The One's That Got Away

[Top_Cat]

I know Kepler Wessels played tests for both Australia and South Africa

And scored a hundred on debut, in fact.

As for Mullally, when he was playing for WA, just about every good cricket judge in Australia (Benaud, the Chappells, etc.) were emphatically saying he should have been in the Aussie Test side at that time. No kidding. I actually really liked Mullally too.

 

[Marius]

Somebody mentioned that Strauss' parents are English. I think they are South African, he still has family in South Africa.

Dale Benkenstein and Steve Elworthy who both played for South Africa were born in Zimbabwe, and I think the Flower brothers were born in Cape Town. Marcus Prior, who toured Zim with the English was also born in Joburg I believe. Another SA-born player may soon play for Aus as well. Justin Coetzee played for a WA XI against Pak, and took five wickets for 20-odd. He was born in Durban, and Coetzee is quite a common Afrikaans surname.

 

[C_C]

He would simply displace Ganguly.

i am sorry but no batsman has survived in the IND middle order in the past 10 years without averaging 40.
Hussain aint a patch on Ganguly when it comes to ODI batting and behind him in test cricket as well.

 

[bryce]

i'm sure zimbabwe would want their former allrounder duncan fletcher back

 

[Swervy]

i am sorry but no batsman has survived in the IND middle order in the past 10 years without averaging 40.
Hussain aint a patch on Ganguly when it comes to ODI batting and behind him in test cricket as well.

When Hussain came onto the scene, he was considered a supreme talent, who knows he may have got into the Indian team in the late 80's early 90's and really flourished in those conditions.

Anyone who saw his double ton vs Australia in 97 couldnt doubt he add a lot of talent,I just think his potential wasnt fully realised

 

[Top_Cat]

Anyone who saw his double ton vs Australia in 97 couldnt doubt he add a lot of talent,I just think his potential wasnt fully realised

I second that. I don't know whether Hussain would have displaced Ganguly (he's another one who's talent probably hasn't been fully realised) but he would have made the team at least I reckon.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Somebody mentioned that Strauss' parents are English. I think they are South African, he still has family in South Africa.

Dale Benkenstein and Steve Elworthy who both played for South Africa were born in Zimbabwe, and I think the Flower brothers were born in Cape Town. Marcus Prior, who toured Zim with the English was also born in Joburg I believe. Another SA-born player may soon play for Aus as well. Justin Coetzee played for a WA XI against Pak, and took five wickets for 20-odd. He was born in Durban, and Coetzee is quite a common Afrikaans surname.

I read on cricinfo the other day that Steyn's parents are British Rhodesians (although I think he's SA born) and depsite the non-Anglo sounding surname he doesn't speak a word of Afrikaans.

 

[mavric41]

Didn't John Tracios play for both South Africa and Zimbabwe 20 years apart?
(He was born in Zimbabwe)

 

[marc71178]

i'm sure zimbabwe would want their former allrounder duncan fletcher back

No they wouldn't - wrong skin colour.

 

[Marius]

Didn't John Tracios play for both South Africa and Zimbabwe 20 years apart?
(He was born in Zimbabwe)

Before South Africa's isolation, Rhodesia played in the Currie Cup, and Rhodesians were often picked for the South African team. Colin Bland was originally Rhodesian I believe, as were the two swing bowlers of the 1960s, Joe Partridge and "Goofy" Lawrence. And John Traicos was actually born in Egypt. With regards to Dale Steyn, I doubt his parents are British, they may be English-speaking, but Steyn is an Afrikaans surname, and his middle name. Willem, is a very Afrikaans name. He probably has an Afrikaans grandfather or great grandfather in the woodwork.

 

[BoyBrumby]

With regards to Dale Steyn, I doubt his parents are British, they may be English-speaking, but Steyn is an Afrikaans surname, and his middle name. Willem, is a very Afrikaans name. He probably has an Afrikaans grandfather or great grandfather in the woodwork.

Don't have to take my word for it, here's the article (about 2/3s way down)

http://usa.cricinfo.com/link_to_dat.../2004/DEC/130617_RSAENG2004-05_16DEC2004.html

 

[Marius]

I read the same article too, Cricinfo often has little factual errors like that.

 

[bryce]

Caddick was a sheep shagger

shut your face mutt, i have you know the owner of this forum is a 'sheep shagger'

 

[Gangster]

Because he was such a bad captain wasn't he?

He's laid the foundation for what Vaughan is currently leading.

What's laid the foundation for what Vaughan is currently leading is a decline in the form of the world's other teams. The West Indies, New Zealand and South Africa are garbage test teams. Utter tripe nowadays. The only test teams worth anything are Australia, India, Sri Lanka and occasionally Pakistan. Wait until England play one of them...

 

[Richard Rash]

What's laid the foundation for what Vaughan is currently leading is a decline in the form of the world's other teams. The West Indies, New Zealand and South Africa are garbage test teams. Utter tripe nowadays. The only test teams worth anything are Australia, India, Sri Lanka and occasionally Pakistan. Wait until England play one of them...

Utter tripe? New Zealand? We have had a horrific injury run and at full strength i don't really think you can regard us as being utter tripe although i think you have a point in saying that even though England have been playing good cricket they have been playing the 3 weakest teams out of the 7 decent opponents

 

[roseboy64]

Theres a difference to players who were born in one country but moved to the country they played for at a very early age (such as Symonds / Strauss) and players who grew up the majority of their childhood in one country but still played for another (Hick / Pieterson - well when he does eventually play for England that is :P).

Didn't Pieterson play against Zimbabwe or don't they count?

 

[Spetsnatz]

What's laid the foundation for what Vaughan is currently leading is a decline in the form of the world's other teams. The West Indies, New Zealand and South Africa are garbage test teams. Utter tripe nowadays. The only test teams worth anything are Australia, India, Sri Lanka and occasionally Pakistan. Wait until England play one of them...

England would beat all the subcontinental sides in England and give them a reasonable run for their money away from home, I fancy.

We'd likely lose to Australia but Vaughan's lads are still improving and even if we don't win the Ashes in 2005, there's the always the 2006 series in Australia to have a crack at.

 

[Neil Pickup]

What's laid the foundation for what Vaughan is currently leading is a decline in the form of the world's other teams. The West Indies, New Zealand and South Africa are garbage test teams. Utter tripe nowadays. The only test teams worth anything are Australia, India, Sri Lanka and occasionally Pakistan. Wait until England play one of them...

Every time we win a match, this happens. We were told to wait for the WI. Then we beat them, and suddenly they were crap. Then NZ were going to be a challenge. Then they were crap. Then we were told that the SA series was important (last team to win a series in SA anyone?). We're one Test to the good, and suddenly SA are crap.

Well, at least we predicted this in July.

 

[Neil Pickup]

If someone's born in an aeroplane passing over a country's airspace, does it make them a citizen of that country? I'm not totally aware of the UK immigration rules, but I don't think that merely being born within these borders secures a right to citizenship/residence.

 

[marc71178]

even though England have been playing good cricket they have been playing the 3 weakest teams out of the 7 decent opponents

So you're now saying that SA are weaker than Pakistan, SL, India and Aus?

Aus for certain, but the other 3...

Mind you we knew this would happen, before the last 3 series, it's been expected to be close as the sides are close, but as soon as England started winning it was because the other side were rubbish...