Team MVP

[Mr. P]

Here are my MVP's for 2003!!

Australia - Ricky Ponting
Bangladesh - Alok Kopali
England - Michael Vaughan
India - Rahul Dravid
New Zealand - Darryl Tuffey
Pakistan - Yousuf Youhana
South Africa - Jacques Kallis
Sri Lanka - Chaminda Vaas
West Indies - Brian Lara
Zimbabwe - Heath Streak

Im agreeing, for all except Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

Replace Vaas with Murali.

Replace Alok with Bashar.

 

[Anil]

Lara fails, Windies fails. Simple as that.

Probably....but when Lara succeeds, do the Windies always succeed? This is not to damn Lara, for whom I have the highest regard, but their impact on results also should influence the selection of an MVP. On that count, when Murali succeeds, Sri Lanka more often than not ride on his back and cross the finish line first.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Probably....but when Lara succeeds, do the Windies always succeed? This is not to damn Lara, for whom I have the highest regard, but their impact on results also should influence the selection of an MVP. On that count, when Murali succeeds, Sri Lanka more often than not ride on his back and cross the finish line first.

Well Lara averages 62.17 with 15 hundreds and 24 fifties when the West Indies avoids defeat (which is a victory for us :P).

He's won more matches for the West Indies than most players. Besides, an MVP cannot always inspire victory. Look at Alex Rodriguez in baseball. He's the only worthwhile player in Texas and still Texas loses. One man cannot win games for you, but Lara still contributes a lion's share to the West Indian cause.

 

[Tom Halsey]

Australia - Ponting
England - Vaughan
India - Dravid
Bangladesh - Kapali
New Zealand - Bond
Pakistan - Shoaib
South Africa - Pollock
Sri Lanka - Murali
West Indies - Lara
Zimbabwe - Streak

 

[Anil]

Well Lara averages 62.17 with 15 hundreds and 24 fifties when the West Indies avoids defeat (which is a victory for us :P).

Agreed. I never disputed his greatness or his contribution to Windies cricket.

He's won more matches for the West Indies than most players.

Probably.....since you are giving stats to try and prove your point, let me point out some stats for you:

Lara has played in 30 matches won by the Windies and has 4 man-of-the-match awards and an average of 58.46. He also has played in 58 matches where the Windies have not lost and has 9 man-of-the-match awards and an average of 62.17. Impressive! Now consider this: Murali has 11 man-of-the-match awards in 30 matches won by SL and an average of 16.16(his career average is 22.94). He also has 13 man-of-the-match awards in 58 matches not lost by SL and an average of 19.62. I know that the contributions of both players go far beyond the number of man-of-the-match awards that they have won, but, do you see what I am trying to tell you? Lara is no doubt the MVP of the West Indies team, has been for years now, but the comparative value of Murali to SL and his impact on his team’s performance looks much higher, doesn’t it? Of course, stats don’t ever tell the whole story, but I think the point I have made is valid.

Besides, an MVP cannot always inspire victory.

Never said or implied that.

Look at Alex Rodriguez in baseball. He's the only worthwhile player in Texas and still Texas loses. One man cannot win games for you, but Lara still contributes a lion's share to the West Indian cause.

Sorry, I don’t follow baseball purely by choice, so I can’t comment and yes, Lara has been the greatest contributor to West Indian cricket team for most of his career.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

As much as what I may have suggested earlier on, one player can not win a Test match. 20 wickets must be taken to gratify Lara's contribution and at least 1 more run than the opposition must be scored to gratify Murali's. You can't really compare a batsman's effect on his team to a bolwer's.

Regarding MOM awards, I don't consider those very strongly. I have seem several silly Man of the Match picks in my cricket-watching career.

 

[Anil]

As much as what I may have suggested earlier on, one player can not win a Test match. 20 wickets must be taken to gratify Lara's contribution and at least 1 more run than the opposition must be scored to gratify Murali's. You can't really compare a batsman's effect on his team to a bolwer's.

Regarding MOM awards, I don't consider those very strongly. I have seem several silly Man of the Match picks in my cricket-watching career.

In a team game, one player can make the most significant contribution, but the phrase "singlehandedly won the match for his team" is a misnomer as it never happens. I never suggested that it did. When two players tower over the rest of their team like Lara and Murali do, what we can possibly do is compare their overall value to the team, I was not trying to directly compare a batsman to a bowler. How many times have you seen Lara and/or Murali picked as a silly choice for M.O.M? These awards may not always make sense, but they cannot be dismissed as insignificant and not having any bearing on a players' performance.

Besides, Liam, when you picked Lara over other players as the "most valuable MVP"(player, not batsman, mind), you must have compared his performance with other MVPs on some level, otherwise how could you come up with a choice at all?

The only other option is to have a batting MVP and a bowling MVP which in my book would be Lara and Murali.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Admittedly Murali slipped my mind as I was comparing him more with those who contribute with the bat.

IMO Heath Streak is the MVP who will go unnoticed a great deal. I believe he is very close to Lara and Murali in terms of value.

 

[Langeveldt]

These two are just rediculous. I could sit down and pick a Bangladesh team without Alok, but I could pick an Asian XI with Habibul in it. And Muralitharan is surely Sri Lankas MVP!

Im not going to pick Bashar if he isnt in the team.. He certainly didnt play against England. Why was that?

 

[marc71178]

Regarding MOM awards, I don't consider those very strongly. I have seem several silly Man of the Match picks in my cricket-watching career.

Not in Tests IMO, but definitely in ODI's

 

[Thelwell]

What you are all saying about lara is true, the guy is amazing. However, can i just point out that Ricky Ponting had an average of over a 100 in 2003!!!

Thats what you call an MVP.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

If Ponting had been injured all year long Australia would still have won. Ponting had a superb year, but when you have Hayden, Langer, Gilchrist, Waugh, Martyn, Lehmann and Katich to pick up the slack, it's depreciates your overall value to the team.

 

[Adamc]

Im not going to pick Bashar if he isnt in the team.. He certainly didnt play against England. Why was that?

Well, he certainly did play. He scored 2, 58, 18 and 21 in the Tests, and 10 and 21 in the ODI's (missed the 2nd ODI).

 

[deeps]

These two are just rediculous. I could sit down and pick a Bangladesh team without Alok, but I could pick an Asian XI with Habibul in it. And Muralitharan is surely Sri Lankas MVP!

i agree,habibul is more valuable...but picking an asian XI with habibul? i'm sorry, i seriuosyl doubt that... look at the asian batsman

tendulkar,dravid,laxman,ganguly,sehwag,inzamam,youhana,nazir,umar,hameed,attapatu,jayasuriya, farhat,elahi, razzaq etc etc.

There are SOOO many batsman there that are worlds ahead of habibul......... it would b with great controversy if he got picked on pure batting merit

 

[age_master]

interesting so many people went straight for Ponting for Australia, i dont mean hes not important but for mine it would probably be Gilchrist or Gillespie (surely we cant survive without his hair)

 

[Deja moo]

Isnt Glenn Mcgrath more valuable for Aus than Ponting?..Aus wouldnt do badly without Ponting, but are struggling without mcGrath.....

 

[Craig]

tendulkar,dravid,laxman,ganguly,sehwag,inzamam,youhana,nazir,umar,hameed,attapatu,jayasuriya, farhat,elahi, razzaq etc etc.

Both Imran Nazir and Yasir Hameed are good enough for an Asian XI.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Both Imran Nazir and Yasir Hameed are good enough for an Asian XI.

Imran Nazir who avges 32 in Tests with 2x100 and 1x50 and 24 in ODI's with 1x100 and 8x50? That Imran Nazir?

 

[iamdavid]

South Africa - Kallis - their best batsman , main slip feilder , when his bowling is on song it takes pressure off Pollock & Ntini.

Zimbabwe - The best bowler they've ever had by miles , if his bowling dosent fire they have no chance , a superb feildsman , and he's having to bail them out with the bat alot these days aswell. To be honest he's one of the better bats in the side

New Zealand - Bond (when fit) , he offers that little something that makes the attack click , his pace & fire to go with the control & movement of Tuffey , Oram etc transforms an average attack into a very dangerous one.

India - Dravid , when he fires it just takes so much pressure off Tendulkar , etc.
He is one of the better feildsman in what hasnt always been a great feilding side & if his keeping is on song it gives the selectors so many options in the OD game.

Sri Lanka - Guess who , Guess why.

West Indies - see Sri Lanka

Pakistan - Shoaib , he aint the most consistent bowler around but when he's on song he can destroy anyone.

Bangladesh- Habibul , I rate Kapali pretty highly but he aint in Habibul's league just yet , Mushrafe would be #2 IMO.

England - Flintoff actually , this is really the only one I have to give a thought to , was about to say Vaughan , but no.
One of the better catchers in the side , the most accurate bowler they have , one of very few in England who will pose a threat with the old ball.
And knowing they have a man at 6/7 who can actually get a few & quickly gives the top order so much more confidence.

Australia- McGrath , if Ponting , Hayden were to go they would be replaced & the batting would still be formidable.
However as we have seen this summer the bowling aint got that sort of depth , therefore McGrath is a must have.

 

[Shane Warne]

Sri Lanka - Chaminda Vaas

just pipping michael vandort, with murali nowhere