Ashes: Australia v England 2006/7

[Technocactus]

I maintain he is better than Watson.

I don't think Watson could be that bad if he tried.

 

[azzaman333]

White has had some very good performances against international teams. Very few have been in ODI's to this point though.

 

[phoenix_night]

??

Well, since we're talking about ODIs, I don't see the relevance of those performances...and since he's never played test matches at all, I don't see the point of that post...

?

The guy's spent his career getting picked off for easy runs at domestic level for both Victoria and Somerset, and hardly seems to be breaking that trend for Aus - 4 wickets in 16 matches? ...

He might have been a talented leggy as a youngster, but if he wants any future in the international game, he's gonna have to do it as a batsman...His record with the bat isn't standout, but I've seen a bit of him - he was excellent for Somerset - and he's got some talent. At the minute his bowling seems to just be drawing his attention to a worthless exercise; unfortunately for you, that could be said of the Australian selectors too.

He needs dropping. Or being given a specialist batsman's slot.

 

[TopDog]

The whole series was fantastic. The game at Eden park was the best because i was there and my favourite australian (Hussey) and NZer im most hopeful for (Taylor) both got centuries

Also im so glad Cameron White did poorly. I really dont like that guy, the Aussies talk him up alot but he doesnt seem to be that great. Guess we'll see in the West Indies

 

[Technocactus]

Hussey says South Africa, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and New Zealand will pose the biggest threat to the Aussies.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/other_international/australia/6399641.stm

Thoughts? I can't see Sri Lanka winning it myself. Perhaps West Indies?

 

[phoenix_night]

I dunno wtf he's doing mentioning New Zealand...

 

[azzaman333]

The kiwis at their best are really good and can beat anyone in the world. At their worst, Zimbabwe, Kenya and Bangladesh can beat them.

 

[phoenix_night]

It's funny though, Aus concede 700 in 2 matches, and their WC is screwed...NZ do the same, and now they're one of the favourites?

Bond, Oram and Vettori need to play every game and be on top form for NZ to have a chance. Their bowling attack is really weak, though it was actually (by Fleming) considered their strong point before the Aus series.

I think that should give a warning about reading too much into the result of Chappell-Hadlee re: NZ. Their batsman slapped around a poor (poor, poor...) Aus attack on small batsmen friendly pitches - err, well done...Their bowlers got slaughtered.

In spite of the rankings, I'd place Pakistan, and even India, ahead of NZ.

Sri Lanka I'm not so sure on...I don't think they've got a great bowling attack. I think it's as simple as that - Aus are weak in that department, NZ will struggle to bowl out top sides...

SA, at least, seem to be pretty even in their batting/bowling...I'd say closest to that balance is probably Pakistan.

No chance for SL/NZ, I reckon.

 

[azzaman333]

But on the small West Indies grounds, will 'good' bowling be required? IIRC, a full strength Australia vs a full strength South Africa had both teams scoring well in excess of 400. And its no surprise considering how little life there is in most pitches.

 

[phoenix_night]

But on the small West Indies grounds, will 'good' bowling be required?

...




.

 

[classical_hero]

Well, p_n, what is your answer?

 

[phoenix_night]

Well, p_n, what is your answer?

My answer is that, if the Australian mentality is one which sees 'good bowling' as unnecessary, then the recent run of ODI results shouldn't be such a surprise...

and I'd expect more of the same at the World Cup.

 

[azzaman333]

The mentality has come about because of the recent run of ODI results.

 

[phoenix_night]

So because a lack of good bowling has cost you 5 consecutive defeats, and 6 in 7, you now think you don't need to bowl well at all?

The Aussies are getting rather good at self delusion.

Looking forward to seeing how their "strength in depth" in bowling turns out in their next test...

 

[azzaman333]

So because a lack of good bowling has cost you 5 consecutive defeats, and 6 in 7, you now think you don't need to bowl well at all?

No, I'm hoping.

The Aussies are getting rather good at self delusion.

Looking forward to seeing how their "strength in depth" in bowling turns out in their next test...

In tests the batsmen don't have 5 overs of Watson to face to get their eye in so they can blast the better bowlers.

 

[phoenix_night]

No, I'm hoping.

Yeah, but hope on the basis of "well, they're small grounds", having just come from NZ...

In tests the batsmen don't have 5 overs of Watson to face to get their eye in so they can blast the better bowlers.

The better bowlers?! ONE of whom will have 10 test caps? And the rest? Who are these "better bowlers"?


It's beyond belief that Aus have let it get to this state, where they'll be walking out in a test with only ONE experienced bowler...at international level? How is that allowed to happen? A complete farce...

Have fun.

 

[TopDog]

Well warm-up matches about to begin in a couple of days. Is it worth making a new thread for the WC?

 

[ainwood]

The kiwis at their best are really good and can beat anyone in the world. At their worst, Zimbabwe, Kenya and Bangladesh can beat them.

umm.... Kenya & bangladesh have NEVER beaten NZ. You can't say the same for oorstraya, however.

Sri Lanka I'm not so sure on...I don't think they've got a great bowling attack. I think it's as simple as that - Aus are weak in that department, NZ will struggle to bowl out top sides...

Actually, Malinga, vaas & murili are actually quite good.

No chance for SL/NZ, I reckon.

I respectfully disagree. The series between NZ & sri Lanka showed the two teams were very even. The series with Aus & NZ showed that they are not that far apart either.

Remember - pitches in the WI will be more like NZ pitches than australian ones.

Well warm-up matches about to begin in a couple of days. Is it worth making a new thread for the WC?

Good idea.

 

[phoenix_night]

Actually, Malinga, vaas & murili are actually quite good.

Not really great though. Malinga's not that dependable IMO, and though Vaas is good, I don't think he really stands out as a front line bowler amongst the likes of Flintoff, Ntini, Bond ( )...

I respectfully disagree. The series between NZ & sri Lanka showed the two teams were very even. The series with Aus & NZ showed that they are not that far apart either.

Remember - pitches in the WI will be more like NZ pitches than australian ones.

You don't have to be better than Sri Lanka, or Australia, to win the WC. You have to be better than the other 13 teams too.

NZ took advantage of VERY poor bowling from Aus, on good pitches with small boundaries, to get some runs on the board - and to hide their own bowling deficiencies. The West Indies may have pitches similar to NZ, but you just conceded nearly 700 in two matches on those very pitches.

Fancy chasing down 350 against the likes of SA, Pakistan, or England? Or all three?

 

[ainwood]

Not really great though. Malinga's not that dependable IMO, and though Vaas is good, I don't think he really stands out as a front line bowler amongst the likes of Flintoff, Ntini, Bond ( )...

vass & murali are ranked in the top 10 for ODI bowlers. Malinga is 21. Note too, that in the chappell-Hadlee series, McGrath & bracken bowled quite well (and they're also in the top 10 ranked). The others bowled well at times; it was just the overall consistency that was poor.

You don't have to be better than Sri Lanka, or Australia, to win the WC. You have to be better than the other 13 teams too.

Yes, but SL & Aus are fairly good teams.

NZ took advantage of VERY poor bowling from Aus, on good pitches with small boundaries, to get some runs on the board - and to hide their own bowling deficiencies. The West Indies may have pitches similar to NZ, but you just conceded nearly 700 in two matches on those very pitches.

Fancy chasing down 350 against the likes of SA, Pakistan, or England? Or all three?

Yes - NZs bowling is not particularly good, although at times its very good. Ever think that instead of it being purely crap bowling, that it was actually good batting? As I said - Australia's bowling wasn't that bad - a lot of the players were the same ones that bowled in the commonwealth bank series. Where NZ and australia both scored a lot of runs against england.