What ever happened to?

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Indeed he is.

 

[Richard]

James Foster is a class keeper with lots of potential.

Hmm, that's a MOO if I ever heard one. And one, I don't hesitate to add, influenced by a little Essex influence...
IMO Foster might as well have been a pin-in-the-list selection. Quite simply, at the time Stewart declared he wanted a well-deserved break, there were 5 or 6 'keeper\batsmen of approximately equal (low) ability. Foster presumably got sway because he had someone to make a direct case for him (Hussain).
In 2002, Read had a good season and for the first 2\3s of 2003 Jones had a sensational one. Neither, I don't think, will be Stewart replicas, but I certainly rate both considerably higher than Foster.

 

[Richard]

...and Phil Neville is a world class footballer.
I don't blame Foster for his failings at test level...there is no way he should have been selected. It seems to me that Hussain was behind his (and Irani's) selection. Picking county colleagues is not exactly a new trend with the English. Illy picked anything with a Yorkshire connection (including a few puddings), Lloyd did the same with Lanky players (Ian Austin anyone), Keith Fletcher and Gooch the same with Essex, Gatting with Middlesex, etc.

Ian Austin should have played 50 times the ODIs he did.
He was picked when it was, essentially, too late, but like Mark Ealham people just have a bizarre mental-block and their minds refuse to accept such journeyman-seeming cricketers can really be World-class performers.
Picking county colleagues is obviously going to be a likelihood, because you are going to have seen more of those you know best. Selection bias is an oft-brandied accusation in every part of The World, and rarely is there any real substance to it. John Wright has put a stop to it in India, hopefully for good, and it disappeared in England, South Africa, West Indies and Australia long ago.

 

[Richard]

But surely a long successful career from Mr. Smith would have served England nicely. Hence it's England's loss too.

Yes, fair enough.
As with most things, though, cricket is a bigger loser than any team.

 

[Richard]

So you named one World Class player, 1 over-rated Horse, 1 half of the worst double act since the Chuckle Brothers and a Scot with potential.

Next...

Surely age-old tactic, never cut any ice. Can't believe the bashers still try it.
To call Gary Neville and Giggs overrated is frankly ludicrous. If there's ever been a more reliable full-back pairing than Neville and Irwin I'll eat my computer (and like it or not, there is no way to prove that).
Two of the most underrated footballers I've ever seen in my life, and I include myself in that.

 

[Richard]

Based on a season where a third was utter rubbish?

His keeping isn't up to Read's standard, and Read has the International experience.

Yes, he may have looked dodgy in spinning conditions, but when exactly will he next encounter that sort of conditions (and will he have just come back into the side attempting to replace a legend at that time?)

Well, if Read gets a chance in West Indies (still, I'd say, fairly likely) and does well (ie averages 30 or close to it) I'll say he's earned his spot for now.
How, incidentally, do you know that Jones' keeping is so significantly inferior to Read's? When I have seen it I have rated it more than acceptible.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Surely age-old tactic, never cut any ice. Can't believe the bashers still try it.
To call Gary Neville and Giggs overrated is frankly ludicrous. If there's ever been a more reliable full-back pairing than Neville and Irwin I'll eat my computer (and like it or not, there is no way to prove that).
Two of the most underrated footballers I've ever seen in my life, and I include myself in that.

I agree especially re: Giggs. IMO he's a top footballer.

 

[Craig]

Good old Ryan Giggs. So good Inter were rumoured to want his services

 

[marc71178]

To call Gary Neville and Giggs overrated is frankly ludicrous.

I wasn't going anywhere near that, hence I said there was 1 World Class player in that list, ie Giggs.

 

[Craig]

So RVN is over-rated despite his excellent goal scoring ability? Manure got him at a bargin price from PSV.

 

[marc71178]

He misses one hell of a lot of chances.

A World Class striker (such as Henry) wouldn't miss them.

The way Manure play is geared towards creating chances for one man, I mean even Andy Cole scored a heck of a lot of goals for them!

 

[Richard]

Good old Ryan Giggs. So good Inter were rumoured to want his services

Well, Ryan's always known where his loyalties lie.
And Sir Alex has always known where his lie, too.
As for calling RVanN overrated, that is quite ludicrous. His goalscoring ratio speaks for itself regardless of how many chances he misses. That's like saying the same about how many poor strokes that resulted in dismissal are played by SRT or BCL.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

He misses one hell of a lot of chances.

So does Ronaldo.

 

[Neil Pickup]

Well, Ryan's always known where his loyalties lie.
And Sir Alex has always known where his lie, too.
As for calling RVanN overrated, that is quite ludicrous. His goalscoring ratio speaks for itself regardless of how many chances he misses. That's like saying the same about how many poor strokes that resulted in dismissal are played by SRT or BCL.

Must say I'm unconvinced about RvN as the Utd system is geared towards him - he's not even a regular in the Dutch side, remember.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Must say I'm unconvinced about RvN as the Utd system is geared towards him - he's not even a regular in the Dutch side, remember.

When you get that many chances on goal, you're bound to net a few. IMO his success is a lot due to the supporting cast which feeds him the ball.

 

[Dingo]

Pretty much anytime an Aussie player "disappears" it's more than likely they got injured.

Scott Muller injured his knee some time back (just after his Test career ended) and is only now making a serious comeback in Qld grade cricket. Anthony Stuart played for ACT in 1999-2000 (their final season) and was named in the NSW squad the following year, then got injured and retired.

Shane George injured his shoulder just after his selection to Australia A and he retired five-six years ago. Simon Cook broke several ribs in a steamroller accident at work and hardly played FC cricket afterwards, he's currently playing for Melbourne in grade cricket. Adam Dale injured his shoulder a few years ago and made a brief comeback to FC cricket before retiring end of 2002-03 season. Now he plays grade cricket for North Melbourne.

Anyone else I've missed?

 

[Craig]

Simon Cooke was very lucky to be alive.

Liam what's happened to Neil McGarrell?

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

He's still playing cricket for Guyana, but he's getting on in years and doesn't do enough with the ball IMO to get back into the team.

 

[Richard]

He'll be pretty pleased to end his Test career with an average like his, then!

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

And he had a poor final Test...

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