The Official Cricket '07/'08 thread!!

[cobl04]

Well this thread will prolly fall in a hole, considering how bad the World Cup was, but I love my cricket still, and enjoy talking about it muchly. Plus, there's plenty to chinwag over. Including:

• The controversial Indian breakway league
• The current England v India series
• Whoever else is playing at the moment
• Australia's ridiculous schedule for the following year
• Why England are so pathetic
• The World Cup
• The upcoming Twenny20 world cup
• County cricket
• Shane Warne's list
• Shane Warne wanting to become a German
• and so on.

So join me if the World Cup didn't completely destroy your cricketing fandom.

[Acrobat Angel]

My God, I was gunna open a cricket thread for this summer ... Despite the crappy WC i'm desperate for some Australian cricket action
Can't wait for the tests, should be great to see how they handle the post-Warne/McGrath/Langer era...

[Axver]

New Zealand's going to win.

Yeah, take that ... SOMEONE!

[intedomine]

Well, Warnie said he wasn't all of a sudden gonna become "Adolf Warne", so yeah, what a legend.

If Hodge doesn't play for Australia, I will support whoever is playing Australia.

Looking forward to more days at the domestic one dayers at an empty MCG, basking in the sun on level 3. Great way to chill out in summer.

[Axver]

Originally posted by intedomine Well, Warnie said he wasn't all of a sudden gonna become "Adolf Warne", so yeah, what a legend. If Hodge doesn't play for Australia, I will support whoever is playing Australia.

OK, I'm out of the loop. What's all this about?

[intedomine]

There was talk of Warnie applying for German citizenship, as a means of allowing him to play for English counties for an extended period of time or something. How that works, i dunno, but it's kinda funny to imagine Warnie as a German.

[Axver]

I'd assume it's due to the freedom of movement Warne would get thanks to being a citizen of an EU member - I take it he has German relatives, so that'd make it easiest for him to attain citizenship there? Still rather bizarre though.

And regarding your other comment, why wouldn't Hodge be playing for Australia?

[cobl04]

Originally posted by Acrobat Angel My God, I was gunna open a cricket thread for this summer ... Despite the crappy WC i'm desperate for some Australian cricket action Can't wait for the tests, should be great to see how they handle the post-Warne/McGrath/Langer era...

That's gonna be the really interesting part... I think we'll be vulnerable. We won't have Warne or McGrath to fall back on.

Regarding Hodge, I don't think I'd go that far, but yes he bloody well should be playing. He has an average of 58 from memory, he made an unbeaten double century. From what I hear he'll either be batting at number four or opening.

Who is the best Australian player ever?

[intedomine]

Yeah Warnie's Mum is apparently a bit Deutsch.

Yeah well, Hodgey hit that double century against the South Africans in Perth and although his next test was a bit ordinary, scored 22 and 18 i think, that's still no reason to drop him, especially for the has-been that was Martyn, who was already as good as washed up by then anyway.

It's like dropping Dizzy after his 200 against Bangers!

Best Aussie player ever. You'd have to say Bradman statistically, but then you also gotta consider that cricket was a very different sport back then. And from all reports Bradman was supposedly a bit of a wanker as person. Warnie was a magician with the ball, and McGrath was just the most perfect pace bowler. Impeccable line and length.

[Acrobat Angel]

Best Aussie player hard to compare eras, but Bradman would have to be up there obviously, maybe Steve Waugh for guts and determination...
Current players- Ponting and Gilchrist will be remembered for generations...
As a bowler myself, I think McGrath and Lillie were brilliant...

[Axver]

Statistically, Bradman's not just the best Aussie cricketer, but the best sportsman full stop, leaving even people such as Pele choking in his dust.

My personal favourite is McGrath though. Whatever shreds of respect I had for the Aussie cricket team have vanished since his retirement. I can't stand most of the current crop of Aussie cricketers. Ponting should just go step in front of a freight train. Warne should've about 15 years ago.

[cobl04]

Originally posted by intedomine Yeah Warnie's Mum is apparently a bit Deutsch. Yeah well, Hodgey hit that double century against the South Africans in Perth and although his next test was a bit ordinary, scored 22 and 18 i think, that's still no reason to drop him, especially for the has-been that was Martyn, who was already as good as washed up by then anyway. It's like dropping Dizzy after his 200 against Bangers! Best Aussie player ever. You'd have to say Bradman statistically, but then you also gotta consider that cricket was a very different sport back then. And from all reports Bradman was supposedly a bit of a wanker as person. Warnie was a magician with the ball, and McGrath was just the most perfect pace bowler. Impeccable line and length.

Dropping Hodge was a disgrace. The only things that he doesn't have going for him, really, are that he takes a while to get himself in, much like Martyn, and has questions hanging over him when a bowler delivers him a ball right outside off stump. Otherwise he deserves to be there.

I always liked Martyn myself. I was shocked and just downright disappointed (not in him) when he retired. I really wish he'd been there for the win in the Ashes.

I have to go with Bradman as well. Statistically, as Axver said, he blows every sportsman out of the water. To finish with and average of 99.96, four runs off 100, and score almost 7000 runs, is impeccable. Remember he had to deal with Bodyline as well.

My personal favourites are the Waugh brothers. I loved them so much. Mark Waugh because he was the best-looking player when he was up and going, and Steve because as AA said, he was the definition of guts and determination. Amazing player.

I'm not sold on Ponting either. He seems like a bit of a prick to me as well. Sensational batsman, no doubt, but he's got an air of arrogance about him.

Meanwhile, in the Eng/Ind one-dayers, England lead 3-2 in the seven game series, with India just winning their second game with four half-centuries.

This thread is phailing.

[Axver]

We need an Australia vs New Zealand series to fire this thread up.

[intedomine]

Originally posted by Axver We need an Australia vs New Zealand series to fire this thread up.

Or another farce of a cricket world cup

[Axver]

Originally posted by intedomine Or another farce of a cricket world cup

Another one of those and cricket will be dead in the water. The ICC bloody well better wake up to itself.