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Agree on Sharma - he should be in the test team already. He hasn't really established himself as a star at ODI level (he is ok, just not great), but he does have a phenomenal first class record (and average of 63.54!). I wish NZ had players averaging over 60 in first-class cricket that weren't deemed quite good enough to break into the test team!Originally Posted by TRF_Cymro
48 ODI and 51 Test so hes still stuck on 99 100s
Tendulker is still stuck on 99 hundreds.
With the exception of Zaheer Khan, India's pace bowlers are pretty poor. The problem that India has is that they have three top test batsmen all due to retire almost at once - two of them (Tendulker and Dravid) who will go down as greats of the world game. They have enough talented batsmen to replace them, but these batsmen just lack experience at test level, so I expect India may struggle for a couple of years while these batsmen get themselves established (when I say struggle, I don't mean struggle ala NZ and West Indies, I just think they may just drop a few more spots in the test rankings to 4th/5th, or even 6th...).
I dont think they will struggle too much tho as they have the young Kholi along with Sehwag and Dhoni some big hitters there all the need to do is sort their bowling out.
Has anyone seen Guptill's catch on the boudary this morning to dismiss Faf Du Plessis??
can't find it yet on youtube, but that was brilliant!!
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It was a good catch - he made it look very easy. Not near as good as this catch though....
Amla has looked class for South Africa so far - though he should have been out in Nethula's last over, if Andrew Ellis had not dropped a sitter
Yeah well, you know the old saying, Catches Win Matches...It was a good catch - he made it look very easy. Not near as good as this catch though....
Amla has looked class for South Africa so far - though he should have been out in Nethula's last over, if Andrew Ellis had not dropped a sitter
But I've been very disappointed with NZ in this past couple of matches, aside from Guptill and Mccullum and the odd innings from Ryder, there seems to be no depth at all in their batting line-up... And their bowlers are too slow!!
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Now Ryder has dropped a simple catch off Nethula
I haven't been that disappointed with NZ's performances - the fact is we are just not that good at cricket! We have very little depth, therefore missing a single player (Ross Taylor) makes our batting lineup substantially weaker. I don't think there is actually that much of an issue with the speed of the NZ bowlers - we actually have more pace than we usually do! Tsotsobe bowls at 130km/h (at most) but is very effective in ODI cricket. Southee/McKay/Bracewell all bowl late 130s/early 140s (Mills more low/mid 130s) which is good enough for ODI cricket in my opinion (admittedly it is not as quick as Steyn / Morne Morkel). Test level is another story though. I'm far more worried about how we will do once the tests come round - as our weaknesses get more exposed as the form of cricket gets longer.....
At last - Nethula has to take the catch himself to get the wicket!
EDIT: Nethula is still causing Amla some problems... I wonder whether NZ will consider playing him in the tests...
Last edited by TRF_Darwin; 29-02-12 at 06:16 AM.
Well you did beat us in the play-offs in the World Cup last year, so you're not that bad... But this series has been a very heated one with many words flying around and people saying sorry for previous rants... I like it... has a bit of that Rugby hatred between SA and NZ. Luckily no-one has hit another guy with the bat across the spine...Now Ryder has dropped a simple catch off Nethula
I haven't been that disappointed with NZ's performances - the fact is we are just not that good at cricket! We have very little depth, therefore missing a single player (Ross Taylor) makes our batting lineup substantially weaker. I don't think there is actually that much of an issue with the speed of the NZ bowlers - we actually have more pace than we usually do! Tsotsobe bowls at 130km/h (at most) but is very effective in ODI cricket. Southee/McKay/Bracewell all bowl late 130s/early 140s (Mills more low/mid 130s) which is good enough for ODI cricket in my opinion (admittedly it is not as quick as Steyn / Morne Morkel). Test level is another story though. I'm far more worried about how we will do once the tests come round - as our weaknesses get more exposed as the form of cricket gets longer.....
At last - Nethula has to take the catch himself to get the wicket!
EDIT: Nethula is still causing Amla some problems... I wonder whether NZ will consider playing him in the tests...
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NZ almost always make the semis in the Cricket World Cup (which we always lose). South Africa on the other hand never seem to perform to their best during the Cricket World Cup (we beat you in 2007 and 2003 too). New Zealand are also really missing Vettori this series (one of the top ODI bowlers in the world), and as I mentioned before because of our lack of depth losing one player (especially a world class player like Vettori) is pretty hard for us.
Can't wait for the tests to start (the 'real' cricket). There is a test in Dunedin next week which I get will probably spend a few days at (probably the first few days, as it probably wont last 5 days!).
Aus vs Sri Lanka has been a belter so far.
Sri Lanka were 50 runs down on Duckworth-Lewis at one stage, need 23 off 18 to win now.
Gotta love the Aussie commentators when they are moaning or aren't biased to the point of comptent
Cracking ODI first game of tri series final with Sri Lanka and Australia great batting effort from Sri Lanka needing 322 they were struggling with 6 for 144 at one point unlucky to lose all out 306 what a cracking come back by Sri Lanka
Saw the first innings of the first test NZ-SA. NZ bowled really well.
Already looking forward to tomorrow.
Apple is the hair of my motor
Yeah, pimped and ready to roll
It's all even stevens in this test match... I don't expect Martin and Boult to last very long on day 3... hoepfully our batsmen can put up a good score for our bowlers to do some damage on day 4 or 5...
Tahir already getting a lot of spin out of the pitch
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So I just read that England has revised their policy on foreigners becoming eligible to play for England Cricket...
If a guy is older than 18 he has to go through a residency for 7 years not 4 anymore. But younger than 18 remains on 4 years... So will this affect the policies of other sports codes in England?
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Looks like its either Taylor or Bairstow to bat at 6 starting Thursday. I'd pick Bairstow if it were up to me.
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I'd pick Taylor purely because he's just scored a 100 against them but then again would he score heavily against them in short space of time. Bairstow deserves a shot also. Real tough one to call.
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Bairstow and Onions join the usual suspects in the 13. Onions will only play if there is an injury to the bowlers as during May in England we won't need 4 seamers plus Swann. Not against the Windies anyway, no offence to them. So it's Bairstow at 6, good young player, good luck to the lad.
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under that ruling, would it have meant that Pietersen wouldn't have been able to play in the 2005 Ashes? or Trott in the 2009 Ashes?
Here we go again.
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In the beginning the Universe was created.
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Got to love Michael Holding. Does not hold back on West Indies Cricket. Really I think he should become their team manager or coach.
http://www.espncricinfo.com/westindi...ry/566042.html
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Holding is great and I see what he is saying as Sarwan, Dwayne Bravo and Gayle would no definitely improve the batting
but the West Indies gave good fight in the last match, and didn't disgrace themselves, Samuels did well, Bravo looked promising, and Chanderpaul was reliable as ever
whilst last time they were here in 2009, they had all those players Holding mentioned, and they were thrashed twice and didn't look like they had a good attitude
You also got Narine who is plying his trade in the IPL for the KKR, who has also chosen money over playing for the West Indies.
Sarwan won't be coming back anytime soon because of Ottis Gibson and he feels he owes Leicestershire for giving him a chance to resume his career. Taylor is a man for so long had to hold up one end for WI in games, he's scored a test match century also. He would deffo add something in the bowling attack.
Maybe in 2009, but these guys are to much quality to leave out.
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Gayle for me has been too inconsistent in his career. A man of his batting talents should be on more runs than he is. I think he's been sucked in by this whole T20 formula and its been to the detriment of his allround game. I was at the Bridgetown test in '04 and watched him get totally suckered by a village green style bowling trap, feed him a couple of short balls which he crushed and then, as he was still on the back foot he was bowled by a yorker.
I'm not sure his return will see and immediate return on the batting side but it might give them the spinner they missed at Lords
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Gayle is extremely entertaining as a batter, but was one of the worst captains in international cricket
he would be more suited to playing in August than in May with the swinging ball, last time he was here I seem to remember he really struggled with Onions who was playing his first matches
I like Gayle as a player, but I don't really like his personality, he comes across as thinking he's better than he is, and that he's a World XI player, when he isn't, could be a negative influence on the side
He does have this very laid back, almost lazy-looking style to his cricket. He can be good but if you consider the greats of WI cricket. Lara, Haynes, Greenidge, Viv Richards, Chanderpaul etc he doesn't even come close
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Sorry boys but Gayle is class, maybe not Lara, Viv, Greendige or even Lloyd but still class. Think a person who has scored 333 against Sri Lanka just two winters ago and anyone who averages over 40 in test and has over 12,000 first class runs is regarded as a good player. He is a game changer and is someone who is similar to that Pietersen, he can take a game away from a team or score quickly. West Indies players get paid peanuts compared to other nations, even Bangladesh apparently pay more. You can't blame the likes of Gayle and Bravo chasing the dream of money in the IPL. As for his personality, I don't think the media has portrayed him well but people I know who have played against him and have spoken to him hold him as a nice fellow who is very relaxed.
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I'm not saying he's a bad player, on his day you won't find a better attacking batsman. My point is that he's not "on his day" enough, he should have an average over 50+ in tests rather than 40.
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The 2nd test is nearly over. WI bowled out for 165, England need 108 to in the test and series. Marlon Samuels got 76 in 2nd dig to add to 1st innings century. He hit a couple of mahoosive 6's of Swann. Sadly for the WI he didn't get much support and now Strauss, Cook etc should get this small target relatively easily.
I have been impressed by some of the West Indians these couple of matches, Samuels and Sammy have good techniques, Chanderpaul is just Chanderpaul and on the bowling side Roach and Gabriel (who's injured now) look to have a good internationl career ahead of them provided they're coached well and stay injury free. Hopefully they don't give up now and still compete and I wouldn't begrudge them a win in the 3rd test.
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I wish the South Africa series wasn't just 3 matches, the England SA Test series normally are really good exciting ones, they used to be 5 matches
I would rather another Test vs SA rather than 5 pointless random ODI's against Australia
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