech, more trad batsman

A few posts ago you said averages don't mean much, then proceed to quote them?!

I would never call Knight a pinch hitter - that's someone like Sehwag or Jayasuriya.

Knight improvises I would say, and to me is Hayden's equal in ODI's (remember the quality of the side surrounding the player can make a difference)

 

[age_master]

give me a break, im trying to communicate with rik on his terms :P

Hayden vs Knight, give me a break, Hayden, is stronger, has better technique, bats better in india!! and is taller (better vs bouncy deliveries)

 

[Eclipse]

Well played Sri Lanka great effort I think Australia just thought it was going to happen after watching them in Adelade.

Bloody Brad Hogg what a shocker he droped Jaysuria on 26 off Watson. then bowled 9 overs for 75. and made 4 with the bat.

I think If Lee had not No balled that deleverie witch had Jaysuriays middle stump uprooted on 2 things may have been diffrent.

I on a positive side I thought Watson was Fantastic today he only got 2-72 but had 3 cathes droped off his bowling and his figures were very respectable considering. he also made a great 35* to almost snatch the bounus point.

 

[aussie_beater]

That's more like an SL performance.Tremendous opening partnership and Jayasuriya was at his imperious best, ofcourse with the associated luck that helps in such an innings.

Aus never appeared to be threatening the total.They were pretty much outplayed.

 

[Rik]

give me a break, im trying to communicate with rik on his terms :P

Hayden vs Knight, give me a break, Hayden, is stronger, has better technique, bats better in india!! and is taller (better vs bouncy deliveries)

My Terms? Well try English or French then

Hayden has not performed as well for as long as Knight, so why don't you give it a break?

 

[Rik]

Well in that case Ponting is still better than Knight. he's got 10 ODI hundreds over 5000 runs and at a better strike rate and better avrage than Knight.

And I dont think hes been out of the PWC ODI top ten batsman for about 2 years.

Yes, but this is Hayden vs Knight not Knight vs Ponting. Also Ponting isn't an opener.

 

[Rik]

I dunno but I've been puzzled as to why Englnd won't persist with Knight in the Test side. He'd be the ideal number 3 or 4 as he certainly has a much straighter technique than someone like Mark Butcher. Then there's his fielding; he looks to be a pretty brilliant fielder.

On that, I think the English side ignores the importance of good fielders in the Test side. Graham Thorpe, John Crawley, Marcus Trescothick, Mark Butcher, Nasser Hussain and Michael Vaughan are all liabilities in the ground-fielding stakes and it shows as the fielding side is unable to maintain pressure on the batting side. It takes an unusually good bowling performance like Cad****'s in the 5th Test to put some pressure on but obviously great bowling isn't going to happen all the time.

Contrast this with England's one-day side and when you add exceptional fielders like Knight, Irani, Shah, Collingwood etc. into the side, suddenly even if the bowling is merely average, they can still put pressure on.

Compare that to the Aussie top 6 and there's not a weak fielder among them. Steve Waugh isn't as good as he used to be but he IS 37 after all and even then can still field quite well. Then there are guys like Hayden, Ponting, Langer and Martyn, all sensational ground fielders.

Just a thought, I guess.

Knight isn't considered for the Test Team as he has failed so often. He just seems to loose everything when he gets into the Test Side...against Pakistan 2 years ago he was brought in for one Test and scored 15 and 0 and dropped 4 catches...He averages 24 or so from 17 Tests. When you get to that sort of record you've just got to say enough is enough like they had to with Hick.

Also about your comments on the fielding...Nasser Hussain is a superb fielder so I'm not sure what he's done to upset you. Trescothick has a good pair of hands but Vaughan is a bit dodgy even though he can take superb catches and is rated highly, he lets the ball past him too often. White is a very good fielder and the slips cordon is good enough. It's not as bad as you think. But I wouldn't mind seeing Shah in the Test side as he's done more in the 4D game than he has in the 1D game and yet he's picked for the ODI team...odd.

 

[Rik]

Well played Sri Lanka great effort I think Australia just thought it was going to happen after watching them in Adelade.

Bloody Brad Hogg what a shocker he droped Jaysuria on 26 off Watson. then bowled 9 overs for 75. and made 4 with the bat.

I think If Lee had not No balled that deleverie witch had Jaysuriays middle stump uprooted on 2 things may have been diffrent.

I on a positive side I thought Watson was Fantastic today he only got 2-72 but had 3 cathes droped off his bowling and his figures were very respectable considering. he also made a great 35* to almost snatch the bounus point.

Hogg...and he's going to the World Cup too...oh dear.

 

[Anil]

Way to go Lankans!!! Aussies will still go through comfortably, but England better watch out. If SL can maintain this form or something close to it, the 2nd place fight is going to go down the wire.

 

[Legglancer]

WOW !!!! What a match between Australia And Sri Lanka. Congrats to Sanath and the Lankans on their terrific performance over the mighty Aussies. I am especially happy for Jayasuriya as he has not been performing well of late and also because he is such a decent guy.

Isn't life full of surprises folks ??? "What a differance a day makes" .... barely 48 houres ago sri lanka lost twice to the aussie A team in one day... and then they come back when the chips are down give the Mighty aussies the biggest Thrashing in Aussie history !!!!

CRICKET LOVELY CRICKET !!!!!

 

[Neil Pickup]

All those fielders you listed as liabilities are some of the better ones in the side.. :rolleyes: compared to Ronnie Irani and his long barriers!

And as for Knight vs Hayden... Rik, are you trying to seriously tell me that you'd wouldn't rather have Hayden than old Nicky? You're going to be in a minority there, mate.

As for Sri Lanka..

[HOPE]Australia aren't going to reach the final...[/HOPE]

 

[Rik]

All those fielders you listed as liabilities are some of the better ones in the side.. :rolleyes: compared to Ronnie Irani and his long barriers!

And as for Knight vs Hayden... Rik, are you trying to seriously tell me that you'd wouldn't rather have Hayden than old Nicky? You're going to be in a minority there, mate.

As for Sri Lanka..

[HOPE]Australia aren't going to reach the final...[/HOPE]

Well actually I'd put them equal now but Knight...he's done it longer than Hayden and didn't had a crap spell at the beginning of his career. Also he hits to ball into different areas than most batsmen, he's class. Hayden's in form at the moment but if he keeps his average at 40 odd for 90 odd matches, and if he did it in a team which was so weak at ODI Cricket for so long, then he would be at least equal...

 

[age_master]

YAHOO Jayasuria, what an innings, that was fantastic, Attapattu did well too but Jayasuria will be back to his best soon and thats fantasti, hes a top player and a nice guy good too see him coming back to form


Watch out England!!

 

[Bazza]

Nick Knight must be one of the worlds most underrated players. His ODI record is outstanding (especially by English standards).