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Original post by shyamshah
Its also because there isnt any international matches atm except Australia vs West Indies, which i dont think a lot of people are keeping an eye on.


Its not that exciting to be honest when people are only scoring at 2.30 runs per over. Only really worth watching when Ponting, Bravo, Chanderpaul, maybe Hussey, have been batting.
West Indies squad for England: they have left out Bishoo, Baugh, and Braithwaite, Samuels and Ramdin come back. Wrong decision by West Indies to leave out Bishoo who is their main spinner. Otherwise same squad for Australia series.
Original post by Raiden10
Its not that exciting to be honest when people are only scoring at 2.30 runs per over. Only really worth watching when Ponting, Bravo, Chanderpaul, maybe Hussey, have been batting.


Thats true i guess, i only kept an eye on it because it was still interesting even though both teams batted slowly.
Original post by shyamshah
Thats true i guess, i only kept an eye on it because it was still interesting even though both teams batted slowly.


Ponting is still great to watch.

Lara
Ponting
...
Kallis
Yousuf

Is my ranking of top players simply to watch. Tendulkar is not great to watch IMO, like Cook, it's not an insult to the ability. Matthew Hayden wasn't great to watch.
Original post by dgeorge
Lol. I'm quite aware of Gayle's statistics, since he made one of those Test centuries on my home ground in Antigua. Even if he had made 500 each time, I would still say the same thing.

It would be unfair to compare them to Gayle, because combined they haven't played half as many tests as him. They have all played very limited amounts of cricket. If they had EACH played nearly as much as Gayle, then it would be a different story.


Again, its the importance to the TEAM, how well you contribute to the TEAM effort, as opposed to individual averages. Simply putting together a group of people with the highest statistical averages will NOT automatically make them a good team.

Again, Gayle has been in the side for over a decade while we got drubbed and were the laughing stock of the cricketing world. Since he has been out, things have NOT gotten any worse, and many would say that they have gotten better. I would rather see NEW players get a chance with a higher likelihood of failing, than go back to the same old and receive the same drubbing.


Glad you didn't take the caps as aggressive, they weren't meant as such.

Last time West Indies won a test match (not counting Bangladesh, no offence but they are dangerous mainly in one dayers)? Pakistan, fairly recently. Last time before that? 2009, and both Gayle and Sarwan got centuries in fact. The win against Pakistan, nobody even got a fifty in the match for the West Indies.
Original post by Raiden10
Ponting is still great to watch.

Lara
Ponting
...
Kallis
Yousuf

Is my ranking of top players simply to watch. Tendulkar is not great to watch IMO, like Cook, it's not an insult to the ability. Matthew Hayden wasn't great to watch.


Well Tendulkar's a lot better to watch than Cook IMO. Cook's one of the worst, probably with Trott, Azhar Ali's pretty bad too. All good players though, especially the former two who are excellent. Cook's pure concentration, it's quite incredible (especially from someone so young). Oh if only he could teach Bell a thing or too (who's far more technically gifted than Cook).

Tendulkar's more textbook. Not necessarily stylish like guys like Yousuf or Jayawardene, but he knows what shot to play depending on the situation. It's more mechanical. I find tendulkar pretty good to watch generally, but yeah he's not the best. Strange you like Kallis, Kallis is a bit the same like Tendulkar (though I think Tendulkar goes for his shots more). Could be wrong, been a long time since I've seen Kallis bat, but that was my opinion. Technically excellent player.

Didn't watch much of Lara so can't say. Ponting was always my favourite. The guy was exciting to watch especially as a kid getting into cricket. Pity he was on the wrong team :rofl:.
Original post by Raiden10
Glad you didn't take the caps as aggressive, they weren't meant as such.

Last time West Indies won a test match (not counting Bangladesh, no offence but they are dangerous mainly in one dayers)? Pakistan, fairly recently. Last time before that? 2009, and both Gayle and Sarwan got centuries in fact. The win against Pakistan, nobody even got a fifty in the match for the West Indies.


yeah.

It's all well wanting young blood in, but when the west Indies are doing well it ain't guys like Braithwate or Powell producing the goods. They're just passengers at the moment. It's the bowling attack (think it was actually sammy that Pakistan test mainly) and Chanderpaul. And West Indies aren't going to get in the position where their bowling attack and win them tests if their batting doesn't produce anything decent.

Have to blood in youngsters slowly. Pakistan thought the same in England and look how that turned out. Was a nightmare. And yes Pakistan did win a test mainly on their bowling. But they would have put up more of a fight for the other three (which were thrashings really) despite they're bowlers bowling consistently well pretty much every test if they had some batting experience and guys who actually could bat in English conditions to help them.
Original post by LemonLizards
Well Tendulkar's a lot better to watch than Cook IMO. Cook's one of the worst, probably with Trott, Azhar Ali's pretty bad too. All good players though, especially the former two who are excellent. Cook's pure concentration, it's quite incredible (especially from someone so young). Oh if only he could teach Bell a thing or too (who's far more technically gifted than Cook).

Tendulkar's more textbook. Not necessarily stylish like guys like Yousuf or Jayawardene, but he knows what shot to play depending on the situation. It's more mechanical. I find tendulkar pretty good to watch generally, but yeah he's not the best. Strange you like Kallis, Kallis is a bit the same like Tendulkar (though I think Tendulkar goes for his shots more). Could be wrong, been a long time since I've seen Kallis bat, but that was my opinion. Technically excellent player.

Didn't watch much of Lara so can't say. Ponting was always my favourite. The guy was exciting to watch especially as a kid getting into cricket. Pity he was on the wrong team :rofl:.


Tendulkar is very good but stylistically, he looks like his is controlled like a puppet, like Chanderpaul. In his early career he was better to watch, now he is much more "rugged but effective". His hands and his body don't really seem to be doing exactly the same thing.

Lara is my favourite player. His game is very flashy and is all based around fast hands. Most of the shots he plays the bat travels through the full 360 degree arc. He can hit the same ball through midwicket or point because of his high backlift. He has always disdained spin bowling, sometimes to his cost (e.g. against Anil Kumble), but the way he went and kicked Murali's butt on his home turf was equally impetuous and brilliant.

It sounds crazy but Kallis is probably (except Darren Bravo obviously) the top player who reminds me the most of Brian Lara. Kallis gives it a very full swing of the bat, like Lara, but only on some shots. However his mindset is the complete opposite of Lara, it's the way he swings the bat that reminds me of Lara.

Ponting bats like a Pirate. Swash and buckle. That's the only way to describe it really, Ponting against pace especially is just a pleasure to watch. There are a lot of moving parts to say the least, probably more than any other player, but when it works it's a great thing to see.
Original post by Raiden10
Tendulkar is very good but stylistically, he looks like his is controlled like a puppet, like Chanderpaul. In his early career he was better to watch, now he is much more "rugged but effective". His hands and his body don't really seem to be doing exactly the same thing.

Lara is my favourite player. His game is very flashy and is all based around fast hands. Most of the shots he plays the bat travels through the full 360 degree arc. He can hit the same ball through midwicket or point because of his high backlift. He has always disdained spin bowling, sometimes to his cost (e.g. against Anil Kumble), but the way he went and kicked Murali's butt on his home turf was equally impetuous and brilliant.

It sounds crazy but Kallis is probably (except Darren Bravo obviously) the top player who reminds me the most of Brian Lara. Kallis gives it a very full swing of the bat, like Lara, but only on some shots. However his mindset is the complete opposite of Lara, it's the way he swings the bat that reminds me of Lara.

Ponting bats like a Pirate. Swash and buckle. That's the only way to describe it really, Ponting against pace especially is just a pleasure to watch. There are a lot of moving parts to say the least, probably more than any other player, but when it works it's a great thing to see.


Good Post. Seem to know your cricket clearly (much better than me :biggrin:).

Yeah, Ponting bat like a pirate :smile:. Couldn't say it better myself lol. Will be sad when he finally retires.
Original post by Raiden10
Glad you didn't take the caps as aggressive, they weren't meant as such.

Last time West Indies won a test match (not counting Bangladesh, no offence but they are dangerous mainly in one dayers)? Pakistan, fairly recently. Last time before that? 2009, and both Gayle and Sarwan got centuries in fact. The win against Pakistan, nobody even got a fifty in the match for the West Indies.


No I didn't take the caps as aggressive, don't worry.

And no, I don't really count the Bangladesh (or Zimbabwe) as proper test opponents - ODI fine, but its a bit difficult to take them very seriously in tests. And yeah youre right (had to go back and check though) but I'm just glad we're at least being competitive than losing in 3-4 days which was a regular occurance for a while
Original post by Raiden10
Tendulkar is very good but stylistically, he looks like his is controlled like a puppet, like Chanderpaul. In his early career he was better to watch, now he is much more "rugged but effective". His hands and his body don't really seem to be doing exactly the same thing.

Lara is my favourite player. His game is very flashy and is all based around fast hands. Most of the shots he plays the bat travels through the full 360 degree arc. He can hit the same ball through midwicket or point because of his high backlift. He has always disdained spin bowling, sometimes to his cost (e.g. against Anil Kumble), but the way he went and kicked Murali's butt on his home turf was equally impetuous and brilliant.

It sounds crazy but Kallis is probably (except Darren Bravo obviously) the top player who reminds me the most of Brian Lara. Kallis gives it a very full swing of the bat, like Lara, but only on some shots. However his mindset is the complete opposite of Lara, it's the way he swings the bat that reminds me of Lara.

Ponting bats like a Pirate. Swash and buckle. That's the only way to describe it really, Ponting against pace especially is just a pleasure to watch. There are a lot of moving parts to say the least, probably more than any other player, but when it works it's a great thing to see.


Man, I just love Lara. I was there at the ground for the 375 AND the 400 - though I was a bit too young to appreciate the importance of the 375. His backlift is just spectacular, he puts his flair into every shot. Was really sad to see him go, and the manner as well
Just laughing my head off at Raiden10's last few posts. Comparing Kallis to Lara and naming Ponting as a beautiful batsman to watch. And then saying Sachin isn't all that brilliant to watch. Hell, he places Kallis above Muhammad Yousuf. Beauty is subjective but you have awful taste.

Next we'll hear that Ed Cowan is the spiritual successor to Gower and Majid, and that Azharuddin's leg side play was ugly.
Original post by Raiden10
Ponting is still great to watch.

Lara
Ponting
...
Kallis
Yousuf

Is my ranking of top players simply to watch. Tendulkar is not great to watch IMO, like Cook, it's not an insult to the ability. Matthew Hayden wasn't great to watch.


What about Laxman, Dravid, Ganguly? Sachin is always beautiful to watch, his cover drive is amazing.
Sachin Tendulkar now an MP, thoughts?
Original post by Strangeclouds
Just laughing my head off at Raiden10's last few posts. Comparing Kallis to Lara and naming Ponting as a beautiful batsman to watch. And then saying Sachin isn't all that brilliant to watch. Hell, he places Kallis above Muhammad Yousuf. Beauty is subjective but you have awful taste.

Next we'll hear that Ed Cowan is the spiritual successor to Gower and Majid, and that Azharuddin's leg side play was ugly.


I stand by saying there are some similarities between Kallis and Lara. For one thing they have both been caught out by yorkers from time to time, more than some other players. And I did say Yousuf is very good to watch as a batsman, even if he is lazy in the fielding part.

I don't find the India players as good to watch. This is not a slight. They are very good players. Laxman is probably the easiest on the eye for me, and Sehwag the least so. I'm sorry watching Lara and Ponting bat is just amazing, watching Tendulkar bat is enjoyable but I would not say it is amazing.
Can't believe people are saying Kallis is good to watch. He's so boring just like Trott, Azhar Ali etc. Effective, yes but boring.

Players to watch that are stylish include Lara especially against spin and Ponting especially against pace. Sanga is pretty good too.

Tendulkars boring to watch, he plays a shot exactly how it's supposed to be played, lol.
Original post by TheProdigy2k9
Can't believe people are saying Kallis is good to watch. He's so boring just like Trott, Azhar Ali etc. Effective, yes but boring.

Players to watch that are stylish include Lara especially against spin and Ponting especially against pace. Sanga is pretty good too.

Tendulkars boring to watch, he plays a shot exactly how it's supposed to be played, lol.


lol. Have you seen Tendulkar play recently?

Playing a cross-batted, off balance, loose drive is not "exactly how it's supposed to be played". The reason he is failing so much in recent times is because he is trying to be too unorthodox and not sticking to the textbook shots that have served him well for such a long time.
You can tell how hard he is trying to be unorthodox by the number of times he attempts his 'uppercut' over the slips.
Original post by like a boss
lol. Have you seen Tendulkar play recently?

Playing a cross-batted, off balance, loose drive is not "exactly how it's supposed to be played". The reason he is failing so much in recent times is because he is trying to be too unorthodox and not sticking to the textbook shots that have served him well for such a long time.
You can tell how hard he is trying to be unorthodox by the number of times he attempts his 'uppercut' over the slips.


Hasn't he always played that shot uppercut? Actually perhaps boring was the wrong word to use, what I meant was he's nothing special in terms of watching him play his shots
Reply 1358
Pieterson is good to watch. It always seems like he could score a 4 off every ball if he wanted to. Its somehow like watching a dad playing with his kids in the backyard.


Cook is awful to watch, as is Graeme Smith. Left handed openers either tend to be great to watch like Tresco or horrible ugly bottom handed legside nudgers.
Reply 1359
My perfect t20 team:

Sehwag
Gayle
Watson
Ross Taylor
AB De Villiers
Pollard
Dhoni
Ashwin
Broad
Steyn
Malinga

Do you agree?

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