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The New and Improved Cricket Thread© - Now Roadblock Free!
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Tim the Wiz
Banned
Absolutely demolished.
Losing Bracken was a big blow and placed an emphasis on the lack of bowling depth and variety in the current Australian ODI squad, not counting several vital injuries. However, I would say that the low willingness to try out bowlers of Clark's ilk, such as Bollinger, is what precipitated this type of situation. Out and out fast bowlers like Tait and Hilfenhaus, who aren't as prolific in the areas of variety and consistency, can't be the only quality bowlers (yes, everyone else there - Hauritz, etc - shouldn't be rated as international quality) to make up a limited overs bowling attack.
As for South Africa, great to see them take the series in such dominant fashion. Amla finally made a big score (staying not out at 80) and delivered on all the talent he's promised over the ODI series. De Villiers also made a good comeback innings with 82 from his minor injury. Quite something for a team that cast itself as underdogs coming into this series. Hopefully they won't slow down in the dead rubber as they did in the Test series. The return tour in South Africa will be very interesting with the Australians now the underdogs in both forms of the game and Smith coming back into the SA batting lineup.
I would say that the next World Cup is now highly in doubt for Australia, but don't panic. To combat this, they need to develop Warner, and get Clark, Lee, Watson and Symonds once more fit and firing. The selectors also need to start working hard at pushing more variety into the backup bowlers. Bracken and Clark can't be the only ones able to slow the run rate down.
If the Kiwis beat Australia, then it's probably time to panic.
Losing Bracken was a big blow and placed an emphasis on the lack of bowling depth and variety in the current Australian ODI squad, not counting several vital injuries. However, I would say that the low willingness to try out bowlers of Clark's ilk, such as Bollinger, is what precipitated this type of situation. Out and out fast bowlers like Tait and Hilfenhaus, who aren't as prolific in the areas of variety and consistency, can't be the only quality bowlers (yes, everyone else there - Hauritz, etc - shouldn't be rated as international quality) to make up a limited overs bowling attack.
As for South Africa, great to see them take the series in such dominant fashion. Amla finally made a big score (staying not out at 80) and delivered on all the talent he's promised over the ODI series. De Villiers also made a good comeback innings with 82 from his minor injury. Quite something for a team that cast itself as underdogs coming into this series. Hopefully they won't slow down in the dead rubber as they did in the Test series. The return tour in South Africa will be very interesting with the Australians now the underdogs in both forms of the game and Smith coming back into the SA batting lineup.
I would say that the next World Cup is now highly in doubt for Australia, but don't panic. To combat this, they need to develop Warner, and get Clark, Lee, Watson and Symonds once more fit and firing. The selectors also need to start working hard at pushing more variety into the backup bowlers. Bracken and Clark can't be the only ones able to slow the run rate down.
If the Kiwis beat Australia, then it's probably time to panic.
Never had a hope with that pitiful batting total, especially with no Bracken.
Was camping with mates for Australia Day and there was debate on whether to have the cricket or the Triple J hottest 100 on the radio. I think I'm glad the Hottest 100 won out.
No point writing the World Cup off at this stage though. Things looked even more dismal than this in the year or so leading up to the 1999 World Cup. Gilly's autobiography explains it all very well.
A year is a long time in cricket. We have the batting talent on paper, they just need to find form at the same time. A fit Symonds, Clark and Lee lifts the class of the side immeasurably.
Biggest problem remaining is finding a genuine wicket taking spinner. An utter pipe dream seemingly in the short term. You'd think a generation of kids growing up on watching Shane Warne bowl would have resulted in a raft of young wrist spinners coming through, but it hasn't happened. Someone dropped the ball.
Was camping with mates for Australia Day and there was debate on whether to have the cricket or the Triple J hottest 100 on the radio. I think I'm glad the Hottest 100 won out.
No point writing the World Cup off at this stage though. Things looked even more dismal than this in the year or so leading up to the 1999 World Cup. Gilly's autobiography explains it all very well.
A year is a long time in cricket. We have the batting talent on paper, they just need to find form at the same time. A fit Symonds, Clark and Lee lifts the class of the side immeasurably.
Biggest problem remaining is finding a genuine wicket taking spinner. An utter pipe dream seemingly in the short term. You'd think a generation of kids growing up on watching Shane Warne bowl would have resulted in a raft of young wrist spinners coming through, but it hasn't happened. Someone dropped the ball.
Tim the Wiz
Banned
Tsotsobe delivers under pressure. Mussey gone.
Heh, you know you've got problems when Hopes is your best bowler for the day.
Heh, you know you've got problems when Hopes is your best bowler for the day.
Tim the Wiz
Banned
South Africa now the number one ODI side. Great series win!
The psychological advantage they take into the return tour is massive, especially with Stuart Clark missing with injury.
The psychological advantage they take into the return tour is massive, especially with Stuart Clark missing with injury.
irfan said:"We're still the No.1 team in the world ... " Oh wait! :lol :lol :lol
T20 gone, ODI gone. All that is remaining is the test title and even that is pretty close to gone. Good times .. mate?
oh yes, and i suppose india are the no.1 team??? oh wait, they're not!!! good on the saffers for winning and not WHINING!!!
tri_willy said:
Twenty20 rankings... :lol
There is a reason the ICC doesn't even bother publishing them on their website. :lol
Something a bit sad about the fact that an Indian supporter finds more satisfaction in watching the inevitable down period of one of the most dominant eras ever enjoyed by a sporting team than reveling in the considerable achievements of his own side.
Personally, as an Australian cricket fan, I've got enough memories to last a lifetime. I will bore my grandkids shitless with stories about Allan Border, David Boon, Steve Waugh, Dean Jones, Adam Gilchrist, Matt Hayden, Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath.
The next test will be to see if our rebuild will be long and painful or a blip on the radar. Very interesting days ahead. Despite the continual attempts (by one or two trolls who choose to squat here from time to time) to paint us as otherwise, you'd struggle to find an Australian supporter in this thread who has begrudged the South Africans any of the success they have attained on this tour. No effigies burned, no suggestions of abandoning the series, no accusations of crooked umpiring. What a great tour, played in the right spirit.
Tim the Wiz
Banned
irfan said:
"Make them grovel!" You're starting to sound like Tony Greig. Heh.
Yes, many current Australian cricket fans have a bit of hubris to them, but to be fair, they've been on top of the world for a long time. However, they haven't always been number one. (See: 70s, 80s, early 90s) They're now back to where they used to be. Not the best team in the world, rather merely one of the best. Fact is, that's still a pretty good place to be, so I don't know what you're expecting from those fans. To deny the potential of their team to bounce back?
I don't see Vettori (Kiwi captain) saying the upcoming ODI series will be a walkover, I hear him describing the Australian side as "very good" and a "challenge", even if their confidence is rightly up after a good Windies tour and cracks visible in the Australian batting lineup.
Ultimately, I can see where you're coming from irfan. Like with Fox News, though, it would be a stretch to describe your presentation of thoughts as "fair and balanced". (Yes, I know, how can anyone be "balanced" when presenting an opinion? Not my fault they coined the term!)
Take this for instance: "India is No.1 in T20 and pretty close in both ODI & Test."
Yes, but then Australian fans could quickly point out they are officially the number one Test side in the world and the number two ODI side. Is that really true? I'd say no. How close are South Africa and India? I'm not really sure, but I think South Africa are better. What does that say for the rankings? They'll be more accurate by the end of this year when the top sides get to play more cricket with each other. (SA v Aus return tour next month; Ashes middle of this year; India v NZ soon and India v SA later this year)
Sidenote: As for T20, undoubtedly India are the current champions of that format with a World Cup to boot. However, even when Australia was whipping South Africa in the two T20 games before the ODI series, Grug was pretty consistent with his criticism of the format. So, your argument there is a bit blunted.
Pot.Kettle.Black.Grug said:
No one on this board burned any effigies during the Australian tour and the Monkey incident. :lol There need not be any accusations, that tour will go down in the history as the most pathetically umpired in the history of cricket, next to the "body-line" series. Rest in peace my friend, or rather Mate!.
Completely agreed. I'm more forthcoming with respect to accepting reality than the fanatics on either sides, especially on this board, although that would be narrowing it down to one (yellow) side.Tim the Wiz said:
Inspite of the whipping, they arent the top side. He has a reason. :lolTim the Wiz said:
Some of our players just seem emotionally over it and don't want to be playing cricket right now.
The disappointing thing for me is that when India were out here last summer that even when our batsmen (consistently) failed to fire, our bowlers were able to stand up.
Now when our bowling stocks are utterly decimated by injury, our batsmen are failing to do their part.
Definitely time to swing the axe at a few people who have become too comfortable. Give Lee Carseldine a crack. His form this summer has been fantastic.
Rankings be damned at the moment, lets not kid ourselves, the Ashes is the most valuable prize as fa as Australian test cricket goes, we need to right the ship by then, even if that means treating the South African tour as an experiment.
The disappointing thing for me is that when India were out here last summer that even when our batsmen (consistently) failed to fire, our bowlers were able to stand up.
Now when our bowling stocks are utterly decimated by injury, our batsmen are failing to do their part.
Definitely time to swing the axe at a few people who have become too comfortable. Give Lee Carseldine a crack. His form this summer has been fantastic.
Rankings be damned at the moment, lets not kid ourselves, the Ashes is the most valuable prize as fa as Australian test cricket goes, we need to right the ship by then, even if that means treating the South African tour as an experiment.
No he won't. He has a supporting cast of Mills, Vettori, Patel, Southee and O'Brien. In other words genuine tailenders (Vettori excepted).
Normally I wouldn't particularly care either way since no-one expects the Black Caps to win anything. But I detest Clarke, Haddin and Pointing. Wankers the lot of them.
At least we will have something else to complain about for another 20 years if this is a close loss.
Normally I wouldn't particularly care either way since no-one expects the Black Caps to win anything. But I detest Clarke, Haddin and Pointing. Wankers the lot of them.
At least we will have something else to complain about for another 20 years if this is a close loss.
Based on the replays, I really dont think Haddin knew what happened.
He probably felt bails, fingers and ball simultaneously. He looked at the square leg umpire for clarification.
Please don't compare it to the underarm incident. That will only downplay what a truly disgraceful incident that really was.
He probably felt bails, fingers and ball simultaneously. He looked at the square leg umpire for clarification.
Please don't compare it to the underarm incident. That will only downplay what a truly disgraceful incident that really was.