The Ashes and Cricket World Cup Discussion Thread

Watson is the best all-rounder that opens the batting around at the minute. He can't compare with a Kallis though, who I would say is the best all-rounder currently and he is more of a batsman anyway. At the end of the day there isn't any 'greatness' in the all-rounders currently not like the 80s with Botham, Hadlee etc

I reckon the one dayers will go our way. The Aussies have picked X. Doherty again for tonight's game.

(14-01-2011 13:04 )colino Wrote:  If you can show me one quote, one piece written ANYWHERE on the web from ANY cricket expert that says "Shane Watson, world class all-rounder" I'll show you TEN that say "world class" about Sachin Tendulkar, the batsman.

Actually you won't. Because Tendulkar has only ever played one T20 for India, back in 2006. In order to be lauded for world class T20 performances as you claim, he'd have to have been playing for India in that form of the game to start with, and he hasn't been.

Australia won by 6 wickets today and Shane Watson showed exactly why we've been talking about him in this thread as being world class. Admittedly you can debate whether we've been talking about him being world class at T20 or at ODIs as a whole, but I reckon today that he's shown that it's both. He was certainly Australia's hero and match winner today and what an innings it was from him, 161 not out and one of the best one-day innings in recent memory. It was almost a chanceless knock, perfectly-paced and calm under pressure. But it's a pity for England they didn't manage to bat for their full 50 overs, even though Australia gave them a few lives.

Todays match turn on one incident.
Johnson running out Pieterson.
On a quickly taken single Johnson chose to kick the ball at the stumps. He middled his kick beautifully and it hit the top of the middle stump.

Who said Aussies couldn't kick a ball

Luck was also against England, with a few catches failing to hit the fielders.

(16-01-2011 12:48 )cosmonaut Wrote:  you can debate whether we've been talking about him being world class at T20 or at ODIs as a whole

I think it was mainly ODIs as a whole in which we have been saying that Watson is a world class performer.

What does everyone think on Prior over Davies for the World Cup? I don't mind either way but since its Prior I wouldn't mind seeing him drop down the order to 5/6 with Morgan and have Bell promoted up to open.

Shame about the two losses, damn pity afterwards were saying we should of played an extra seamer but we should of used a couple of overs from the ones we had playing and gone for the kill and got the Aussies all out for 150-170 and not let them get something on the board. Still five to play though so it isn't over yet.

(21-01-2011 16:04 )rocksaviour Wrote:  What does everyone think on Prior over Davies for the World Cup? I don't mind either way but since its Prior I wouldn't mind seeing him drop down the order to 5/6 with Morgan and have Bell promoted up to open.

Shame about the two losses, damn pity afterwards were saying we should of played an extra seamer but we should of used a couple of overs from the ones we had playing and gone for the kill and got the Aussies all out for 150-170 and not let them get something on the board. Still five to play though so it isn't over yet.

I have no problem with Prior, he is the better all round player. However Davies is very talented and will hopefully improve and force his way into the side. Prior needs a run now until the end of the World Cup as an opener to see if his game has improved sufficiently. He got a beauty today, so lets not judge him on one innings.
As for an alternative opener, it would have to be Bell. He is the most suited to the rule, with his outstanding technical ability. Morgan MUST and will be left down the order, he is our best finisher. He is alos far too unorthodox to open, and his technique would be found out against the new ball. (Thats why i question his ability to be an outstanding test match batsman). Saying that, credit where credit is due, he really is an outstanding one day player.
Maybe Cook should have been retained for the one dayers seeing as he is in the form of his life??

As for the Watson debate, world class one day player, decent enough test match player.

(21-01-2011 16:04 )rocksaviour Wrote:  What does everyone think on Prior over Davies for the World Cup? I don't mind either way but since its Prior I wouldn't mind seeing him drop down the order to 5/6 with Morgan and have Bell promoted up to open.

At the top of the order, in 50 over cricket, you need to have a batsman who is both technically sound and aggressive. Strauss fits the bill ideally so we need someone to bat with him.
Prior is not good enough technically as proved in this match but Davies looks out of touch.
The other option is to open with Trott and have Prior down the order as a 2nd finisher with Morgan.

Good to see you two both thinking along the same lines as me, Davies' time will come again given his age and his ability. The ball that got Prior today was a good 'un.
So my World Cup batting order would be:
Strauss
Bell
Trott
Pietersen
Prior
Morgan
Bresnan
Yardy
Broad
Swann
Anderson
^ But I see them sticking with Prior at the top at least for a couple of early group games.

Murali to retire from International Cricket at the end of the World Cup with an eye on playing two years in the IPL and domestic cricket in England and New Zealand. Warne was always the best spinner in my opinion.