Is Australia's dominance bad for cricket?
It's a moot question - it's not like Australia are going to start playing with one hand behind their back (although with all the new one days laws the ICC are introducing...)
This is like asking was Don Bradman bad for cricket? Here's a guy who could score 300 in a day, completely dominating a bowling attack. At times, there was no contest - he demoralised and destroyed opposition teams. And yet people travelled far and in droves to watch him play. The current Australian side has some of the greatest players in history, all in the one side. Warne and McGrath would easily slide into a top 5 of Australia's best bowlers - the only case in test history of two bowlers in the one side with a total of 1000 wickets between them. Gilchrist is almost unanimously considered cricket's best ever wicketkeeper/batsman - after Bradman and Sobers, he's usually third listed in Greatest XI lists. All the top 6 batsman have averages over 50 - that must be the first time that's ever happened.
But in the end, I would say I don't really care. I grew up being traumatised as a young cricket fan watching my team and various player's cricketing careers be destroyed by the West Indies. It's nice at the moment to be an Australian and watch my team hand out the trauma and heartache. I'm enjoying it while it lasts.
| Posted by JC on Wed 12 Jan |  8 comments |
How Boof lasted so long
Just read a great article by Tim Lane on the injustices perpetrated against Simon Katich and it got me thinking about how Darren Lehmann has kept his spot in the Australian side for so long, despite being older, fatter and in less form than some of the up-and-coming youngsters. The conclusion - he has a cooler nickname, Boof. And not just one nickname - I swear I heard Gilchrist call out 'bowled, Shreky' once in a game (and he does look a bit like Shrek). It seems once you have a proper nickname in the Australian side, you're "in". Look at some of the other players:
Ponting: Punter (love of gambling)
McGrath: Pigeon (skinny pigeon legs)
Adam Gilchrist: Churchy (once called Gilchurch by a young fan)
John Buchanan: Ned (looks like Ned Flanders)
Matthew Hayden: Hulk (dedication to physical fitness)
Jason Gillespie: Dizzie (after jazz player)
Brett Lee: Bing, Binger
Michael Kasprowicz: Kasper (well, that's boring, that's just his name)
| Posted by JC on Thu 6 Jan | 8 comments |
Australia's embarrassment of bowling riches
The saying goes 'bowlers win matches, batters save matches'. That would go a long way in explaining why Australia is winning so many matches (and so damn quickly). Not only do they have 3 of the world's top bowlers at the moment (Stephen Fleming labeled Australia?s bowlers as being like three Richard Hadlees and the greatest ever leg spinner). They also have half a dozen or so bowlers who would easily slip into any test side, sniffing away at that 4th spot. At the moment, Kasprowiscz has the spot sewn up. But in any other country, could a bowler (Stuart McGill) take 10 wickets in a test, win man of the match over the captain who scored a double century and then get dropped? And even more amazing, there was universal acceptance when it happened (apart from McGill, of course).
| Posted by JC on Thu 6 Jan | 9 comments |
