The Cricket Thread

[Mystical_Titan]

I'm inclined to agree that Australia has the best attack in world cricket at the moment. You might think that sounds crazy, but although we may have the two best bowlers in Steyn and Philander, we can't match Australia for balance and depth. Apart from Johnson, Siddle, Harris and Lyon, just look at the bowlers that they DIDN'T use:

- James Pattinson
- Mitchell Starc
- Jackson Bird
- Ben Hilfenhaus

I mean Steven Smith hardly ever bowls. If he played for SA, he'd bowl about 20 overs per innings! It saddens me that Imran Tahir isn't having the impact he's supposed to, although being dropped one game after match figures of 8 / 130 really doesn't make any sense.

[Stuart]

All I can think is that having an extra batsman is more important to the selectors than having an actual spinner. Peterson is effective as a bowler when batsmen are attacking him and getting themselves out, but pretty useless otherwise. But he can bat. Tahir should certainly be given more of an opportunity, but he can't bat.

[Mystical_Titan]

All I can think is that having an extra batsman is more important to the selectors than having an actual spinner. Peterson is effective as a bowler when batsmen are attacking him and getting themselves out, but pretty useless otherwise. But he can bat. Tahir should certainly be given more of an opportunity, but he can't bat.

At test level you shouldn't be picking bits-and-pieces cricketers. You should be picking players who are specialists in what they do, not ones who do okay-ish at both.

[Stuart]

not ones who do okay-ish at both.

Like Johan Botha? *hides*

[Mystical_Titan]

not ones who do okay-ish at both.

Like Johan Botha? *hides*

I WILL find you...

[Tiza]

Saw Johan Botha playing in the big bash, think he is injured now. He is a very good option for T20's and ODI but never for Tests, I would rather get Kallis out of retirement and choose him as a spin bowler

[Mystical_Titan]

I would rather get Kallis out of retirement and choose him as a spin bowler

LOL! I don't think THAT'S going happen.

I would pick Johan Botha over Robin Peterson every single day of the week and twice on Sundays. Robin Peterson IS NOT test cricket material.

[WiK1d]

I would rather get Kallis out of retirement and choose him as a spin bowler

LOL! I don't think THAT'S going happen.

I would pick Johan Botha over Robin Peterson every single day of the week and twice on Sundays. Robin Peterson IS NOT test cricket material.

Yeah, I'm not a fan of Robbie Flair, but his batting has saved our butts numerous times

[Mystical_Titan]

Has anyone watched this? Eina!

[Mystical_Titan]

I think this idea certainly has merit, but there may be very strong resistance from some camps.

ICC mulls two-tier Test cricket

[Stuart]

I like it.

[Tiza]

I hope you guys watched the Ram Slam T20 game between the Cobras and Titans. One of the most epic finishes I have seen, funny how things can change in the matter of seconds. Still a fan of Parnell but he is way to erratic to back in the final over.

[Mystical_Titan]

I hope you guys watched the Ram Slam T20 game between the Cobras and Titans. One of the most epic finishes I have seen, funny how things can change in the matter of seconds. Still a fan of Parnell but he is way to erratic to back in the final over.

I'm more worried about the state of umpiring as a whole. Why is it that they always check the bowler's feet when he's taken a wicket? Then in some replays you see that half his foot is still behind the line and then you have to wonder how many other no-balls the umpires are missing when a wicket hasn't gone down.

[Mystical_Titan]

I think England can stop playing cricket now. They couldn't take the last wicket with more than 50 runs still in the bank and then Bresnan goes and bowls short in the last over with Australia just needing 12 to win.

[KALSTER]

I think England can stop playing cricket now. They couldn't take the last wicket with more than 50 runs still in the bank and then Bresnan goes and bowls short in the last over with Australia just needing 12 to win.

Poor sods.

[Stuart]

Boycott reckons they should only play test cricket for the rest of the year. No ODIs. No T20.

[Mystical_Titan]

Boycott reckons they should only play test cricket for the rest of the year. No ODIs. No T20.

I think Boycott values his own opinion much more highly than anyone else does.

[WiK1d]

Boycott knows what's up

[Mystical_Titan]

Boycott knows what's up

Boycott talks too much. Playing only tests is certainly not the answer.

[Stuart]

Boycott knows what's up

Boycott talks too much. Playing only tests is certainly not the answer.

Depends on what you want to accomplish.

[Mystical_Titan]

Depends on what you want to accomplish.

Look at South Africa. Sure, they haven't been fantastic in ODI and T20 cricket over the last two years, but they're slowly getting into the groove again and have been playing well of late. England's problems have nothing to do with them playing too much ODI / T20 cricket and not enough test cricket. Their problems go much deeper. That's why a change of format has done nothing for their fortunes. Australia are all over them like white on rice.

[Stuart]

Depends on what you want to accomplish.

Look at South Africa. Sure, they haven't been fantastic in ODI and T20 cricket over the last two years, but they're slowly getting into the groove again and have been playing well of late. England's problems have nothing to do with them playing too much ODI / T20 cricket and not enough test cricket. Their problems go much deeper. That's why a change of format has done nothing for their fortunes. Australia are all over them like white on rice.

I don't think the point is that they play too much limited overs stuff. I think Boycott's point is that they currently suck at everything, and rather than trying to get all three formats right at once, they should focus on one at a time. As an old time cricketer, naturally his attention is on getting the tests right first.

There may be a glimmer of merit in his thinking, but it's wishful thinking to imagine that any test-status team in the contemporary cricketing climate could get away with playing only one format.

[Mystical_Titan]

There may be a glimmer of merit in his thinking, but it's wishful thinking to imagine that any test-status team in the contemporary cricketing climate could get away with playing only one format.

I'm afraid in today's cricketing world, that is not any kind of possibility. Boycott was a run machine in his time, but sometimes I find his opinions a touch old fashioned.

[Stuart]

I find his opinions a touch old fashioned.

That seems to be true of most cricketers who played prior to the 90s. And of most English cricketers.

[Mystical_Titan]

I find his opinions a touch old fashioned.

That seems to be true of most cricketers who played prior to the 90s. And of most English cricketers.

Although, truth be told, I'd much rather listen to Boycott than Ravi 'I'm-God's-Gift-To-Cricket Shastri'.