Blockers bits... (retro)

[blockerdave]

I've been thinking about this a lot recently when I've been doing my own 90s stuff.

England in the 90s had a lot of very good players and even a few excellent players. What all the other teams (apart from NZ and Zim) had however was 2, 3 or 4 all-time legendary players. Ambrose, Walsh, Lara, Wasim, Waqar, Warne, McGrath, Ponting, Waugh, Murali, de Silva, Sachin, Dravid, Donald, Kallis, Pollock.

England didn't have anyone at that 'freak' level and it was those players that were almost always the difference when they played.

Very fair comment. I think we also had a lot of inconsistency, in selection and performance.

I think as well - most of those teams had legendary bowlers, whereas the best players we had were batters. So if Atherton, Thorpe or Stewart didn’t fire we could be blown away - especially when you factor in Atherton’s back, Stewart’s constantly changing role etc. And even though we had some decent bowlers, we just never had anyone to compete with those sort of bowlers you’ve mentioned.

 

[blockerdave]

Tonight I will share a version of Sri Lanka 80s I’ve made expanding on @gleeso73 fine work.

I made more of their players from the first half of the 80s, so some of those that would end their career by going on the AROSA Sri Lanka tour of South Africa but also a few others.

This is because my fantasy 80s test league is geared a little more to the 1980-85 era because this is probably when Imran, Kapil, Beefy, Hadley and Rice were closer to their peak. Stephenson was a little young then, but in my alternative universe he will have to grow up fast to compete with the big boys. It also means at least at first Procter is still round to show the whippersnappers a thing or two

 

[Ed Smith]

Any of them Sri Lankans still playing in the late 90s?

 

[relaxedanderson]

Very fair comment. I think we also had a lot of inconsistency, in selection and performance.

I think as well - most of those teams had legendary bowlers, whereas the best players we had were batters. So if Atherton, Thorpe or Stewart didn’t fire we could be blown away - especially when you factor in Atherton’s back, Stewart’s constantly changing role etc. And even though we had some decent bowlers, we just never had anyone to compete with those sort of bowlers you’ve mentioned.

That's why I have so much respect for Mike Atherton. The were always the digs about him nicking off early, but to average just shy of 40 opening the batting in that era when in the vast majority of his innings he would be facing at least one but often two of the greatest bowlers ever to walk the planet and with his physical limitations is phenomenal.

The current England team would kill for an Atherton right now. And if they had one I reckon he'd be averaging up towards the 50s.

Edit: The current England TEST team, obviously.

 

[blockerdave]

That's why I have so much respect for Mike Atherton. The were always the digs about him nicking off early, but to average just shy of 40 opening the batting in that era when in the vast majority of his innings he would be facing at least one but often two of the greatest bowlers ever to walk the planet and with his physical limitations is phenomenal.

The current England team would kill for an Atherton right now. And if they had one I reckon he'd be averaging up towards the 50s.

Edit: The current England TEST team, obviously.

Yep. Atherton is the prime example
of statistics not being everything. He was a fantastic player

 

[Ed Smith]

I reckon so far I got them pretty true to life

 

[blockerdave]

Any of them Sri Lankans still playing in the late 90s?

Ranatunga played well into the 90s and he appeared in their first test in 1982

 

[gleeso73]

Tonight I will share a version of Sri Lanka 80s I’ve made expanding on @gleeso73 fine work.

I was a big fan of that groundbreaking Sri Lanka 80s side.

Cool cats like Roy Dias and Duleep Mendis were personal faves

 

[Mouseydread]

I was a big fan of that groundbreaking Sri Lanka 80s side.

Cool cats like Roy Dias and Duleep Mendis were personal faves

These two really helped bring respectability to Sri Lankan cricket as well as Somachandra DeSilva.

 

[Mouseydread]

@blockerdave thanks for Sandeep Patil and Yasphal Sharma

 

[blockerdave]

@blockerdave thanks for Sandeep Patil and Yasphal Sharma

I feel something special coming soon

 

[Ed Smith]

Hopefully it's something I can steal from. There's next to no 90s Sri Lankans on the academy and I don't want to make 15 New players

 

[blockerdave]

I have shared all the "franchise" sides from the "Teams of the decade" thread, under mrdconnors.

I did almost no work on this apart from putting the players into teams. Adam Voges was the only player I had to create. Due to the modernity of the sides, I didn't have a single player (apart from the licensed ones) already in my game so had to download all. I assume @Llewelynf and @wasteyouryouth are to be thanked for most of the players, but if anyone else's players were used I salute you and thank you and am happy to credit if you tell me.

FYI - if you downloaded this before saturday, I recently changed the Mohammed Amir for a really good lookalike, so you should update.

similarly, most credit goes to @Llewelynf for the team logos, also @gleeso73 (i used his MCC cap as a "target") and whoever made the various sponsor logos I don't know - but thanks and let me know if you want credit here

Shared under mrdconnors in the academy

 

[blockerdave]

I have also just shared “West Indies 1990”, and “England 1990”.

This covers the 1990 England Tour of the West Indies. All players who played in the Tests and One-dayers for the West Indies, and the Test, One-daters and warm ups for England.


Again, precious little work needed from me. @Mouseydread had done all the West Indies players, and @gleeso73 @relaxedanderson @DalePlaysSports and probably others had made all the English players. I just had to edit some equipment, ratings to my preference, and appearance of Keith Medlycott (and definitely his ratings, which had him as the best player in the squad.)

I think thanks are due to @Llewelynf @gleeso73 and @wasteyouryouth for the logos.

These are shared under mrdconnors in the academy

 

[Mouseydread]

Keith Medlycott there is a name I've not heard in a while!