Suck it up Sachin! you have got to wait a little while longer... perhaps till next week when i can see you score it!
Thats what I was thinking...
I will settle for a Ricky Ponting hundred or a Dave Warner off 50 balls...
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A great time for Aussie cricket... who to drop, who to put in? They've all showed something this summer...
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the ashes are 18 months away, you don't think you're getting ahead of yourself?
I don't mean to offend anyone, a lot of what I say should be taken with a grain of salt... that said for most of you I'm a stranger on a computer on the other side of the world, don't give me that sort of power!
Ever since the last ball of the last ashes test I've been waiting...
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who knows why they made him captain... although it goes to show that our problems had nothing to do with Ricky's captaincy. and the way he got rid of katich was completely unprofessional and who is going to pay any attention to a captain that you can't respect
I don't mean to offend anyone, a lot of what I say should be taken with a grain of salt... that said for most of you I'm a stranger on a computer on the other side of the world, don't give me that sort of power!
Nobody was more annoyed how punter was treated than me.... But Clarke is doing a good job... His bowling changes have been spot on... His field placements have been good, even for Lyon... He has scored 3 centuries since being captain... lean in his last 2 tests...
What I am excited about is the people who aren't in the team at the moment
Cummins
Watson
Harris
Kawaja
Hughes
Christian
Bollinger
Copeland
Starc
Hazlewood
All these guys are going to be putting on some serious pressure to get a spot in the team... Which is really exciting...
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Love Kawaja... much rather have him than Marsh - and Watson should be back. Good to see some real competition for places in the team for the first time in years.
We may have to agree to disagree on Clarkes captaincy I think
I don't mean to offend anyone, a lot of what I say should be taken with a grain of salt... that said for most of you I'm a stranger on a computer on the other side of the world, don't give me that sort of power!
I think he is the only Aussie in the top 10 of runs scored this year?
Has captained the team to a series win in Sri Lanka (a team ranked higher than us at the time)
Captained the team to a drawn series against South Africa in South Africa ( A team ranked higher than us)
A drawn series agains NZ.. admittedly a poor result...
He sets attacking fields particularly to Lyon
He rotates the bowlers well
I don't like how he was a pin up boy, I am very jealous that he was rooting bingle... I also don't like how the whole Simon Katich incident was played out.... Kato is a champ and a nice guy too. But coincidence or not (probably not) it looks like Australian cricket is moving forward.
As for Kawaja, I like him too... looks like he has the goods. So does Marsh.... He is a really technically sound batsman.. shame he missed out in Melbourne..
Thing about Aussies and the media etc is we're very quick to bash someone.. I think Hughes came under pressure way to early which built pressure on him, and it was probably the perceived pressure that got to him in the end. I think what was being written about Hussey was a joke..
And Ricky Ponting is a champion... Shane Warne had his critics at times... Mcgrath was criticised, Steve Waugh had his critics and look how highly we regard these guys... My point is I wish we would just throw some support behind what we've got... Unless your name is Marcus North cause that guy is hopeless
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First of all I think clarke is a very routine captain, I think he likes to do things according to a plan and is not one to take risks or do anything where if it doesn't come off will cause serious criticism... great captains like Steve Waugh or Mark Taylor did those things, even AB, who inherited a team in worse shape than a lot of people saw ours as being had things turn around under him without being cowardly about it.
I like a captain who will sometimes elect to bowl; sometimes it IS the right decision it's just that everybody is so accustommed to electing to bat and when you don't and you fail the captain is attacked. If you're afraid of that then you aren't making your decisions for the right reasons. I agree that he seems to rotate the bowlers well but with a Watson out and a young bowling force who aren't carrying injuries it's a lot easier, whilst he can be bold with his choices for field placings at time I find they are unimaginative and would be interested to see what he would do on a day where we can't take a wicket at all.
We've both mentioned the Katich thing so no reason to go more into that, but the cause of that fight is indicitive of his entire attitude. Also like I said I don't think he is particularly well respected within the team, and a captain should be. Ponting still is despite the lack of respect shown to him in the media and the public at times.
I don't think his runscoring is relevent to his captaincy. There have been plenty of great batsmen around the world who were never made to be captain.
I know it seems I'm really anti Marsh but I just don't see room for him, I think Kawaja and he are almost at a par on ability at the moment but I think Marsh has plateaued whereas I think Kawaja has lot that we haven't seen yet.Everyone has their critcs and people they don'tlike, I think with the current team though with the exception of Ponting I am pretty unbiased. At the same time everyone has times when they deserve their criticism. Of course we should support what we have but I would say only to an extent because we should always be looking for an improvement and that won't happen if we are to satisfied. You have to move or others will and you will become substandard.
Also... I always liked Marcus North, it's a pity 'he wasn't able to crack the team til about two to three years after his peak batting period
I don't mean to offend anyone, a lot of what I say should be taken with a grain of salt... that said for most of you I'm a stranger on a computer on the other side of the world, don't give me that sort of power!
Well he won the toss in Hobart and elected to bowl... and look where that got us
I would also like to see a strong captains knock from him. As in, if Aussies are 2/10, to grind it out rather than turn it into 3/15 as he is guilty of. Kind of what Steve Waugh would do.
I really like the look of Usman, and even watching him tonight at the big bash, he has class... It was a shame for him that in his 6 or so tests he didnt make a big score... a solid 30 isn't going to keep you in the side when you're trying get your name in there. Marsh has scored a hundred and a big 50 in his 4 tests. I think he will be afforded more opportunity. His problem isn't his form or technique, it is that he is always injured which is a shame. But Kawaja is knocking on the door big time and will have a great career for Australia.. he is only young.
Meanwhile I was at the cricket tonight, and Chris Gayle is a star. Worth the price of admission...
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Yes and I'm afraid that having a disaster when choosing to bowl first might scare Clarke off ever doing it again! i'm not entirely convinced in his self belief - the captains knock relates to that...
Also would like to see more from someone like Usman, in the longer form of the game because twenty20 form doesn't really hold up for me. By the same token despite his performance against India when everyone else crumbled I see Warner as a one day and twenty20 specialist - his first innings in Melbourne showed that he really lacks patience - I know he's young but even still if he is going to have a test career he really needs to calm down and realise that the game has to be played differently especially as an opener. The other problem Usman has is that it's not unusual for a guy to only get one real shot in the test team and if you blow it then it's gone. There's a lot of batting talent around so I don't know if another chance is going to happen for him.
Chris Gayle is the last of the West Indian greats.... and he's one of those brilliant guys who is always exciting at the Twenty 20 but is also capable of going the distance when necessary.
I don't mean to offend anyone, a lot of what I say should be taken with a grain of salt... that said for most of you I'm a stranger on a computer on the other side of the world, don't give me that sort of power!
Went to the T20 last night. Sydney Thunder v Melbourne Renegades.
Good night, except Sydney lost! should have been a walk in the park!!
Gayle hit a great 75, Kawaja got a few runs and took 2 great catches.
The beer was expensive and mid strength :twisted:
I was there too... Kawaja took that second catch right in front of me... hardest thing to do is dive forward like that...
Lucky I didn't drink last night then.. hate mid-strength
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Yes and I'm afraid that having a disaster when choosing to bowl first might scare Clarke off ever doing it again! i'm not entirely convinced in his self belief - the captains knock relates to that...
Also would like to see more from someone like Usman, in the longer form of the game because twenty20 form doesn't really hold up for me. By the same token despite his performance against India when everyone else crumbled I see Warner as a one day and twenty20 specialist - his first innings in Melbourne showed that he really lacks patience - I know he's young but even still if he is going to have a test career he really needs to calm down and realise that the game has to be played differently especially as an opener. The other problem Usman has is that it's not unusual for a guy to only get one real shot in the test team and if you blow it then it's gone. There's a lot of batting talent around so I don't know if another chance is going to happen for him.
Chris Gayle is the last of the West Indian greats.... and he's one of those brilliant guys who is always exciting at the Twenty 20 but is also capable of going the distance when necessary.
They bowled well against NZ in that first innings... it was their batting that didn't hold up. And I agree about Warner, however one could say the same thing about Sehwag. Similar type of players, but Warner is far from being in the same class as Sehwag. It will be interesting to see how he goes after several tests.
I for one have always liked an opening combination where one can play his shots and the other can take the shine off the new ball, and grind away. Australia (in my time of following cricket) have always tried for something like that
I don't mind that as an opening combination, while it may not be a long standing combination I think still a good one...
Now Justin Langer was the ideal opening batsman. Loved that little guy... one man who was so gritty, deserves a lot of credit in the great Aussie side of the 2000s
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I refuse to support Australian cricket since the shafting that Brad Hodge copped over the years, an official outrage.
Yes, very rough... poor prick...
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Clarke only makes centuries when there is no pressure.
I want to see him step up like how Ponting and Hussey did the other day.
An injury is your downfall in this Aussie team, once your replaced, your replacement always does well therefore makes it hard for the selectors to drop him.
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Certainly true that an injury can make it hard but for certain players eceptions seem to be made, come because they're just that good (steve waugh) and some because they are selectors pets (brett lee).
Hodge had it rough no question but he certainly wasn't the first or the worst done by. Matthew Elliot is one who always sticks in my mind. And the other one for different reasons is Michael Slater who when he was dropped was a little out of form but hardly the only one or even the worst one (Ricky Ponting) in India 2001 and its since been made clear that he was dropped for personal reasons not because of his form. And the worst one I've seen is on that same ashes tour when Fleming and Colin Miller didn't get a test match on the tour and came back to find themselves to dropped from the Victorian squad... now that is unreasonable.
I don't mean to offend anyone, a lot of what I say should be taken with a grain of salt... that said for most of you I'm a stranger on a computer on the other side of the world, don't give me that sort of power!
I don't mean to offend anyone, a lot of what I say should be taken with a grain of salt... that said for most of you I'm a stranger on a computer on the other side of the world, don't give me that sort of power!
Certainly true that an injury can make it hard but for certain players eceptions seem to be made, come because they're just that good (steve waugh) and some because they are selectors pets (brett lee).
Hodge had it rough no question but he certainly wasn't the first or the worst done by. Matthew Elliot is one who always sticks in my mind. And the other one for different reasons is Michael Slater who when he was dropped was a little out of form but hardly the only one or even the worst one (Ricky Ponting) in India 2001 and its since been made clear that he was dropped for personal reasons not because of his form. And the worst one I've seen is on that same ashes tour when Fleming and Colin Miller didn't get a test match on the tour and came back to find themselves to dropped from the Victorian squad... now that is unreasonable.
lee took 310 test wickets @ 30. Ok it's not an average of 22 like mcgrath, but he's one of the fittest blokes you'd ever meet and came through several difficult injuries (hello recurring stress fractures in the lower back). oh and i think he took 310 test wickets.. dont know if i mentioned that.
elliot never recovered after that horror mid pitch collision with mark waugh when he did his knee. thankfully he finished his career over here in the shield (not that we won anything... which is nothing new)...
funky miller is an interesting one.. peaked when he was about 60 yo in the test side, copped an AB medal, changed his hair colour a few times and disappeared into retirement.
Yeh I've seen Pearl Jam, too. But I can't remember the dates.
interesting you mentioned miller but not fleming.... flemo wasn't as old but the reason they both disappeared is because the victorian squad wasn't interested in experience at the time i hate to speak ill of the dead but their head of selections at the time.......
but they were both good enough to make the Australian squad for the ashes but not considered good enough by him to play for victoria when they got back which is ridiculous regardless of their ages.
Elliot never got another chance after that collision, Tugga got straight back in (ok he did a nose and not a leg but even still...)
I'm not having a go at brett lee for a second, he was very talented, one of the hardest working men in cricket and an amazingly decent bloke. I'm only saying that considering the number of injuries he sustained and how serious and long term some of them were he got chances not afforded to others maybe my point is not that he shouldn't have but that others should have enjoyed the same advantages. Actually not sure where I stand on that would just like to have seen some consistancy
I don't mean to offend anyone, a lot of what I say should be taken with a grain of salt... that said for most of you I'm a stranger on a computer on the other side of the world, don't give me that sort of power!
interesting you mentioned miller but not fleming.... flemo wasn't as old but the reason they both disappeared is because the victorian squad wasn't interested in experience at the time i hate to speak ill of the dead but their head of selections at the time.......
but they were both good enough to make the Australian squad for the ashes but not considered good enough by him to play for victoria when they got back which is ridiculous regardless of their ages.
Elliot never got another chance after that collision, Tugga got straight back in (ok he did a nose and not a leg but even still...)
I'm not having a go at brett lee for a second, he was very talented, one of the hardest working men in cricket and an amazingly decent bloke. I'm only saying that considering the number of injuries he sustained and how serious and long term some of them were he got chances not afforded to others maybe my point is not that he shouldn't have but that others should have enjoyed the same advantages. Actually not sure where I stand on that would just like to have seen some consistancy
i shouldve mentioned flemmo cos i love him. and when victoria dumped him, he also came across here as an honorary redback. his returns were modest from memory, but his experience was valuable for the juniors in tait and rofe (wasted talent). i love his work on fox and the abc, and i hate that fats warne denied him his second test hat trick by dropping a bloody sitter here a few yrs ago.
i think the thing with lee is that the selectors have had this notion that test batsmen are scared of express pace.. which theyre not. they would salivate at the prospect of him bowling at 150, (which with an avge of 30 suggests he leakd a few runs in his day...). i know what youre saying about some players looking as though they get unjust preferential selection, but which other quicks do you reckon have been short changed in the last 15 yrs? i reckon theres been more bats than quicks in this situation? we were so blessed with having mcgrath, kasper, gillespie, bichel i guess, and lee (when fit), for so long, that not many other blokes had the chance to get an opportunity.. brad williams.. dud.. mick lewis... dud.. bracken maybe is a type you are thinking of...s clark may be a candidate considering his selection later in his career... anyone else?
Yeh I've seen Pearl Jam, too. But I can't remember the dates.
Ha only just saw this thread , I'm a complete Cricket tragic been playing since i was 15...38 now and still get exited that winter nets start this week
Maybe you're right that there have been more batsmen short changed than bowlers... one batsman that hasn't been mentioned is Stuiw Law, who had one test match debuting in the same game as Ponting, made 60 odd not out from memory and never got another go. Is interesting because ponting made 96 out so whilst he did better Law certainly batted pretty well on debut and enough to give you another go on paper, certainly if Ponting had failed.
Bracken I would have liked to see more of, I think he offered a variety and especially being a left armer. I think Kasprowicz got more chances (even if they were spread apart) than I would have given him. And I also wish we had given Ian Harvey a chance at test level because whilst he wasn't at the top in either discipline it would have been interesting to see him given a shot and we were lacking an allrounder type at that point. He was also always supurb in the field. But generally speaking you're right more batsmen have been shortchanged than bowlers, or maybe it has just been more obvious to us as we are more aware of the large number of good batsmen out there?
I don't mean to offend anyone, a lot of what I say should be taken with a grain of salt... that said for most of you I'm a stranger on a computer on the other side of the world, don't give me that sort of power!
It's funny the guys mentioned like Harvey and Bracken became victims of being classified as one day players... Same as one Michael Bevan.
Harvey and Bracken were great one day players, they had great variation, which is something not used often in a test. You don't see slower balls every over or slower bouncers stuff like that.
What about some of these guys you mention, and then think of others who managed to wear the baggy green in recent years.... Bryce Mcgain, Beau Casson... :? :? :roll:
And Stuart Law was good, no Ricky Ponting...
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Maybe you're right that there have been more batsmen short changed than bowlers... one batsman that hasn't been mentioned is Stuiw Law, who had one test match debuting in the same game as Ponting, made 60 odd not out from memory and never got another go. Is interesting because ponting made 96 out so whilst he did better Law certainly batted pretty well on debut and enough to give you another go on paper, certainly if Ponting had failed.
Bracken I would have liked to see more of, I think he offered a variety and especially being a left armer. I think Kasprowicz got more chances (even if they were spread apart) than I would have given him. And I also wish we had given Ian Harvey a chance at test level because whilst he wasn't at the top in either discipline it would have been interesting to see him given a shot and we were lacking an allrounder type at that point. He was also always supurb in the field. But generally speaking you're right more batsmen have been shortchanged than bowlers, or maybe it has just been more obvious to us as we are more aware of the large number of good batsmen out there?
i think youll find stuart law was the first bloke i mentioned!
i cant remember when bracken injuries hit... but now that hes trying to sue CA, that might say a bit about his character that we didnt know! beautiful hair though.
harvey is an interesting one, but he was in the same position as someone like dan christian is now... not a top 6 test bat, and a handy 5th bowler, but neither attribute could warrant test selection during the period of greatness. only if gilchrist batted 6, would he have been a chance. andrew mcdonald and steve smith however somehow got picked after selectiors brain fades in recent times whilst also offering the same B grade attributes.
Yeh I've seen Pearl Jam, too. But I can't remember the dates.
Comments
Thats what I was thinking...
I will settle for a Ricky Ponting hundred or a Dave Warner off 50 balls...
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Can't wait for Pattinson to play in the Ashes...
A great time for Aussie cricket... who to drop, who to put in? They've all showed something this summer...
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the ashes are 18 months away, you don't think you're getting ahead of yourself?
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What I am excited about is the people who aren't in the team at the moment
Cummins
Watson
Harris
Kawaja
Hughes
Christian
Bollinger
Copeland
Starc
Hazlewood
All these guys are going to be putting on some serious pressure to get a spot in the team... Which is really exciting...
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We may have to agree to disagree on Clarkes captaincy I think
I think he is the only Aussie in the top 10 of runs scored this year?
Has captained the team to a series win in Sri Lanka (a team ranked higher than us at the time)
Captained the team to a drawn series against South Africa in South Africa ( A team ranked higher than us)
A drawn series agains NZ.. admittedly a poor result...
He sets attacking fields particularly to Lyon
He rotates the bowlers well
I don't like how he was a pin up boy, I am very jealous that he was rooting bingle... I also don't like how the whole Simon Katich incident was played out.... Kato is a champ and a nice guy too. But coincidence or not (probably not) it looks like Australian cricket is moving forward.
As for Kawaja, I like him too... looks like he has the goods. So does Marsh.... He is a really technically sound batsman.. shame he missed out in Melbourne..
Thing about Aussies and the media etc is we're very quick to bash someone.. I think Hughes came under pressure way to early which built pressure on him, and it was probably the perceived pressure that got to him in the end. I think what was being written about Hussey was a joke..
And Ricky Ponting is a champion... Shane Warne had his critics at times... Mcgrath was criticised, Steve Waugh had his critics and look how highly we regard these guys... My point is I wish we would just throw some support behind what we've got... Unless your name is Marcus North cause that guy is hopeless
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I like a captain who will sometimes elect to bowl; sometimes it IS the right decision it's just that everybody is so accustommed to electing to bat and when you don't and you fail the captain is attacked. If you're afraid of that then you aren't making your decisions for the right reasons. I agree that he seems to rotate the bowlers well but with a Watson out and a young bowling force who aren't carrying injuries it's a lot easier, whilst he can be bold with his choices for field placings at time I find they are unimaginative and would be interested to see what he would do on a day where we can't take a wicket at all.
We've both mentioned the Katich thing so no reason to go more into that, but the cause of that fight is indicitive of his entire attitude. Also like I said I don't think he is particularly well respected within the team, and a captain should be. Ponting still is despite the lack of respect shown to him in the media and the public at times.
I don't think his runscoring is relevent to his captaincy. There have been plenty of great batsmen around the world who were never made to be captain.
I know it seems I'm really anti Marsh but I just don't see room for him, I think Kawaja and he are almost at a par on ability at the moment but I think Marsh has plateaued whereas I think Kawaja has lot that we haven't seen yet.Everyone has their critcs and people they don'tlike, I think with the current team though with the exception of Ponting I am pretty unbiased. At the same time everyone has times when they deserve their criticism. Of course we should support what we have but I would say only to an extent because we should always be looking for an improvement and that won't happen if we are to satisfied. You have to move or others will and you will become substandard.
Also... I always liked Marcus North, it's a pity 'he wasn't able to crack the team til about two to three years after his peak batting period
I would also like to see a strong captains knock from him. As in, if Aussies are 2/10, to grind it out rather than turn it into 3/15 as he is guilty of. Kind of what Steve Waugh would do.
I really like the look of Usman, and even watching him tonight at the big bash, he has class... It was a shame for him that in his 6 or so tests he didnt make a big score... a solid 30 isn't going to keep you in the side when you're trying get your name in there. Marsh has scored a hundred and a big 50 in his 4 tests. I think he will be afforded more opportunity. His problem isn't his form or technique, it is that he is always injured which is a shame. But Kawaja is knocking on the door big time and will have a great career for Australia.. he is only young.
Meanwhile I was at the cricket tonight, and Chris Gayle is a star. Worth the price of admission...
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Also would like to see more from someone like Usman, in the longer form of the game because twenty20 form doesn't really hold up for me. By the same token despite his performance against India when everyone else crumbled I see Warner as a one day and twenty20 specialist - his first innings in Melbourne showed that he really lacks patience - I know he's young but even still if he is going to have a test career he really needs to calm down and realise that the game has to be played differently especially as an opener. The other problem Usman has is that it's not unusual for a guy to only get one real shot in the test team and if you blow it then it's gone. There's a lot of batting talent around so I don't know if another chance is going to happen for him.
Chris Gayle is the last of the West Indian greats.... and he's one of those brilliant guys who is always exciting at the Twenty 20 but is also capable of going the distance when necessary.
Good night, except Sydney lost! should have been a walk in the park!!
Gayle hit a great 75, Kawaja got a few runs and took 2 great catches.
The beer was expensive and mid strength :twisted:
I wave to all my Friends... Yeah!
I was there too... Kawaja took that second catch right in front of me... hardest thing to do is dive forward like that...
Lucky I didn't drink last night then.. hate mid-strength
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They bowled well against NZ in that first innings... it was their batting that didn't hold up. And I agree about Warner, however one could say the same thing about Sehwag. Similar type of players, but Warner is far from being in the same class as Sehwag. It will be interesting to see how he goes after several tests.
I for one have always liked an opening combination where one can play his shots and the other can take the shine off the new ball, and grind away. Australia (in my time of following cricket) have always tried for something like that
Taylor/Slater
Hayden/Langer
Hayden/Katich
Watson/Katich
Warner/Cowan
I don't mind that as an opening combination, while it may not be a long standing combination I think still a good one...
Now Justin Langer was the ideal opening batsman. Loved that little guy... one man who was so gritty, deserves a lot of credit in the great Aussie side of the 2000s
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Yes, very rough... poor prick...
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I want to see him step up like how Ponting and Hussey did the other day.
An injury is your downfall in this Aussie team, once your replaced, your replacement always does well therefore makes it hard for the selectors to drop him.
Hodge had it rough no question but he certainly wasn't the first or the worst done by. Matthew Elliot is one who always sticks in my mind. And the other one for different reasons is Michael Slater who when he was dropped was a little out of form but hardly the only one or even the worst one (Ricky Ponting) in India 2001 and its since been made clear that he was dropped for personal reasons not because of his form. And the worst one I've seen is on that same ashes tour when Fleming and Colin Miller didn't get a test match on the tour and came back to find themselves to dropped from the Victorian squad... now that is unreasonable.
pity the bloke comes across as an absolute flog and peaked when the middle order of australian cricket was rock solid.
the same argument can be made for blokes like stuart law, jamie siddons, darren lehmann, jamie cox... all blokes that were born in the wrong era.
lee took 310 test wickets @ 30. Ok it's not an average of 22 like mcgrath, but he's one of the fittest blokes you'd ever meet and came through several difficult injuries (hello recurring stress fractures in the lower back). oh and i think he took 310 test wickets.. dont know if i mentioned that.
elliot never recovered after that horror mid pitch collision with mark waugh when he did his knee. thankfully he finished his career over here in the shield (not that we won anything... which is nothing new)...
funky miller is an interesting one.. peaked when he was about 60 yo in the test side, copped an AB medal, changed his hair colour a few times and disappeared into retirement.
but they were both good enough to make the Australian squad for the ashes but not considered good enough by him to play for victoria when they got back which is ridiculous regardless of their ages.
Elliot never got another chance after that collision, Tugga got straight back in (ok he did a nose and not a leg but even still...)
I'm not having a go at brett lee for a second, he was very talented, one of the hardest working men in cricket and an amazingly decent bloke. I'm only saying that considering the number of injuries he sustained and how serious and long term some of them were he got chances not afforded to others maybe my point is not that he shouldn't have but that others should have enjoyed the same advantages. Actually not sure where I stand on that would just like to have seen some consistancy
i shouldve mentioned flemmo cos i love him. and when victoria dumped him, he also came across here as an honorary redback. his returns were modest from memory, but his experience was valuable for the juniors in tait and rofe (wasted talent). i love his work on fox and the abc, and i hate that fats warne denied him his second test hat trick by dropping a bloody sitter here a few yrs ago.
i think the thing with lee is that the selectors have had this notion that test batsmen are scared of express pace.. which theyre not. they would salivate at the prospect of him bowling at 150, (which with an avge of 30 suggests he leakd a few runs in his day...). i know what youre saying about some players looking as though they get unjust preferential selection, but which other quicks do you reckon have been short changed in the last 15 yrs? i reckon theres been more bats than quicks in this situation? we were so blessed with having mcgrath, kasper, gillespie, bichel i guess, and lee (when fit), for so long, that not many other blokes had the chance to get an opportunity.. brad williams.. dud.. mick lewis... dud.. bracken maybe is a type you are thinking of...s clark may be a candidate considering his selection later in his career... anyone else?
Bracken I would have liked to see more of, I think he offered a variety and especially being a left armer. I think Kasprowicz got more chances (even if they were spread apart) than I would have given him. And I also wish we had given Ian Harvey a chance at test level because whilst he wasn't at the top in either discipline it would have been interesting to see him given a shot and we were lacking an allrounder type at that point. He was also always supurb in the field. But generally speaking you're right more batsmen have been shortchanged than bowlers, or maybe it has just been more obvious to us as we are more aware of the large number of good batsmen out there?
Harvey and Bracken were great one day players, they had great variation, which is something not used often in a test. You don't see slower balls every over or slower bouncers stuff like that.
What about some of these guys you mention, and then think of others who managed to wear the baggy green in recent years.... Bryce Mcgain, Beau Casson... :? :? :roll:
And Stuart Law was good, no Ricky Ponting...
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i think youll find stuart law was the first bloke i mentioned!
i cant remember when bracken injuries hit... but now that hes trying to sue CA, that might say a bit about his character that we didnt know! beautiful hair though.
harvey is an interesting one, but he was in the same position as someone like dan christian is now... not a top 6 test bat, and a handy 5th bowler, but neither attribute could warrant test selection during the period of greatness. only if gilchrist batted 6, would he have been a chance. andrew mcdonald and steve smith however somehow got picked after selectiors brain fades in recent times whilst also offering the same B grade attributes.
A couple of weeks till England vs Pakistan .......it's bound to kick off again :!: