Personal Cricket Statutes

[Scaly piscine]

We arent exactly ignoring him or discrediting him. But there is still some time for Harmison as pointed out by Liam.

The guy has 138 wickets in Test cricket, what more do you want to go on?

 

[Pratters]

The guy has 138 wickets in Test cricket, what more do you want to go on?

I have stated what more I want already. Not saying Harmison is not capable of doing that. But it will be better to analyse Harmison around 8-9 months from now. I repear t- I am not discrediting the man.

 

[Scaly piscine]

I have stated what more I want already. Not saying Harmison is not capable of doing that. But it will be better to analyse Harmison around 8-9 months from now. I repear t- I am not discrediting the man.

It will be better to 'analyse' Harmison in 20 years time but it's just ridiculous to wait that long to make a judgement on a cricketer. It should be obvious to anyone that he's a top quality bowler that would make any international side in the world.

 

[Pratters]

that long to make a judgement on a cricketer.

Not really that long a time.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

If he was so good he would have got the opportunities I imagine.

Because West Indies selection policy makes sense?

Look at when they decided to play Bradshaw.

Ramnarine wasn't ignored because he wasn't good enough. He was not played due to bias of selections. Aside from the basic "we got to the top with pace, we've got no time for spin" attitude in the region, Carl Hooper fell out with Ramnarine on tour and told him that he'd never play for the West Indies again under his captaincy. Sure enough, Ramnarine wasn't again selected, and then he retired as a protest.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

What exactly is 'still not proven'?


And yea Pratyush, lets just ignore everyone til they've got 500 Test wickets eh.

The man averages 40 per wicket for his last 3 series not against Bangladesh! You call that a proven world-class bowler? He's proven that he can be a world-class bowler, but if you're going to average 40 per wicket, I don't even know if Bangladesh can afford you.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

It will be better to 'analyse' Harmison in 20 years time but it's just ridiculous to wait that long to make a judgement on a cricketer. It should be obvious to anyone that he's a top quality bowler that would make any international side in the world.

He averages 40 over the last year! He may make the West Indies, but be real...

 

[aussie]

I've reported this part of your post for moderators. You should wash your mouth out with soap. This is a terrible thing to say.

what

 

[Dydl]

In no particular order...

1. Australia aren't finished "dominating" yet.
2. The Super Series is a good idea.
3. MacGill will do well in Test cricket when he gets the chance.
4. Australia will not become a "Zimbabwe" team when some of the senior players retire.
5. Jason Gillespie could make a comeback.
6. Darren Lehmann could retire from international cricket soon, as it is unlikely he'll be picked.
7. Brett Lee wouldn't be where he was if Dennis Lillee hadn't helped him out and if he didn't have enough accuracy.
8. McGrath's "metronome" bowling will continue.
9. Brian Lara could break his world-record score.
10. Richie Benaud is one of the best commentators ever.
11. McGrath will/would be angry when Stuart MacGill is 10 in the batting line-up - in NSW games.
12. Gilchrist is one of the best/the best keeper-batsman ever.

 

[LongHopCassidy]

1. Australia will lose the world championship after the 2010-11 Ashes.
2. MacGill is the third best Test bowler in Australia.
3. Lara AND Tendulkar are past it.
4. Gayle and Sehwag will be the dominant batsmen of the next generation.
5. Pakistan will lift the 2007 World Cup.
6. Tait and Lee will form a devastating opening combination.
7. A world championship changes hands when the champions lose a series at home.
8. South Africa will become a superpower founded on fast bowlers (led by Ntini).
9. Pietersen will retain an average of 60 in ODIs.
10. Pitch standards will gradually worsen.

 

[Scaly piscine]

The man averages 40 per wicket for his last 3 series not against Bangladesh! You call that a proven world-class bowler? He's proven that he can be a world-class bowler, but if you're going to average 40 per wicket, I don't even know if Bangladesh can afford you.

And he averaged just over 30 against the toughest opposition he'll face in years, with only one of the five pitches that had anything in it for him whatsoever. Unlike Hoggard and Simon Jones Harmison does lots of the donkey work when the conditions aren't there for him. Harmison has basically had one bad series in the last couple of years and many good series.

 

[James90]

6) We will never know how Ben Hollioake's career would have panned

Are you sure about that?

1) Slater and Afridi would have been the most entertaining opening pair in history
2) Steve Waugh was Australia's best captain for many many years
3) Cameron White is a brilliant cricketer with huge potential
4) 16 teams in the World Cup will be a farce
5) Bangladesh will win a test series against Australia in 10 years
6) Brad Hodge will only play around 20 tests
7) Langer and Dravid will retire as the two greatest batsmen since Tendulkar and Lara
8) Ponting will retire as the most controvercial captain since Hansie Cronje
9) A plane will crash killing an entire cricket team within the next 50 years

 

[Chubb]

Are you sure about that?

1) Slater and Afridi would have been the most entertaining opening pair in history
2) Steve Waugh was Australia's best captain for many many years
3) Cameron White is a brilliant cricketer with huge potential
4) 16 teams in the World Cup will be a farce
5) Bangladesh will win a test series against Australia in 10 years
6) Brad Hodge will only play around 20 tests
7) Langer and Dravid will retire as the two greatest batsmen since Tendulkar and Lara
8) Ponting will retire as the most controvercial captain since Hansie Cronje
9) A plane will crash killing an entire cricket team within the next 50 years

I've often thought that could happen, I mean, planes crash all the time, it wouldn't take much for one to crash with, say, the ashes tour party 2010-11 on or something like that. It would be a terrible thing to happen.

 

[Scaly piscine]

I've often thought that could happen, I mean, planes crash all the time, it wouldn't take much for one to crash with, say, the ashes tour party 2010-11 on or something like that. It would be a terrible thing to happen.

Plane crashes across the world are pretty rare. If it were to happen it would be far more likely to be a plane coming from or going to a less wealthy country. Plane crashes in Britain are extremely rare. Anyway lets put it this way, add up all the Test players who've been killed in car crashes, how long would you have to go back til you came up with 14 or so? Then take that length of time and multiply it a few times - I bet it would be far longer than 50 years.

 

[Chubb]

I'm not disputing that it's unlikely to happen, just saying that it could happen.

 

[Mister Wright]

I'm sure I would agree if I could make out whether he was saying Vaughan > Tendulkar or Tendulkar > Vaughan.

Vaughan is the most elegant batsman playing the game atm. I don't see how anyone could think he is more elegant than Tendulkar...

 

[Neil Pickup]

1. Australia will lose the world championship after the 2010-11 Ashes.
2. MacGill is the third best Test bowler in Australia.
3. Lara AND Tendulkar are past it.
4. Gayle and Sehwag will be the dominant batsmen of the next generation.
5. Pakistan will lift the 2007 World Cup.
6. Tait and Lee will form a devastating opening combination.
7. A world championship changes hands when the champions lose a series at home.
8. South Africa will become a superpower founded on fast bowlers (led by Ntini).
9. Pietersen will retain an average of 60 in ODIs.
10. Pitch standards will gradually worsen.

1/10. Better than Rik's, I guess...

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

I've often thought that could happen, I mean, planes crash all the time, it wouldn't take much for one to crash with, say, the ashes tour party 2010-11 on or something like that. It would be a terrible thing to happen.

Considering the number of planes in action, it's incredibly rare to be killed or even involved in a plane crash. Statistically it's more likely to die from a falling coconut than in a plane crash.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

And he averaged just over 30 against the toughest opposition he'll face in years, with only one of the five pitches that had anything in it for him whatsoever. Unlike Hoggard and Simon Jones Harmison does lots of the donkey work when the conditions aren't there for him. Harmison has basically had one bad series in the last couple of years and many good series.

Harmison still bowls too short in general and doesn't build the pressure he should.
The fact that he's simply not taking wickets with any regularity is telling. Yes, he bowled well in the West Indies last year. He then struggled when WI toured England, except for one innings.

Examine his figures against Australia. He took 5/43 in the first innings of the series. After that, he took 12 wickets at an average of 42.17. The length that he bowled may have caused some bruises and shaken up the batsmen, but it wasn't very effective otherwise. England can afford to carry Harmison around at the moment until he regains his form, but to say he would walk into any team in the world - rubbish.

Yes, he bowls with heart and determination, but so do Brett Lee, Fidel Edwards and Tino Best. They're not good enough (yet) either. Steve Harmison has shown that he can be a world class bowler, but he's more often shown that he isn't at this point in time.

If 138 Test wickets and a good series against Australia is the qualification for a world-class bowler who would walk into any side, what about Mervyn Dillon? 131 Test wickets isn't quite 138, but he took 16 wickets in 4 Tests (Harmison took 17 in 5) the last time WI toured Australia. He averaged less than 30 and (Harmison >30) Australia only lost 48 wickets in those 4 Tests. Of the 5 times Mark Waugh was dismissed in those 4 Tests, Dillon was the bowler on each occasion.

Would Dillon walk into any team in the world?

 

[Pedro Delgado]

1. Murali is cool.
2. So is Warne.
3. Sachin is still #1 for me, BCL is a leftie and it's easier for them.
4. KP will average above 50 in Tests and ODI's when he retires.
5. Australia will produce another incredible leggie by 2010
6. England never will.
7. I like a lot of the Aussies now.
8. I wish for a great Indian side and WI side.
9. I think the Super Series is a splendid idea and a friend and I are getting a case of champagne in to watch the six day Test.
10. England will lose to Australia in the '07 World Cup final
11. Flintoff will play as a batsman only in the '09 Ashes series.
12. Vaughan will take more wickets than Harmison in the sub-continent against Pak and Ind.
13. Harmison will be the leading wicket taker from both sides in Australia, next Ashes.
14. Peter Cook was the funniest that man ever lived.
15. When I eventually buy a dog, it will be an English Bull Terrier and I shall name him Mr Bridger.