The Cricket Thread

[aniken]

A unique opportunity has arisen to purchase these limited edition pieces of memorabilia from the ICC World Cup. There will only be 500 of these released worldwide so be in quick.

The picture captures Mark Boucher in a splendid forward defensive stroke and Lance Klusener happily leaning on his bat at the non-strikers end as the last ball of the 45th over of South Africa's innings is bowled.

It captures perfectly the moment when the South African management had a brain melt and assured the batsmen that 229 was enough for victory, when they needed 230 to advance to the Super Six. The picture is titled "Not a-f**king-gain" and will sell at $1000 + p & p.

For an extra $500 you can also buy "Oh f**k it!", the limited edition picture from the 1999 World Cup capturing the sheer confusion of the moment when Allan Donald had a brain melt and forgot how to run.

Why not buy the boxed set of "South African Cricket - Why we have never won the f**ing World Cup" which includes the previously unreleased "You've got to be f**king joking!", a picture which captures the looks on the faces of the South African batsmen faces after the big screen flashes up that the revised target they were chasing for victory vs. England in the 1992 World Cup Semi Final was 22 runs off 1 ball.

This opportunity to re-live the greatest moments in South African Cricket history is very limited so hurry while stocks last.

[Lumpen]

I'll take two!

[TurboDewd]

I want to hear what you think about this.

Luckily the 2 one-dayers vs NZ were good games. But when 'we' put our minds to it noone comes close. Remember the last one day world cup final vs India? We scored 340+, it was a massacre.

And a few years ago WSC sent out Zimbabwe and the Windies and the one dayers that year were not competitive at all.

Last year I think it was the kiwis and the poms and we won easily.

Is this a problem? Is there a solution?

[im pre-emptively adding this trailer so as not to get this thread deleted or closed by any moderators. Accordingly, this post is not intended to offend anyone.]

[Maxx Power]

It's not boring because of the way they play all the shots in the book when they bat. Its not Australia's fault that they are the best team in the world by a fair margain..

The other countries have to take a look at the way they are coached at a junior level so at least in the future they will have some quality players coming through. India has such a good top order yet when they play Australia they rarely fire. Look at Hayden and Langer, they usually pile on the runs in the tests, then you have Gilchrist open the batting in the one dayers!

I think the opposition teams have lost a lot of the great bowlers as well, either retired or injured - Ambrose, Walsh, Donald, Pollock, Bond, Younis, Akram and others. that's some big names gone either permanently or for a while..

Enjoy it while it lasts.

Oh yeah, almost forgot, bring on the World XI that's meant to be touring here for a 6 day test and some one dayers! If Australia beat that side it will be amazing.

Edited 12/12/04 11:06 AM by Maxx Power

[BlueXR6Turbo]

Am I alone in thinking that it seems that we are only fielding second rate sides in the one-dayers? I use the first one dayer against NZ as an example. McGrath, Lee and Gallespie... none of these guys were in the side. At least the selectors got some sense and put them in after we lost!

I would like to see a return to the good old days when the test team and one-day team only had 1 or 2 players different. Now it's almost as if they're 2 completely different teams.

And to answer the original question (don't want to be off-topic!)... I don't think it's boring, mainly because the Aussies usually put on a pretty good show. Hayden's world record was great to watch, but that and a lot of other games have been quite one-sided.

[turb06]

I dont think its bad that australia keep winning, every time they play wether it be a close game or a one sided game you are guaranteed to see some great cricket.

My main concern for the Australian side is Ricky Ponting as the captain. As displayed in the 2 one day games, he was focusing too much on retarding the run rate instead of focusing on bowling the other side out, a good example of this is in the second game, NZ were looking down the barrel when they lost there eighth wicket with still 60 odd runs to get and a batter with a dislocated shoulder, everyone was writing them off, wicket falls, 1 more to get assuming Chris Harris wouldnt have batted at that stage and over 10 overs combined left to be bowled from his 3 main strike bowlers, Lee, McGrath, and Gillespie. I know what I was thinking, and know what Steve Waugh would have done, bring on the strikers and knock them over, but no, Ponting hands the ball to Lehman, an at best part time spinner and the number 11 hits him for 2 sixes then 2 more from Hogg and gets them back into the game, shots that he could have never made if he was facing any one of the three quicks. Ponting was just lucky not to throw that game away. The sad thing is though, apart from Gilchrist there isnt anyone else in the side that could do the job, and considering McGrath, Warne, and Gillespie are nearing the end of there international carrers, Australian cricket might get brought back a peg or 2 in the next couple of seasons.

Dazza.

[Maxx Power]

I have never been a fan of Ponting as captain, it should be Gilly. I agree with you dazza about Ponting being too concerned about the run rate. As soon as the recognized batsmen are out get your strike bowlers on and end the match!

About the 2 types of teams Glen, I think its not a bad thing to have a bit of a different side for one dayers. These days you need blokes like Watson, Symonds and Hogg who can bat, bowl and field. Guys like Langer are great at batting but can't do anything with the ball so they have to make way for all rounders. To be honest I don't know how Martyn is in the one day side. He a little slow at making the runs, you need someone like Harvey in there, but Australia's record isn't that shabby really so why muck around with a winning formula!

[BlueXR6Turbo]

Beats me how Bevan isn't in the team any more. I heard he isn't even contracted any more.

[turb06]

Beats me how Bevan isn't in the team any more. I heard he isn't even contracted any more.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Cricket is very political in this country, look what happened to Stuart Law, he was just forgotten about, the same thing with Bevan, and look how many 100's hes scored for Tassie this year already.

I think there should be a bit of variation between the test and one day sides, test cricket is so much more open and close compared to one day cricket, its not very often you find in test match cricket that a batting side needs to explode at the beginning or end of an innings to stay in the game (except for maybe the last session on the last day) so the type of batsmen you want are your rock solid take your time guys that perform 90% of the time, compared to the exciting to watchers like Symonds that perform 50% of the time, but when they do, there gonna hurt you.

That and they play so much cricket these days you need a rotational roster or were gonna burn our top players (bowlers especially) out before we have gotten full use out of them.

Dazza.

Dazza.

[-carty]

aussies aint doing real well in the test today...