***Official*** West Indies in Australia

[Jason_M]

"Despite what you may think, you cannot hit a boundary off every ball"

In that situation you should at least try to hit a boundary off every ball once settled at the crease. Now tell me why was Hayden only looking for singles when the score was 0/40 odd?

 

[Top_Cat]

At 0/40 odd you're entitled to cut loose and finish the job off not stuff around and take singles, its just vanity particularly on Hayden's part.

'Entitled to' is vastly different to 'obligated to'.

This is ridiculous. You've no idea what you're talking about. What you see as 'preserving their averages' I see as 'putting value on their wickets'. If they started cutting loose and got out, how stupid would they look? This part is particularly ludicrous;

Hussey made a hundred in the first innings and i don't think anyone was really going to care if he got out cheaply in the 2nd as the match was already a foregone conclusion.

Ask guys like Michael Slater and Damien Martyn whether one silly shot when your Test-match career isn't assured makes much of a difference. I mean seriously, are you honestly asking us to believe that had Mike Hussey tried to play some big shots and gotten out cheaply, the selectors would just say "Ah, it doesn't matter; the game's over."? Come on.

In that situation you should at least try to hit a boundary off every ball once settled at the crease. Now tell me why was Hayden only looking for singles when the score was 0/40 odd?

It's called being professional and since you're not, you can't possibly understand nor comment intelligently as to what Hayden 'should' have done in this situation.

 

[sqwerty]

"Despite what you may think, you cannot hit a boundary off every ball"

In that situation you should at least try to hit a boundary off every ball once settled at the crease. Now tell me why was Hayden only looking for singles when the score was 0/40 odd?

huhhhh?? I don't get the point of this question.

 

[ClownSymonds]

MEK Hussey, by far the best batsman of the modern era: average of 66 in tests, 123.5 in ODIs.

 

[irfan]

to Jason M

dude, you shud lay off a little bit on Hussey and Hayden, despite wat u may think " a boundary a ball when well set " isn't feasible. The Aussies had a whole day getting the target and there's no reason why they have to blast their way to the target. You can't blame Huss as he was playing for his future as JL is a certainty for adelaide.

 

[SquidAU]

I think we can put Jason_M's comments down to the absolute hatred he has for the Australian cricket team (as he has stated in previous posts). Can't make rational statements about something you already dislike.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

It's no secret that Hayden plays for his average on occasion though. Whether that's right or wrong, I won't say.

 

[Jason_M]

"This is ridiculous. You've no idea what you're talking about. What you see as 'preserving their averages' I see as 'putting value on their wickets'."

So if someone doesn't see it your way they've got "no idea what they're talking about" .

"If they started cutting loose and got out, how stupid would they look?"

Once they settled in and moved the score to 0/30 and put the game beyond whatever doubt there was, why shouldn't they cut loose? Scared of losing 10 wickets for 40 runs on that pitch, come on.

"Ask guys like Michael Slater and Damien Martyn whether one silly shot when your Test-match career isn't assured makes much of a difference"

Being up 1-0 in the series and chasing a paltry 78 runs on a batsmen's paradise after scroring your debut hundred in the first innings is a little bit different than Damien Martyn's situation against South Africa, and Michael Slater's axing probably had more to do with internal issues within the team and personal problems in his own life.

"It's called being professional and since you're not, you can't possibly understand nor comment intelligently as to what Hayden 'should' have done in this situation."

Its called vanity, which sums up Matthew Hayden nicely.

 

[cameeel]

It's no secret that Hayden plays for his average on occasion though. Whether that's right or wrong, I won't say.

True enough, though i'm inclined to say who cares what he's playing for as long as he makes runs for his country. Jason M's comments are just excessive though, cut the man some slack, he made 110 and 46, so why should he change his style just cause you think thats how they should play?

 

[Top_Cat]

So if someone doesn't see it your way they've got "no idea what they're talking about"

Don't turn it into something personal. It's a statement of fact; you're presuming you know what Hayden thinks and presuming to know what he should be thinking in that situation. You tell me how you can possibly know either.

Being up 1-0 in the series and chasing a paltry 78 runs on a batsmen's paradise after scroring your debut hundred in the first innings is a little bit different than Damien Martyn's situation against South Africa, and Michael Slater's axing probably had more to do with internal issues within the team and personal problems in his own life.

Re: Martyn, how is it different? He played a drive on the up in a tight situation, was out and Australia lost. He was then dropped. What makes you so certain that Hussey would be immune from a similar thing? That he's made a ton? Getting out even when the match is assured could be construed by some in the Aussie selection heirarchy as indicative of an attitude problem. Or maybe not at all. If you'd waited as long as Hussey has to play for Australia, woudl you risk it? I wouldn't.

Re: Slater, I'm talking about the FIRST time he was dropped after playing a pretty shocking shot to David Johnson in India which led to a collapse. The difference between these and Hussey/Haydos today is that the match isn't on the line. To selectors in picking players and asking questions about their attitude, that probably wouldn't matter. Again, if you were them, would you take that risk? I doubt it.

Its called vanity, which sums up Matthew Hayden nicely.

Close personal friend obviously? If not, again, you know not of what you speak. Like I said, just a statement of fact.

 

[Jason_M]

"why should he change his style just cause you think thats how they should play?"

Because he's a leech with no talent that is being rewarded for that, he's someone who is clearly playing cricket for the $ alone and not for the enjoyment of the game, not saying he is the only one because there are many others who are fashioning a similar game to his where all that matters are the runs and the averages.

Playing a game like Hayden is more effective these days than to play one like Lara's or some other flamboyant batter, there's just something wrong about that.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Hayden Has No Talent!?!?!

Are You Insane?

 

[Jason_M]

"Getting out even when the match is assured could be construed by some in the Aussie selection heirarchy as indicative of an attitude problem"

On the other hand, finishing it off in style would be looked on favourably as well if not more so than just grafting your way to the win.

Are you comparing Martyn's situation to that of Hussey's today? Martyn was under extreme pressure to guide the Aussies home, did you feel any of that pressure on either of the 2 Aussie batsmen today?

".......To selectors in picking players and asking questions about their attitude, that probably wouldn't matter"

Of course it would, they take into account the situation of the match and the different conditions etc, they're not going to hang somebody for having a dash in a match that is beyond doubt.

 

[cameeel]

"why should he change his style just cause you think thats how they should play?"

Because he's a leech with no talent that is being rewarded for that, he's someone who is clearly playing cricket for the $ alone and not for the enjoyment of the game, not saying he is the only one because there are many others who are fashioning a similar game to his where all that matters are the runs and the averages.

Playing a game like Hayden is more effective these days than to play one like Lara's or some other flamboyant batter, there's just something wrong about that.

Since when does no talent get you 21000 FC runs, including over 6000 test runs?

Just quit while you're behind

 

[vic_orthdox]

In that situation you should at least try to hit a boundary off every ball once settled at the crease.

Just says it all.

Should try and hit a boundary off every ball? At least? Ah, so if they're in good form, they should be trying to hit sixes every ball! That makes sense.

Too much of this methinks.

 

[Buddhmaster]

Do you actually live in Australia, or here on holiday?

 

[Mike Hussey]

Mike Hussey man of the match.

 

[Top_Cat]

Of course it would, they take into account the situation of the match and the different conditions etc, they're not going to hang somebody for having a dash in a match that is beyond doubt.

They do and have done. Previously demonstrated behaviour trumps your assertions.

"why should he change his style just cause you think thats how they should play?"

Because he's a leech with no talent that is being rewarded for that, he's someone who is clearly playing cricket for the $ alone and not for the enjoyment of the game, not saying he is the only one because there are many others who are fashioning a similar game to his where all that matters are the runs and the averages.

Tells me all I need to know. I'm done here.

 

[Jason_M]

"Since when does no talent get you 21000 FC runs, including over 6000 test runs?"

Back when Hayden first came into test cricket he struggled against good but ageing attacks, since his return the standard of bowling has fallen sharply. You could get just about any decent state player and have thrown him into this Australian side over the past 5 or 6 years and they would have scored heavily.

 

[cameeel]

"Since when does no talent get you 21000 FC runs, including over 6000 test runs?"

Back when Hayden first came into test cricket he struggled against good but ageing attacks, since his return the standard of bowling has fallen sharply. You could get just about any decent state player and have thrown him into this Australian side over the past 5 or 6 years and they would have scored heavily.

The reason Australia has done so well is because it has batsmen like Hayden, Langer etc in the side, it takes 11 class players to reach the top of the rankings and stay there for as long as Aus has, not 10 class players and a 'decent' player at state level. That's like saying the Windies would have been just as good had they replaced Viv Richards with a 'decent' batsman, the reason he's was picked, and remains to be picked, is because he's one of the best 7-8 batsman in the country.