Cricket - Page 2

Sarb · 21-10-13, 02:09 PM

Sharma is a pop gunner. An atrocious bowler and he is the spearhead of the Indian attack. Utterly embarassing bowling by him

Shaggy · 25-10-13, 10:02 AM

Wisden's all time XI. Can't argue with it.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/cri...?frame=2712044

captainfog · 25-10-13, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shaggy

Wisden's all time XI. Can't argue with it.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/cri...?frame=2712044

I've no idea who that Barnes chap is, but apart from that, you're right, what a great side.

Shaggy · 25-10-13, 10:31 AM

Viv Richards, Sachin, Marshall, Wasim Akram and Warne are absolute shoo-ins. Seen a lot of folk picking all time XIs recently and the number of people who overlook Wasim is ridiculous. Clearly didn't see him play.

RichC · 25-10-13, 10:34 AM

Quite harsh to not see Lara in there.

Shaggy · 25-10-13, 10:36 AM

It is but if it's a choice of two from Lara, Sachin and IVA Richards then he misses out every time for me. And Richards would be my first pick.

captainfog · 25-10-13, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shaggy

Viv Richards, Sachin, Marshall, Wasim Akram and Warne are absolute shoo-ins. Seen a lot of folk picking all time XIs recently and the number of people who overlook Wasim is ridiculous. Clearly didn't see him play.

If that side didn't have Barnes then who would you have?

McGrath? Holding? Waqar? Botham?

Shaggy · 25-10-13, 10:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by captainfog

If that side didn't have Barnes then who would you have?

McGrath? Holding? Waqar? Botham?

I don't know who Barnes is either. Tough out of that lot - I'd eliminate Botham first. Man it's too difficult. I'd even throw Hadlee into the equation.

captainfog · 25-10-13, 10:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shaggy

I don't know who Barnes is either. Tough out of that lot - I'd eliminate Botham first. Man it's too difficult. I'd even throw Hadlee into the equation.

What about Ambrose?!

Shaggy · 25-10-13, 10:47 AM

Was gonna say him too but changed my mind cos he doesn't beat Holding IMO. Difficult though. Impossible in fact.

EwarWoo · 25-10-13, 11:03 AM

Happy to be schooled by an historian of the game or someone who remembers the 70's, but why the heck is Gilly not keeping wicket?

Both a great cricketer (on paper his stats are better than Knott's) and one of the most exciting to watch even in this modern era of slap and tickle.

Shaggy · 25-10-13, 11:08 AM

Huge fan of Gilchrist I was. He'd get in my team ahead of Knott, although to be fair I never saw him play.

captainfog · 25-10-13, 11:28 AM

I think on pure keeping skills Knott was supposed to be the best and lets be honest, with that top 6 it's not as if that side needs Gilly's batting

captainfog · 25-10-13, 11:33 AM

I'm going Botham at 7 and Knott at 8

Beefy was quick as fuck before his injuries, got over 380 wickets and is widely regarded as the games greatest all-rounder. Get him in the side

Fuck off Barnes

Tee · 25-10-13, 12:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shaggy

It is but if it's a choice of two from Lara, Sachin and IVA Richards then he misses out every time for me. And Richards would be my first pick.

Richards was in a league of his own.

Tee · 25-10-13, 03:35 PM

I am biased but there has to be a place for Imran Khan in that team IMO.

88 tests, averaging 22.81 with the ball and 37.69 with the bat. Aside from that he was a magnificent captain of a team. My favourite cricketer of all time, actually the greatest Pakistani player of all time (even Wasim would admit that).

Shaggy · 25-10-13, 05:59 PM

I don't know how their numbers compare without checking (can't be arsed) but I always grudgingly felt Imran Khan had the tiniest of edges over Botham. That era of all-rounders was unbelievable - Imran, Beefy, Kapil Dev and you could arguably include the great Richard Hadlee too (I always saw him as much more of a bowler than an all-rounder...a demon fast bowler who could bat).

captainfog · 25-10-13, 07:28 PM

The four leading allrounders between Jan 1977 and Dec 1982	Tests	Runs	Average	100s/ 50s	Wickets	Average	5WI/ 10WM	Diff in ave
Ian Botham	58	3229	37.11	11/ 13	262	24.52	20/ 4	12.59
Imran Khan	37	1429	29.16	1/ 4	186	21.79	13/ 3	7.37
Kapil Dev	44	1904	32.82	2/ 11	172	29.68	13/ 1	3.14
Richard Hadlee	23	767	21.91	1/ 4	114	23.22	11/ 2	-1.31

captainfog · 25-10-13, 07:30 PM

Best allrounders in Tests (Qual: 2000 runs and 200 wkts)

Player	Tests	Runs	Average	100s	Wickets	Average	5WI	Diff in ave
Garry Sobers	93	8032	57.78	26	235	34.03	6	23.75
Jacques Kallis	140	11,126	55.07	35	266	31.59	5	23.48
Imran Khan	88	3807	37.69	6	362	22.81	23	14.88
Shaun Pollock	108	3781	32.31	2	421	23.11	16	9.20
Ian Botham	102	5200	33.54	14	383	28.40	27	5.14
Richard Hadlee	86	3124	27.16	2	431	22.29	36	4.87
Chris Cairns	62	3320	33.53	5	218	29.40	13	4.13
Kapil Dev	131	5248	31.05	8	434	29.64	23	1.41

captainfog · 25-10-13, 07:32 PM

Botham was awesome to begin with and his stats clearly show how injury took their toll:

Period........

Tests

Runs

Average

100s/ 50s

Wickets

Average

5WI/ 10WM

First 51 Tests	2833	38.80	11/ 10	231	23.06	19/ 4
Next 37 Tests	1976	31.36	3/ 11	135	33.85	8/ 0
Last 14 Tests	391	20.57	0/ 1	17	57.52	0/ 0
Career (102 Tests)	5200	33.54	14/ 22	383	28.40	27/4

Fucked that table up a bit, but you can see what I mean.

Compared to Imran:

Period	Tests	Runs	Average	100s/ 50s	Wickets	Average	5WI/ 10WM
Till Dec 1979	25	832	22.48	0/ 1	98	31.88	5/ 1
Jan 1980 to Dec 1988	48	2028	39.76	4/ 10	236	17.77	18/ 5
Jan 1989 onwards	15	947	72.84	2/ 7	28	33.53	0/ 0
Overall	88	3807	37.69	6/ 18	362	22.81	23/ 6

captainfog · 25-10-13, 07:42 PM

Imran does have the slight edge, but I bet Beefy throws a better party and so that gets him into my team

captainfog · 25-10-13, 07:43 PM

What the stats do show is that Kallis is one of the all time greats

Tee · 25-10-13, 07:45 PM

Both amazing players, never liked Botham because of his anti-Pakistan comments....but that is in the past and I appreciate he was a great cricketer. Just reckon Imran was better, it's close but he just nicks it for me.

Botham was explosive with the bat whilst Imran devastating and so damn graceful with the ball.

Maybe if Botham and England won the WC against Imran's Pakistan in 1992 he would have edged it.

Tee · 25-10-13, 07:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by captainfog

What the stats do show is that Kallis is one of the all time greats

Yep , forgot all about him.

Shaggy · 25-10-13, 11:03 PM

Kallis' numbers are unreal, there could be no arguments with him in a world XI.

Chazza · 25-10-13, 11:22 PM

Some brilliant players in that list and those mentioned who haven't made it.

Must say watching Ambrose and Walsh, Wasim and Waqar in the early 90's were some of my earliest cricket memories.

Fantastic bowling.

destinydude · 26-10-13, 12:12 AM

Glad that they haven't picked that cunt McGrath in that list.

I'm Indian but I too would put Viv over Sachin and Lara.

destinydude · 26-10-13, 12:15 AM

And yes, Wasim Akram is unreal. Just a pity that despite playing on the sub continent pitches, he took so many wickets at a very good average.

I always wish, a little jealously that too, that we had the kind of bowlers that Pakistan has had during the 90's.

I love our fast bowlers but they are wank when you compare them to truly great fast bowlers.

Tee · 26-10-13, 12:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by destinydude

And yes, Wasim Akram is unreal. Just a pity that despite playing on the sub continent pitches, he took so many wickets at a very good average.

I always wish, a little jealously that too, that we had the kind of bowlers that Pakistan has had during the 90's.

I love our fast bowlers but they are wank when you compare them to truly great fast bowlers.

And as a Pakistan supporter I have always looked across at the unreal batsmen India have had in the past/present and wished we had them. Pakistan always seem to be able to do spectacular things with the ball, but the batting has been atrocious since Inzy retired.

Fair play on the Viv Richards call as well mate.

One player who hasn't been mentioned but I think deserved to be considered.....Murali.

captainfog · 26-10-13, 01:26 AM

Murali was a great bowler, but I think Warne was a better cricketer. Yes, Murali has more wickets, but he played on a lot of turning wickets which I think has skewed his figures slightly. Not as important, but Warne was also handyish with the bat and excellent in the slips.

Shaggy · 26-10-13, 09:07 AM

THE WORST two-ball innings of all time... - YouTube

Quote:

The man behind the worst two-ball innings of all time

Mark Armitage has become a YouTube sensation for the worst innings of all time but his love for cricket remains as strong as ever

Toby Chasseaud

theguardian.com, Friday 25 October 2013 10.35 BST

Cricket can be a cruel game. Remember Steve Harmison bowling the first delivery of the 2006-7 Ashes straight to second slip, or Scott Boswell's 14-ball over in the 2001 C&G Trophy final. Professionals are used to having their every mistake scrutinised in slow motion replays, but the agony of amateurs is usually quickly forgotten after some gentle banter in the pub after the game. So spare a thought for club cricketer Mark Armitage whose knock – dubbed "the worst two-ball innings of all time" – will haunt him for ever after becoming a YouTube sensation.

Armitage strode out to open the batting for Essex team Eastwood CC in their tour match against Bradfield CC in Berkshire. What happens next is painful to watch. Armitage doesn't worry about playing himself in, trying to pull his first ball for four. He fails to get bat on ball, is hit in the box, and tumbles to the ground. After shaking off his discomfort, he attempts to smash his second delivery – with even worse consequences. He makes a mess of his shot, falls over backwards, and is out hitting his own wicket. This would have been bad enough if witnessed only by those present, but unfortunately for Armitage, his antics have since been viewed by thousands.

"I've played cricket for 25 years – always at the very lowest level," he says. "I love the game and clearly have never been a star. But it's the first time I have been out in such a fashion, though I have had other strange dismissals."

Armitage has been playing for Eastwood since 1987, and sometimes captains the 5th XI. "It was an end-of-season tour game. The touring side contained a mixture of all abilities from the 1st XI to the 5th XI. We were in and around Oxford for the weekend. I was sent in to bat far too early but that is part of being on tour. I was told to get on with it as it was a Twenty20 match and there were far better batsmen below me. Normally I am a Boycott/Tavaré-style batsman. I was thinking I must get more runs than Nigel, my opening partner, and I must get on with it or be booed for not scoring."

The incident was videoed by Graham Fletcher, the club chairman, who was umpiring at square leg. "I thought at the time it was just a laugh," says Armitage. "I never thought it would have such an impact."

What does his wife make of it? "She just shakes her head and accepts I am who I am. I enjoy life, have fun and daft things happen to me."

Watching a longer clip of the incident reveals that Armitage is almost run out before he has even faced his first ball. And his short-lived innings was not his only comedy incident of the match. "I kept wicket – again a tour tradition. I'm not the worst keeper ever seen, but not proficient either. I'm actually a hockey goalkeeper and use more of a stopping technique. Funnily enough, there was another 'moment'. Standing up to our captain Rick Wade, who is a notorious slow bowler who slips in a quicker one, I was caught out by a quicker one down the leg side that hit me in the stomach with my hands nowhere near. Again, I fell backwards with everyone laughing."

In the end, Eastwood won the match by four runs. "If I recall, there were 20 needed off the last over and they got 16. It was a great game – helped by me not slowing down the innings at the start!"

Armitage has been dismissed before in comical fashion. "This year, when on 29 in a tight match, I managed to again completely pirouette trying to heave the ball away. I rotated twice and fell out of my crease – finally being stumped. I have been run out twice by dozily walking out of my crease after the ball is in the keeper's hands. And I hold the club record for a 50-ball duck a few years ago.

"Ask any club member, people leave the bar to watch me bat. I don't deliberately try to be bad or do comical things – they just follow me around. Falling over is a speciality – once an innings at least. But this was the first time I have ever hit the wicket. I'm quite renowned for backing away to square leg and squealing if there is a faster bowler.

"The highlight of my 'career' was probably my first 50 – against 10 men – when the whole of the club invaded the pitch to congratulate me. I was 40 at the time. It was like Tendulkar in India. I just love my cricket – despite being so bad at it."

Armitage, 44, is a technician at the Bank of New York Mellon but sport does run in the family as he is the grandson of a professional footballer, Tommy Tebb. "He was on the books of Tottenham Hotspur but never made a first team appearance," says Armitage. "I only found out a few years ago when I was going through some paperwork of my mum's and found my nan and granddad's wedding certificate. His claim to fame was that he scored the last ever Football League goal for Nelson FC before they were refused re-election to the league in 1931."

In the video clip, Armitage is wearing a hockey goalkeeping mask. "I play for the Old Southendian Hockey Club. I am by far a better hockey player than cricketer. Although I will be ribbed by the hockey club now who will say I must be a terrible cricketer."

So, although Armitage is unlikely to ever turn professional, he deserves plaudits as one of the many usually unsung heroes who make amateur sport such a joy. And as for going viral, "I don't mind," he says. "It will die down one day, though we'll enjoy a beer at the bar over it for many years to come."

Sarb · 30-10-13, 04:46 PM

Get on the chase of 350 by India against Aussies.

What an innings by Kohli so far. Can he finish it off? The guy is unreal in the short formats

Sarb · 30-10-13, 04:49 PM

And India win with 3 balls to spare and 6 wickets in hand

Shaggy · 30-10-13, 04:53 PM

That was fucking unbelievable.

Sarb · 30-10-13, 04:55 PM

India must have the shittest bowling line-up and best batting line-up in the world in ODI cricket

destinydude · 30-10-13, 04:56 PM

Unbelievable doesn't even cut it.

I remember us needing 320 in 40 overs to have a chance to qualify for the finals in the CB series in Australia and he chased it down in 37 odd overs. 320!

And then his 50 ball hundred the other day in which we chased 362, we had a good 6+ overs remaining and today this.

Fuck me. He truly is brilliant. I thought he was a little too arrogant for his game but he has every right to be.

destinydude · 30-10-13, 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sarb

India must have the shittest bowling line-up and best batting line-up in the world in ODI cricket

This is utterly true. Our bowling is wank. FFS conceding 350 sounds like a normal day for our bowlers.

Sarb · 30-10-13, 05:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by destinydude

This is utterly true. Our bowling is wank. FFS conceding 350 sounds like a normal day for our bowlers.

We seriously may as well offer teams 350 and save 4 hours of a game because we are that shit at bowling.

I agree with you on Kohli. He came across very arrogant but he has the talent and the mental toughness. Same cannot be said for Raina and to a lesser extent Yuvraj. Absolutely no benefit of them being in the team

destinydude · 30-10-13, 05:06 PM

We need to sort our bowling seriously and this batting line up, as good as it is, cannot play the short ball that well. The next World Cup is in Aus/NZ and some of their pitches can be a nightmare for our batters.

Sarb · 31-10-13, 11:17 AM

I think Dhawan, Dhoni and Kohli are the only ones I have confidence in, in playing the short ball