Cricket

[Wildride]

Re: Cricket

Langer shouldnt and wont be dropped. He's a fantastic team man, and has tremendous spirit. The WACA pitch they are using is not its usual self - too little bounce. Noone made runs on it. Langer topped the averages and aggregates for the Ashes in 05, and was either injured or coming back from injury all last summer. JL has proven himself over a long time, and has the desire to keep playing, and so should be given some slack by the selectors. Jaques just needs to keep banging down the door, but his unorthodox technique is a little worrying

 

[mk33]

Re: Cricket

what hisunorthodox training technique

 

[Rosy]

Re: Cricket

I thought the Ashes at the G was sold out, I couldn't find any tickets on the net, but I rang ticketmaster this morning and managed to buy the general admittance tickets I wanted. Apparently they have quite a lot of tickets still for sale.

 

[Tigers of Old]

Re: Cricket

Langer shouldnt and wont be dropped. He's a fantastic team man, and has tremendous spirit. The WACA pitch they are using is not its usual self - too little bounce. Noone made runs on it. Langer topped the averages and aggregates for the Ashes in 05, and was either injured or coming back from injury all last summer. JL has proven himself over a long time, and has the desire to keep playing, and so should be given some slack by the selectors. Jaques just needs to keep banging down the door, but his unorthodox technique is a little worrying

Then drop Hayden.

Jaques can't do much more than score runs, particularly against the team we are playing!!

I guess the old saying rings true "Much harder to get out of the Australian Cricket Team than it is to get in".

The dinosaurs in our international team will be carried out in boxes before they voluntarily relinquish their spots in the side.

Agree totally.

 

[tigersnake]

Re: Cricket

Agree too. Thats why the whole martyn fiasco drives me nuts. They finally get rid of a dinosaur, then they bloody let him back in for reasons known only too themselves. DK Lillee certainly doesn't know. At least they have finally woken up that Katich is only a fringe player.

I can understand why its so difficult to drop McGrath, Langar, Hayden and Gilchrist, they are all champions, giants of the game, but its created some problems and Martyn provided a solution. Got me stuffed. McGrath should have retired, but the arrogance, the total self belief, I suppose thats all part of the package thats made him so good for so long.

 

[mb64]

Re: Cricket

See our mate Marto had a go at DK Lillee MB.  What a chump.

Not wrong Snake,now he's made some runs he decides to come out & bag past champions.Hoping he will fail miserably in the ashes.

 

[mb64]

Re: Cricket

Langer shouldnt and wont be dropped. He's a fantastic team man, and has tremendous spirit. The WACA pitch they are using is not its usual self - too little bounce. Noone made runs on it.  Langer topped the averages and aggregates for the Ashes in 05, and was either injured or coming back from injury all last summer. JL has proven himself over a long time, and has the desire to keep playing, and so should be given some slack by the selectors. Jaques just needs to keep banging down the door, but his unorthodox technique is a little worrying

Langer should be dumped & Jaques striaght in.Langer has been a great opener but age has caught up with him & selectors need to make tough decisions & bring some youth into the side otherwise there will be a quick decline in Aussie cricket.

 

[Wildride]

Re: Cricket

I dont think it has, really. He's still pretty awesome for WA - don't forget he scored 188no just two weeks ago. Plus, in this era of professional sport, the 'youth' is now around 30 - Huss for example. WA has some good 'young' players in Shaun Marsh and Happy Voges, who are both around 25 now. Australia will be well served by cricketers coming into the team at around 30 and playing till they are around 37/8.

 

[mb64]

Re: Cricket

I dont think it has, really. He's still pretty awesome for WA - don't forget he scored 188no just two weeks ago. Plus, in this era of professional sport, the 'youth' is now around 30 - Huss for example. WA has some good 'young' players in Shaun Marsh and Happy Voges, who are both around 25 now. Australia will be well served by cricketers coming into the team at around 30 and playing till they are around 37/8.

If the selectors don't make tough decisions the Aussies will become a veterans side.Langer has copped a few knocks to fast bowling & commonsense should prevail & he be retired.

 

[skybeau]

Re: Cricket

See our mate Marto had a go at DK Lillee MB. What a chump.

Not wrong Snake,now he's made some runs he decides to come out & bag past champions.Hoping he will fail miserably in the ashes.

Martyn was correct in telling Lillee where to go, IMO...it was hardly an unjustified swipe. The selectors choose the team and the players only play if they are chosen. If Lillee wants to abuse the team, he should start with the selectors, not the players. But he won't, cos you can't do that...it might harm any future positions Lillee is after, cricket-wise. So he took the 'safe' option...and made himself look like a dill.

So you guys reckon that the older brigade should stand aside voluntarily? Yeah, fat chance. They are, for better or for worse, the only players proven at the top level. So they'll play. If they fail, then (and this is where age will be a factor) younger blokes will come in. But these young guys are unproven. It'd be like stacking your team with kids, then going out and playing the AFL grand final.

You'll see after the Ashes that Aussie cricket will undergo a distinct change at the top level. But for the Ashes, we're using our strongest, proven team. And fair enough too.

And mb, you'll be eating those words about Damien Martyn in a few months...

 

[Tigers of Old]

Re: Cricket

So you guys reckon that the older brigade should stand aside voluntarily? Yeah, fat chance. They are, for better or for worse, the only players proven at the top level. So they'll play. If they fail, then (and this is where age will be a factor) younger blokes will come in.

And mb, you'll be eating those words about Damien Martyn in a few months...

:

Martyn was a monumental failure last series against England. He was a key figure in a middle order that failed catastrophically and lost us the Ashes for the first time in 20 years.

Some here are bagging Katich which is fair enough but "Marto" should have hard his card stamped after the fiasco he served up over the last few years.

He's only back in the side because he's a mate of Punter's. Should have been moved on for a younger, hungrier and better option before now.

Far from proven, I see him as a glaring weakness in our lineup.

 

[mb64]

Re: Cricket

Martyn will never prove me wrong.He should be out of the side.

 

[mk33]

Re: Cricket

See our mate Marto had a go at DK Lillee MB.  What a chump.

Not wrong Snake,now he's made some runs he decides to come out & bag past champions.Hoping he will fail miserably in the ashes.

Martyn was correct in telling Lillee where to go, IMO...it was hardly an unjustified swipe.  The selectors choose the team and the players only play if they are chosen.  If Lillee wants to abuse the team, he should start with the selectors, not the players.  But he won't, cos you can't do that...it might harm any future positions Lillee is after, cricket-wise.  So he took the 'safe' option...and made himself look like a dill.

So you guys reckon that the older brigade should stand aside voluntarily? Yeah, fat chance.  They are, for better or for worse, the only players proven at the top level.  So they'll play.  If they fail, then (and this is where age will be a factor) younger blokes will come in.  But these young guys are unproven.  It'd be like stacking your team with kids, then going out and playing the AFL grand final.

You'll see after the Ashes that Aussie cricket will undergo a distinct change at the top level.  But for the Ashes, we're using our strongest, proven team.  And fair enough too.

And mb, you'll be eating those words about Damien Martyn in a few months...

Lillee is not after any position skybeau, he already does some part time consulting with the WA, Australian boys and anyone that asks him, he also chairman of the WACA (a highly prestigous position in WA cricket) and is definately not after a selectors role. He is an icon of the game and desrves more respect than what Damien Martyn has given him.

My thoughts re Martyn was our second best batsman before the Ashes but struggled there, initially thought unlucky to be dropped but did have an attitude problem by going out in some careless ways (along with two unlucky lbw decisions). He is not a popular person with his teammates but that should have not any bearing on him not playing.
Last summer though when dropped Martyn still did not fire when playing for WA and was extremely lucky to be selected South Africa where once again he virtually failed to have an impact.

Will start in the first test but if and him Langer fail in first 2 tests then I think they will never play for the baggy green again especially with Jacques, Rogers, Clarke, Birt, Cosgrove, Marsh all hot on their heels.

IMO I think Martyn, Langer, Gilchrist and McGrath will not play another test after this ashes series.

 

[Tigers of Old]

Re: Cricket

IMO I think Martyn, Langer, Gilchrist and McGrath will not play another test after this ashes series.

Given Australia's recent history, the only way all those players will go, is if we fail to regain the Ashes.
If that happens there might be a couple more you can ad to the list as well.

Personally I think the rebuild should have happened after the last Ashes series.
The only genuine change to the Australian side that was beaten in England, is the inclusion of Hussey who has to his credit been a revelation. Isn't it amazing what an injection of young talent and enthusiasm will do. :

Anyone who thinks we will belt the Poms on home soil is deluding themselves.
IMO more changes should have occurred after the last Ashes debacle, yet here we are another year later pesevering with many of the same old faces that failed in Britain.

Sure whenever those players go it will be a massive exodus of talent and experience. However it will be a real blight on Australia's inability to intergrate young talent seamlessly into the national side. Instead the selectors have chosen continually to persevere with senior players who've been tremendous but are past their best, instead of gambling on new talent.

Now we can no longer lay claim to being indesputibly the best team in the world despite the raft of recent victories against lesser opposition. Dare I say it, we are on a downward slope. It has the fall of the Windies written all over it, perhaps not as hard but it's still there. I guess no dynasty lasts forever and nor should it I suppose.



To add to this wasn't Punting recently bleating on about cricketers being able to play until they are forty or some such rubbish? ld

Yeah Richard, that'll really bring in the youth in droves. :spin
Young folks just love to idolise middle age men playing what is essentially a boys sport but has of late seemed anything but.

Allan Border has a lot to answer for by playing forever. They virtually had to drag him out at the end and he's set an example for others to follow. These guys just don't know when to pull the pin these days & the money is too good. Whatever happened to going out on top or with dignity? It doesn't exist anymore.

It's ridiculous that cricketers can barely make their debut for Australia until they are 30.
How on earth are you supposed to encourage the best young athletes in the country to stick with an average wage until they are 30 years of age?

No wonder the kids are deserting the game in droves in favour of other sports. :blah

 

[SfB_AkA._DeLiCiOuS]

Re: Cricket

I hope Watson makes the ashes team.
Martyn & Langer will be right under the pump if they fail against England.

 

[mb64]

Re: Cricket

In respect to Gilchrist I think the World Cup will be his swansong.He's had enough of travelling & his batting has dropped off.He may be one of the few players that will go voluntarily.

 

[Tigers of Old]

Re: Cricket

As a once great admirer I feel it's time for Richie Benaud to give it away.
He's named Punting as the best Ashes captain of the past 30 years ahead of Border, Taylor & Waugh.

Ummm.. didn't we just lose the Ashes with Punting was the captain? :spin

Aside from that his Ashes XII is very strong.

Benaud's Ashes XII:

Matthew Hayden, Justin Langer, Ricky Ponting (capt), Greg Chappell, Allan Border, Steve Waugh, Adam Gilchrist (wk), Shane Warne, Dennis Lillee, Terry Alderman, Glenn McGrath, Craig McDermott (12th man).

http://content-eap.cricinfo.com/australia/content/story/267795.html

 

[skybeau]

Re: Cricket

Lillee is not after any position skybeau, he already does some part time consulting with the WA, Australian boys and anyone that asks him, he also chairman of the WACA (a highly prestigous position in WA cricket) and is definately not after a selectors role. He is an icon of the game and desrves more respect than what Damien Martyn has given him.

So, being an icon means he can say what he wants, no matter what? I have massive amounts of respect for DK as a cricketer, not a mouthpiece. If we lose the Ashes, then he'll come out and say that the team was too old, as he said before hand. If we win, he'll call it a great victory for Aussie cricket...

As for Martyn...what would you prefer? An inexperienced batsman coming in and taking a few Tests to get the feel of the next level...and hence us losing a Test or two? Or an experienced batsman who's under pressure, but has performed in the past, and is aware that his time in the team will be up if he fails? There's slightly more incentive for Martyn to perform, and he'll know this.

Would you be willing to sacrifice a Test or two, in the biggest Test series in the world...just to play a younger guy into confidence?

Look, if this was just some nothing series against Zimbabwe or some-such, then I'd agree. But this is the Ashes. We NEED our experienced guys for this one...its not the time to start playing silly buggers with the team.

 

[FightingFury]

Re: Cricket

As a once great admirer I feel it's time for Richie Benaud to give it away.
He's named Punting as the best Ashes captain of the past 30 years ahead of Border, Taylor & Waugh.

Ummm.. didn't we just lose the Ashes with Punting was the captain? :spin

Aside from that his Ashes XII is very strong.

Benaud's Ashes XII:

Matthew Hayden, Justin Langer, Ricky Ponting (capt), Greg Chappell, Allan Border, Steve Waugh, Adam Gilchrist (wk), Shane Warne, Dennis Lillee, Terry Alderman, Glenn McGrath, Craig McDermott (12th man).

http://content-eap.cric/australia/content/story/267795.html

Can't quite believe that he considers Ponting a better captain than Mark Taylor
A better batsman yes, but nowhere near the captain Taylor was IMO.

 

[mk33]

Re: Cricket

I think the magazine is playing funny buggers ToO I just doubt Richie to be that silly to say that (though he is usually strongly independant), Border, Taylor  each won the ashes three times and Waugh twice.

Sorry what I meant about Lille skybeau is that he went out on top and did not play in front of anyone. Lillee is entitled to his opinion as is Martyn I just thought Martryn were in poor taste. Lillee has always been sensitive and respected with his comments for a man of his stature and never had a higher agenda as you think. Martyn is known as a sulk and is lucky to be playing considering his performance the last 18mths.

I would prefer somebody in form rather than just an experienced cricketer for the first test. Clarke has had some experience but needs run. My choice is Jacques he is red hot at the moment and like Hussey who was an openener who may be able to bat at no 4.