The Official Cricket '07/'08 thread!!

[cobl04]

I agree with your last point. Magnificent bowler and you can just always feel that he is dangerous. I believe his record against us is something like 14, which is impeccable and light years in front of any other bowler.

I don't think Murali's a chucker either, just takes the rule right to the edge. But it's hard not to call him a chucker when you're sitting with hundreds of Aussie fans!

 

[Axver]

I believe his record against us is something like 14, which is impeccable and light years in front of any other bowler.

Yeah, that's unbelievably good. And it's nice considering most other Kiwis seem to have their worst record against Australia!

I don't think Murali's a chucker either, just takes the rule right to the edge. But it's hard not to call him a chucker when you're sitting with hundreds of Aussie fans!

I've always liked Murali and I think his "chucking" is overhyped once you consider the way he bowls is due to the nature of his wrist. The way he works with it is a beauty to watch.

I can't believe he holds the record for the worst ODI performance. Remember that game where he got thumped for 0/99? Indescribable. The only person worse (a Kiwi, I think!), actually bowled 12 overs back when that was legal, and when you average out runs per over, Murali was hit for more.

 

[major_panic]

Good to see Brad Hogg back in an Australian team uniform - man I always thought that guy was great... No idea why they dropped him.

In other news, Aus is 1-1 having beaten NZ and lost to RSA in Twenty20. (although I leave it to you to decide how much that form of the game is a true indicator of performance... it's just gotten too serious from its fun origins)

 

[cobl04]

Australia got beaten by Zimbabwe!!!

And yes, I was there on that day when he got hit for 0/99. Quite funny actually.

And Chris Gayle! First international 20/20 century, and he broke the record for most sixes in one 20/20 innings, doubling the previous record!!!

 

[major_panic]

Daniel Vettori now captain of all NZ teams... My dream has finally come true... Maybe NZ will actually start to win more now!

And OMG Australia got beaten by Zimbabwe. *facepalm*

 

[Axver]

Aaaaahahahahahahaha Australia lost to Zimbabwe!

Yeah, yeah, I know Australia will probably now go on to win the entire tournament while New Zealand will crash and burn. Let me enjoy this moment to gloat.

Daniel Vettori now captain of all NZ teams... My dream has finally come true... Maybe NZ will actually start to win more now!

Yeah, I've been saying for years that Vettori should be captain. But after so long, it's strange to not have Fleming as captain.

By the way, considering your statement, are you a Kiwi or just more positive towards Kiwi sporting teams than anyone I've actually met in Melbourne?

 

[Acrobat Angel]

I can't believe Australia lost

England tomorrow night

BTW, what's with Ponting changing his name from Ricky to Rick?

 

[major_panic]

By the way, considering your statement, are you a Kiwi or just more positive towards Kiwi sporting teams than anyone I've actually met in Melbourne?

I'm actually originally from Malaysia and have British and Australian citizenship... So I guess I officially come under "confused".

However, I actually do like the Kiwis. They're like the nicer version of Australia, except they don't win as much but have much cooler uniforms.

And, of course, they have Daniel Vettori, who by virtue of his glasses is the single coolest player in cricket ever.

(Secretly hoping for a NZ-Aus final in the Rugby World Cup)

 

[cobl04]

BTW, what's with Ponting changing his name from Ricky to Rick?

wha...? you for real?

Damn.

 

[Axver]

Regarding Ricky Ponting, a couple of people have mentioned that the news reported he wants to be known as Rick from now on, but I didn't see anything like that on SBS's report. I just Googled information now, and if you search Google News for "Rick Ponting", you get two articles: one from CricketWorldCupLatest.com that calls him Rick in the headline and Ricky in the article (including Andrew Symonds calling him Ricky), and one about someone totally different, some J. Rick Ponting, a sociology professor emeritus of the University of Calgary appointed by the Anglican Church to a truth commission re: Canada's First Nations!

So if Ponting does want to be called Rick, the online media at the moment doesn't seem to give a shit! Meanwhile, The Chaser legends continue to dominate headlines ...

However, I actually do like the Kiwis. They're like the nicer version of Australia, except they don't win as much but have much cooler uniforms.

And, of course, they have Daniel Vettori, who by virtue of his glasses is the single coolest player in cricket ever.

Great rationale! The uniforms certainly do help, it seems. I've met a couple of Australians who actually support the Kiwis just because they think we look cooler and they can't stand certain prominent Aussie sportsmen (not naming names, but Matt Dunning, Phil Waugh, George Gregan, Ricky Ponting, Shane Warne, we haven't forgotten you).

Unfortunately, I've lived in Australia long enough that a lot of people don't guess I'm from New Zealand any more. When I moved to Victoria, people assumed I'd just come from interstate until I said something like "the weather down here is icksillint compared to Queensland's awful bloody heat"!

 

[TheQuiet1]

England tomorrow night

Well, there's always one match Australia are guaranteed to win no matter what!

 

[intedomine]

THis 20/20 stuff seems really petty, and is actually quite boring. Give me a test match anyday.

 

[Axver]

Damnit, I wanted Zimbabwe to go through.

Well, Australia's got this won now.

 

[Salome]

can't say I like 20/20

I did like the hammering England got
and since they're still in the tournament they'll prolly get another one

 

[cobl04]

THis 20/20 stuff seems really petty, and is actually quite boring. Give me a test match anyday.

When you're there its bloody awesome. If they had continued with the only odd games, it would've been alright, but this world cup for it has screwed it up.

 

[Axver]

It's far too soon for a World Cup. The game needs to establish some roots first.

Then again, people were probably saying this when the ODI Cup began too.

 

[intedomine]

When you're there its bloody awesome. If they had continued with the only odd games, it would've been alright, but this world cup for it has screwed it up.

I went to a couple of the state 20/20's last summer, dodnt care about the games, just love hanging out at the G

 

[major_panic]

That's because us Vics are by far the masters of 2020 in Australia...

And wow, Brett Lee + hat-tricks. That guy is IMO another underrated player - one of the few who can bat and bowl relatively convincingly.

 

[cobl04]

I can't believe he got that hat trick, espcially in that manner. Usually when they take two in a row you're like "fucking nice!!" but they never get it. It's always blocked back. But he got as fucking yorker in on his toes! There was no doubt there at all! It's a shame the state games don't get supported more.

 

[Axver]

The state games, whether ODI or Twenty20, have been abso-fucking-lutely screwed ever since they stopped being a regular fixture of daytime weekend TV. I went to a few games at the 'Gabba back when I lived in Queensland and when the games stopped getting good free-to-air coverage, attendance seriously declined.

 

[major_panic]

Word.

The worst part is, often the state games are often as good a quality as, if not better than, most of the international games that're around.

In fact, I think that cricket in Australia in general has suffered massively by not being on free-to-air tv. The only sport that you can turn the tv on and watch is AFL, and that only barely qualifies as a sport, and only because it has a ball.

 

[Axver]

Oh hell yes, Australian state cricket is of impeccable quality. As far as domestic tournaments, it's right up there with various European soccer competitions and rugby's Super 14 (or in pre-Super 14 years, New Zealand's NPC and South Africa's Currie Cup, both of which have been neutered somewhat by the Super 14). Back in New Zealand, most people barely care about the domestic cricket; I can't even name all the teams off the top of my head and I've no bloody clue who's on Wellington's team. But in the free-to-air days, the atmosphere at the 'Gabba for QLD vs NSW matches was absolutely intense. I always had a really good time, and I'd much rather watch one of those games than, say, today's England vs the Windies. The only redeeming feature of that game would be Keven Pietersen.

 

[intedomine]

There is no greater sight in Australia sport than seeing New South Wales lose in sport.....

 

[major_panic]

I always had a really good time, and I'd much rather watch one of those games than, say, today's England vs the Windies. The only redeeming feature of that game would be Keven Pietersen.

Arr, you're being a tad harsh there... You're forgetting the inevitable breakdown of Freddie Flintoff and everyone's punting about whether Vaughan would manage to injure himself again.

 

[cobl04]

True... I used to love watching the state games. They are really good quality stuff... but now it's like the VFL - no one gives a shit!

Oh and don't know if anyone saw but MacGill cracked the poos again in an Aus A over in Pakistan. What a moron. Even his own teamates testified against him!

And I watched a bit of the Aus/Bang 20/20 the other day. It was really boring I knew that as soon as they made it into a world cup, after the farce that was the one-day world cup it would start failing.

 

[major_panic]

20/20 was good when it was still fun for everyone. ie. commentators mucking around with the players, people being silly buggers in the stands, players closing their eyes and swinging and tv audiences just laughing at all of them.

Now it's just too serious and cricket is starting to die slowly. You can sense it here in Melb, there's a growing sense of "who the hell cares" about cricket.

 

[Axver]

Arr, you're being a tad harsh there... You're forgetting the inevitable breakdown of Freddie Flintoff and everyone's punting about whether Vaughan would manage to injure himself again.

You've got me there! "Here comes Freddie Flintoff to inject life into the English batting order!" ... half an hour later ... "And Flintoff's gone, 10 off 40! He was scoring really fast out there in comparison to everyone else; England's now looking desperate."

And yeah, I really have to agree with the comments that in the last few years, cricket has seriously lost something. The magic is evaporating from the game at a great rate. I'm struggling to care about Twenty20. It was a bit of a laugh at the start and I enjoyed it, but it's not developing into anything of merit. It's a mindless slogfest and the bowler should just be replaced with an automated bowling machine. ODIs have been horribly tarnished by the catastrophic Cup earlier this year. Only Tests retain their integrity, but in today's fast-paced society, they aren't going to win many new fans.

 

[intedomine]

MacGill's the only remaining NSW player I respect.

 

[cobl04]

20/20 was good when it was still fun for everyone. ie. commentators mucking around with the players, people being silly buggers in the stands, players closing their eyes and swinging and tv audiences just laughing at all of them.

Now it's just too serious and cricket is starting to die slowly. You can sense it here in Melb, there's a growing sense of "who the hell cares" about cricket.

agree 100%.

and Axver - you must have been in tears when England played us in like the third or fourth test, and scored about 70 runs from 50 overs.

 

[Axver]

and Axver - you must have been in tears when England played us in like the third or fourth test, and scored about 70 runs from 50 overs.

I'm convinced that was a group of American schoolboys disguised as the English team. It's the only explanation that makes even a modicum of sense.