The Official Cricket '07/'08 thread!!

[cobl04]

Watson is out injured for six months/

Well, that's it, South Africa has won the match and the series, winning their first series in Australia in their history - dating back to the 18/19 tour - and just their third victory over them overall. Fantastic scenes.

A triumph for so many people and for so many different reasons. They were exiled from cricket for almost a quarter of a century in protest of the apartheid system, and now they've come back, and will soon be the number one test team in the entire world. The players who have played so well here, Ntini, Duminy and Amla, would not have been able to play for the side at all earlier in their careers, and now they have an amazing victory.

Sensational for cricket, and geez there's interesting times ahead.

 

[Vlad n U 2]

Watson is out injured for six months/

Well, that's it, South Africa has won the match and the series, winning their first series in Australia in their history - dating back to the 18/19 tour - and just their third victory over them overall. Fantastic scenes.

A triumph for so many people and for so many different reasons. They were exiled from cricket for almost a quarter of a century in protest of the apartheid system, and now they've come back, and will soon be the number one test team in the entire world. The players who have played so well here, Ntini, Duminy and Amla, would not have been able to play for the side at all earlier in their careers, and now they have an amazing victory.

Sensational for cricket, and geez there's interesting times ahead.

Yeah.

Australia have come to the stage where players are gonna retire and new players will burst onto the scene.

But Aus will always be better than NZ.

 

[MadForIt]

STEYN WAS IMMENSE

SO WAS DUMINY

SO WAS PONTING...but he is surrounded by some average players like Symonds

 

[Vlad n U 2]

yeah, i have to agree and say that Symonds is an overrated hack, he got out for a duck, he doesn't even do anything at all.

So RSA = #1

Ponting really deserved the hundred, but it was poor decision making that got him out.

 

[cobl04]

I'm writing an article on the series so far, I'm going to send it off to a few different sites and papers, etc. I'll post it later tonight or tomorrow when I'm finished.

A little ashamedly, I'm actually quite pleased with this result.

JP Duminy's career statistics:

2 matches
3 innings
217 runs
108.5 average

Cullinan eat your heart out.

 

[Axver]

I think that was probably the best Boxing Day Test I've ever seen. The Duminy/Steyn ninth wicket partnership owned that game. I was out driving around the southeast Queensland countryside listening to the radio commentary that day, and it was magic.

I love the hysterical reaction by the Aussie media, completely unable to handle a series loss at home. Good. I hope many more losses are in their near future, as this over-confident team needs something to sort it out. Perhaps it would help if that twat Ponting were stripped of the captaincy, as it's clear he's getting desperate. His field placements and the way he used his bowlers were both utterly baffling.

And I can't believe Brett Lee played today. That could only have further aggravated his injury.

In any case, here's hoping South Africa whitewash Australia and go home victors in Sydney too.

 

[intedomine]

Why were "PuP" and "RoY" running around giggling and pinching each other on the arse all day......where was their concentration and commitment...

 

[MadForIt]

It was funny listening to the commentatord on AUS tv - in the UK we had the coverage with Micheal Slater, Mark Taylor, Warne, Tony Greig and the legend that is Mark Nicholas - might be channel 9 in AUS

The AUSSIE commentators were desperate for a wicket and every appeal was accompanied with "oh, that must be out" lol

 

[cobl04]

We're all on the same page about Ponting!! You would think that in a fourth innings where you desperately need wickets, you would open with your strike bowler, and that has been Mitchell Johnson in this series. we've only taken 24 wickets in two games, they've snared all 40..

The Aussie media shits me. They could give a bit more focus to the significance of this victory to South Africa, not to the horrendous downfall of Australia.

 

[intedomine]

We're all on the same page about Ponting!! You would think that in a fourth innings where you desperately need wickets, you would open with your strike bowler, and that has been Mitchell Johnson in this series. we've only taken 24 wickets in two games, they've snared all 40..

The Aussie media shits me. They could give a bit more focus to the significance of this victory to South Africa, not to the horrendous downfall of Australia.

There's been a fair bit about South Africa's achievement in The Age. It's a good achievement the victory, though the Aussies really have fallen quite dramatically. South Africa quite simply have a more talented pool of cricketers now.

South Africa have always been quite competitive though, always around the 2nd to 4th best test nations since they made their return in '94. They might have had an era as successfl as Windies (80's) and Aussies (95-07) had they boycott never happened.

I'm glad there haven't been too many of those cringeworthy self-congratulatory post-Apartheid tales.....the world should be well beyond all that kinda talk, and South Africa is still very much a country that has some of the most impenetrable class divisions in the world, it's just that the race factor is less important. South Africa is hardly a utopia since Apartheid ended.

I personally though Siddle bowled better than Johnson in the Melbourne test, and was without luck in the second innings. And great to see McDonalD, another Victorian make his debut, though it still doesn't compensate for the unforgivable absence of Hodge, in my truly honest but very biased opinion.

 

[MadForIt]

Happy New year to all the cricket fans

Here are my hopes for 09

England play well and start beating some 'proper' teams

Security issues in Pakistan are sorted and more teams start touring there

England to win 20-20 in England

Ashes to be a classic

Me to get into my Uni team and then play so well that one of the counties see me and offer me loads of money on the spot to play!

 

[cobl04]

There's been a fair bit about South Africa's achievement in The Age. It's a good achievement the victory, though the Aussies really have fallen quite dramatically. South Africa quite simply have a more talented pool of cricketers now.

South Africa have always been quite competitive though, always around the 2nd to 4th best test nations since they made their return in '94. They might have had an era as successfl as Windies (80's) and Aussies (95-07) had they boycott never happened.

I'm glad there haven't been too many of those cringeworthy self-congratulatory post-Apartheid tales.....the world should be well beyond all that kinda talk, and South Africa is still very much a country that has some of the most impenetrable class divisions in the world, it's just that the race factor is less important. South Africa is hardly a utopia since Apartheid ended.

I personally though Siddle bowled better than Johnson in the Melbourne test, and was without luck in the second innings. And great to see McDonalD, another Victorian make his debut, though it still doesn't compensate for the unforgivable absence of Hodge, in my truly honest but very biased opinion.

That explains it then. I've been reading the Herald Sun. I just think it should be heralded because three of the series best players so far, Amla, Ntini and Duminy wouldn't have been able to play in the past.

I thought Siddle bowled better as well myself, just a shame to see he couldn't gee himself up again like he did on day three. Now there's talk of dropping him cos the next game's a dead rubber.

Andrew Hilditch needs to go...

And now that 2008 is over, let's all mark down our teams of the year.

Graeme Smith (c)
Gautam Gambhir
Hashim Amla
Sachin Tendulkar
Shivnarine Chanderpaul
AB de Villiers
Mahendra Singh Dhoni (vc)
Mitchell Johnson
Dale Steyn
Ryan Sidebottom
Muttiah Muralitharan
12. Ricky Ponting

That's with Amla only just edging out Ponting. The inclusion of Tendulkar's a bit cliche, sure, but he's still worthy I feel, and Gambhir has become the test player India were so desperately hoping he would after impressing in the one-day arena. Smith had a tremendous year all round, barely putting a foot wrong, Chanderpaul is a mark of courage, heart and determination averaging 100 in a mediocre side and that's a testament to him. De Villiers grounded himself and turned consistent, MS Dhoni is a good keeper, a top batsman and also a good captain - something the Indians have struggled with over the years. Mitchell Johnson was the second best bowler in 2008, our best in India as well. Steyn needs no explanation, 72 or 74 wickets in a test year at 20 with a SR of 35. Unbelievable. Sidebottom had the second best average of any bowler this year and shouldn't be overlooked, while Murali obviously has to be in there, holding out Vettori for mine.

Here is the team I'd take into the sydney test:

Matthew Hayden (if he has to go then Chris Rogers, not Philip Hughes)
Simon Katich
Ricky Ponting
Michael Hussey
Michael Clarke
Andrew McDonald
Brad Haddin
Mitchell Johnson
Jason Krejza
Peter Siddle
Doug Bollinger
12. Nathan Hauritz

With Krejza in because he's one of the spinners in this country who can actually turn the ball.


And finally, I just want to COMMEND BANGLADESH. They've just played one of the greatest test matches of their history. They rolled Sri Lanka for under 300, then were rolled for under 200 themselves. The Sri Lankans then declared six down for about 400, leaving Bangladesh to chase 521 for victory. A lot of people would think it would be better to not play, and just hand Sri Lanka the victory. But the Lions batted extremely well, and were at one stage 6/403 before they lost their next four wickets for about 10. Their most talented player, Mohammad Ashraful, hit a ton, and they very nearly made history. So happy for them but also shattered they lost. Had they chased it down it would have been a world record by 103 runs. Only Murali stopped them really, who took his 22nd 10-wicket haul of his career.

Now, your teams of 08 people!!

 

[MadForIt]

Smith (c)
Sehwag
Ponting
Tendulkar
Pietersen
De Villiers
Dhoni
Steyn
Zaheer Khan
Ishant Sharma
Muralitharan

I think Sehwag is the most destructive player in test cricket - he showed England how you begin to chase down 400 odd.

Zaheer Khan is the best medium-fast in the world. He swings the ball both ways and is always so accurate. Destroyed Eng and Aus this year and has helped Ishant develop into the most promising bowler in the world. Ishant is only 20.

Gone are the days when India had no fast bowlers. Now they have loads, Pathan, Munaf Patel, Shreesanth and RP Singh to name a few.

 

[cobl04]

No Chanderpaul??

I thought Zaheer was great as well, but I don't agree with all the people singing Ishant's praises. Sure, he had a sensational year, but he wasn't good enough to warrant a selection in the best team of the year.

 

[dan_smee]

That explains it then. I've been reading the Herald Sun. I just think it should be heralded because three of the series best players so far, Amla, Ntini and Duminy wouldn't have been able to play in the past.

I thought Siddle bowled better as well myself, just a shame to see he couldn't gee himself up again like he did on day three. Now there's talk of dropping him cos the next game's a dead rubber.

Andrew Hilditch needs to go...

And now that 2008 is over, let's all mark down our teams of the year.

Graeme Smith (c)
Gautam Gambhir
Hashim Amla
Sachin Tendulkar
Shivnarine Chanderpaul
AB de Villiers
Mahendra Singh Dhoni (vc)
Mitchell Johnson
Dale Steyn
Ryan Sidebottom
Muttiah Muralitharan
12. Ricky Ponting

That's with Amla only just edging out Ponting. The inclusion of Tendulkar's a bit cliche, sure, but he's still worthy I feel, and Gambhir has become the test player India were so desperately hoping he would after impressing in the one-day arena. Smith had a tremendous year all round, barely putting a foot wrong, Chanderpaul is a mark of courage, heart and determination averaging 100 in a mediocre side and that's a testament to him. De Villiers grounded himself and turned consistent, MS Dhoni is a good keeper, a top batsman and also a good captain - something the Indians have struggled with over the years. Mitchell Johnson was the second best bowler in 2008, our best in India as well. Steyn needs no explanation, 72 or 74 wickets in a test year at 20 with a SR of 35. Unbelievable. Sidebottom had the second best average of any bowler this year and shouldn't be overlooked, while Murali obviously has to be in there, holding out Vettori for mine.

Here is the team I'd take into the sydney test:

Matthew Hayden (if he has to go then Chris Rogers, not Philip Hughes)
Simon Katich
Ricky Ponting
Michael Hussey
Michael Clarke
Andrew McDonald
Brad Haddin
Mitchell Johnson
Jason Krejza
Peter Siddle
Doug Bollinger
12. Nathan Hauritz

With Krejza in because he's one of the spinners in this country who can actually turn the ball.


And finally, I just want to COMMEND BANGLADESH. They've just played one of the greatest test matches of their history. They rolled Sri Lanka for under 300, then were rolled for under 200 themselves. The Sri Lankans then declared six down for about 400, leaving Bangladesh to chase 521 for victory. A lot of people would think it would be better to not play, and just hand Sri Lanka the victory. But the Lions batted extremely well, and were at one stage 6/403 before they lost their next four wickets for about 10. Their most talented player, Mohammad Ashraful, hit a ton, and they very nearly made history. So happy for them but also shattered they lost. Had they chased it down it would have been a world record by 103 runs. Only Murali stopped them really, who took his 22nd 10-wicket haul of his career.

Now, your teams of 08 people!!

Not that I am saying you are wrong, but can I ask why Rogers over hughes?

Part of the problem with the Aussie team at the moment is the generational skip where we haven't been prepared to select young players (and we are paying for it with hussey out of form, given he had to wait until in his 30's before he got a crack).

He is very very young, but he definately has the stats to warrant a chance, and although I am fully aware that you can't make bold predictions about guys who have played less than 20 first class games, but the last few 20 year-olds we have picked for australia are Ponting and S Waugh. not bad cricketers, and maybe we need to be exposing some younger guys, rather than having someone like Rogers warming the seat for a few years for hughes.

 

[dan_smee]

Why were "PuP" and "RoY" running around giggling and pinching each other on the arse all day......where was their concentration and commitment...

Clarke can't do anything right can he

And that ton yesterday, I don't know why he is there?

I find it rediculous that anyone could question the committment and concentration of two test cricketers. For a start, Ian Healy will tell you, human beings have around 45 minutes of pure concentration in them a day. Havingt a muck around between overs is a good way to relieve tension and relax for the game.

Also, anyone who has ever played the game of cricket knows that this sort of thing is good for team spirit, and creating a relaxed atmosphere.

Finally, if everyone on the field was as intense and petulant as Ricky Ponting, we wouldn't have come within a bull's roar of taking any SA wickets.

I think you need to lay off Clarke a bit. He's made 10 more test hundreds than you or I ever will. He is a great character for the game, and is averaging a tick under 50 (and has been rising all year).

 

[MadForIt]

i thought clarke did ok

he usually bats well with the tail and coming in at #5 thats a good skill to have

Problem is this test is pretty much meaningless

AUS will win easily as SA are struggling and are a batsman down now

The real action begins in the South Africa rematch series in a few months!

 

[Axver]

The Aussie media shits me. They could give a bit more focus to the significance of this victory to South Africa, not to the horrendous downfall of Australia.

The Queensland media was borderline hysterical. After the Boxing Day Test was done, the bimbo host of Channel 7's 4:30pm QLD news just turned to the sports guy and asked "how did we lose?!"

I couldn't stop laughing.

Anyway, barring another miraculous comeback by South Africa, I think this third Test will crawl to a draw. Then in the subsequent series in South Africa, Australia's going to get fucking rolled by a clearly superior team who are absolutely intimidating on home soil.

 

[dan_smee]

^ amen to that. Massive shake-ups needed. Hilditch is the first to go. When Hayden is in a position where he should be dropped, he was walking his dog on the beach instead of watching the first hour of play.

 

[Vlad n U 2]

atm RSA 5/217, fantastic throw by Johnson to get (De Villiers was it?) out. McDonald has got his first wicket. So overall Aus are doing decently.

 

[intedomine]

Clarke can't do anything right can he

And that ton yesterday, I don't know why he is there?

I find it rediculous that anyone could question the committment and concentration of two test cricketers. For a start, Ian Healy will tell you, human beings have around 45 minutes of pure concentration in them a day. Havingt a muck around between overs is a good way to relieve tension and relax for the game.

Also, anyone who has ever played the game of cricket knows that this sort of thing is good for team spirit, and creating a relaxed atmosphere.

Finally, if everyone on the field was as intense and petulant as Ricky Ponting, we wouldn't have come within a bull's roar of taking any SA wickets.

I think you need to lay off Clarke a bit. He's made 10 more test hundreds than you or I ever will. He is a great character for the game, and is averaging a tick under 50 (and has been rising all year).

I told ya, I'm still bitter that Clarke got into the XI in the first place ahead of proven guns Hodge and Bevo back about 5 years ago. Whether he is good or bad is irrelevant to me now. Yeah, I love watching Clarke fail, cause I don't like him. He's a hack who's had every opportunity to succeed in cricket while top state cricketers haven't had a glimpse (and he's been taught how to speak to the media - he can talk about anything without revealing anything at all. Lehmann was cool, he just said whatever the hell he wanted and you actually got an opinion out of him when he spoke), but as far as I'm concerned Clarke can stay in the team 'cause Oz has no one else who has been gifted the opportunities to succeed that he has had, so he is a successful cricketer. It would be laughable had he never succeeded.

The same applies to B Lee. He was given more chances than he should have had. He used to be a hack only chosen cause he was fast and cause Aussie could afford to pick one useless but marketable player cause they had the two best bowlers of all time in the side.

Aus will win his dead rubber. Smith's hand is well fucked.

So many empty seats.......

 

[Vlad n U 2]

You know who's an overrated hack? Andrew Symonds.

Clarke got a hundred, he's been one of the best Australian players in the series.

 

[dan_smee]

I told ya, I'm still bitter that Clarke got into the XI in the first place ahead of proven guns Hodge and Bevo back about 5 years ago. Whether he is good or bad is irrelevant to me now. Yeah, I love watching Clarke fail, cause I don't like him. He's a hack who's had every opportunity to succeed in cricket while top state cricketers haven't had a glimpse (and he's been taught how to speak to the media - he can talk about anything without revealing anything at all. Lehmann was cool, he just said whatever the hell he wanted and you actually got an opinion out of him when he spoke), but as far as I'm concerned Clarke can stay in the team 'cause Oz has no one else who has been gifted the opportunities to succeed that he has had, so he is a successful cricketer. It would be laughable had he never succeeded.

The same applies to B Lee. He was given more chances than he should have had. He used to be a hack only chosen cause he was fast and cause Aussie could afford to pick one useless but marketable player cause they had the two best bowlers of all time in the side.

Aus will win his dead rubber. Smith's hand is well fucked.

So many empty seats.......

150 on debut not good enough?

Gifted opportunities? you have to be joking right? Symonds played, what 11, 12 tests before he got a 50, and hed taken, maybe 10 wickets at that stage. How many opportunities are they gifting Hayden now.

I understand that you concede you are bitter, but this goes beyond a joke! Bevo was a proven failure in test cricket. He wrote his own death warrant by refusing to play as a genuine allrounder. They told him to work on his spin and hed play forever and he flatly said 'no im a batsman'. 5 years ago he had 2 years left, and you wont find a sane person in the world that would have said bring a guy in whos been a test failure for 2 years, or clarke. and we all saw what happened.

Hodge is a good state cricketer. Putting Clarke back in over Hodge was probably a 60-40 call, 60 to Clarke. Hodge may feel a little hard done by, but not even he could say they made the wrong decision. Fuck, I mean, he's the only one scoring consistant runs!

Clarke, what a hack. Dude, that is just pathetic.

I am bitter that the selectors ruined cassons career, but there comes a point where you need to let it go.

 

[Vlad n U 2]

Well, at least Australia did well to get them out and maintain a 100+ run lead.

 

[intedomine]

Hodge is a good state cricketer. Putting Clarke back in over Hodge was probably a 60-40 call, 60 to Clarke.

I'll probably eventually grow to respect Clarke ultimately anyway, like I did Lee, though at least Lee appears to have some character in the way he composes himself as a person and as a cricketer. Clarke seems like a robot. Good capataincy material though I suppose.....I'd still rather see Huss as next captain.

There's nothing more frustrating than watching a local fellow like Hodge, a guy you've followed for years compiling all these runs, waiting for his time time to come, meanwhile this favourtised upstart no-namer who hadn't really done anything of note for his state all of a sudden get a call-up for the national side....and he cracks a famous ton and there goes any hope you might've had of representing your nation.......if I were Hodge, I'd go and play for England or West Indies or someone...would kinda get fed up with being one of the best batsmen in the world and playing in front of crowds of 37 people all the time.

 

[Vlad n U 2]

Yep, Haydens out, bowled by Morkel and basically the same sort of reason, knocked the ball onto the stumps. Possibly his last ever innings?

 

[dan_smee]

^ should be. He bashed a few 4's, but you cant build a test career (or the rest of one) on that. He doesn't have the temperament to build a big innings anymore. Sad to see, but his time is up.

One day, id love to see Katich go on and make a huge test score (like his pura cup 300 last year, where he smashed 160 in a session)

 

[Vlad n U 2]

Same, Australia have declared about a while ago and Bollingers got a wicket now, Morne Morkel was in as a nightwatchman role and got out for a duck.

 

[cobl04]

Not that I am saying you are wrong, but can I ask why Rogers over hughes?

Part of the problem with the Aussie team at the moment is the generational skip where we haven't been prepared to select young players (and we are paying for it with hussey out of form, given he had to wait until in his 30's before he got a crack).

He is very very young, but he definately has the stats to warrant a chance, and although I am fully aware that you can't make bold predictions about guys who have played less than 20 first class games, but the last few 20 year-olds we have picked for australia are Ponting and S Waugh. not bad cricketers, and maybe we need to be exposing some younger guys, rather than having someone like Rogers warming the seat for a few years for hughes.

For me it's more about achievements at a state level. Rogers has achieved more (not saying much, Hughes'll pass him) but it'd be criminal if Rogers has done all this hard work impressing selectors and is in contention but then gets bumped because there's a bloke years younger that they pick instead. Rogers deserves it more, I guess is how I feel.

Clarke can't do anything right can he

And that ton yesterday, I don't know why he is there?

I find it rediculous that anyone could question the committment and concentration of two test cricketers. For a start, Ian Healy will tell you, human beings have around 45 minutes of pure concentration in them a day. Havingt a muck around between overs is a good way to relieve tension and relax for the game.

Also, anyone who has ever played the game of cricket knows that this sort of thing is good for team spirit, and creating a relaxed atmosphere.

Finally, if everyone on the field was as intense and petulant as Ricky Ponting, we wouldn't have come within a bull's roar of taking any SA wickets.

I think you need to lay off Clarke a bit. He's made 10 more test hundreds than you or I ever will. He is a great character for the game, and is averaging a tick under 50 (and has been rising all year).

Completely agreeing with you on all counts here. I don't know what more he needs to do to make inte (what is your name mate??) drop this grudge he's got against Clarke. He now averages 50, and has been our best batsman this series in my eyes. Bats very well with the tail too. Couldn't see why you got riled up about Clark and Symonds either; as Dan's said it's part of cricket and is actually really beneficial. What's the alternative? Get grumpy and moody and not having a word spoke between teammates for the rest of the day?

The Queensland media was borderline hysterical. After the Boxing Day Test was done, the bimbo host of Channel 7's 4:30pm QLD news just turned to the sports guy and asked "how did we lose?!"

I couldn't stop laughing.

Anyway, barring another miraculous comeback by South Africa, I think this third Test will crawl to a draw. Then in the subsequent series in South Africa, Australia's going to get fucking rolled by a clearly superior team who are absolutely intimidating on home soil.

I wouldn't say fucking rolled... but I expect we'll be beaten. Not looking good for Smith though..

^ amen to that. Massive shake-ups needed. Hilditch is the first to go. When Hayden is in a position where he should be dropped, he was walking his dog on the beach instead of watching the first hour of play.

Media blew that way out of proportion. Yeah, he should have been at the cricket watching the game he kind of presides over, but come on.

I told ya, I'm still bitter that Clarke got into the XI in the first place ahead of proven guns Hodge and Bevo back about 5 years ago. Whether he is good or bad is irrelevant to me now. Yeah, I love watching Clarke fail, cause I don't like him. He's a hack who's had every opportunity to succeed in cricket while top state cricketers haven't had a glimpse (and he's been taught how to speak to the media - he can talk about anything without revealing anything at all. Lehmann was cool, he just said whatever the hell he wanted and you actually got an opinion out of him when he spoke), but as far as I'm concerned Clarke can stay in the team 'cause Oz has no one else who has been gifted the opportunities to succeed that he has had, so he is a successful cricketer. It would be laughable had he never succeeded.

The same applies to B Lee. He was given more chances than he should have had. He used to be a hack only chosen cause he was fast and cause Aussie could afford to pick one useless but marketable player cause they had the two best bowlers of all time in the side.

Aus will win his dead rubber. Smith's hand is well fucked.

So many empty seats.......

He's not a hack. How was he going before he got brought into the side? Yeah he's been groomed, which will be annoying, but so would have Hodge.

Lee went from being a hack to being the best bowler in the world in 2007...

I am bitter that the selectors ruined cassons career, but there comes a point where you need to let it go.

Still pissed about this, especially because there was nothing wrong with his debut. I hope Hilditch and his band of merry men get sacked, because they're fucked in the head. On a pitch renowned for spin that now has two pitch-length cracks on either side of the batsmen plus rough, won't the be bemoaning having a 'spinner' in the side who is actually incapable of turning the ball, unlike Krejza.

 

[cobl04]

Why in gods name did they open with Morkel. There was still over an hour till stumps.

Where's Peter Siddle? Get him up here, I wanna boof him!!