Unpopular Cricket Opinions

[Bevab]

This is only current players right? Otherwise there's ABD

Yeah it was for active players at that point. AbD was my main example along with Kohli when I talked about this first a few years ago.

 

[noducksallowed]

It does apply to bowlers too but not the same extent since every international side has at least one bowler who would be good in each of the three formats, might have to do with skills for bowling being easier to transfer across formats.

Think someone did the numbers on this a year ago and found out that de Kock, Babar, Kohli and Tamim were the only ones who had a claim to being good in all three formats.

I don't know about that, maybe whoever is doing the analysis is setting a low standard for bowlers but growing up I watched absolute giants across cricket formats in Wasim, Waqar, Donald, Pollock, Warne, Murali and of course McGrath and thats just to name a few.

In the last 15 years or so, I can't think of a comparable name other than maybe Steyn and Ajmal. And even both those are debatable.

 

[Bevab]

I don't know about that, maybe whoever is doing the analysis is setting a low standard for bowlers but growing up I watched absolute giants across cricket formats in Wasim, Waqar, Donald, Pollock, Warne, Murali and of course McGrath and thats just to name a few.

In the last 15 years or so, I can't think of a comparable name other than maybe Steyn and Ajmal. And even both those are debatable.

At this point I’m convinced you’re Ajmal’s agent or related to him.

 

[noducksallowed]

At this point I’m convinced you’re Ajmal’s agent or related to him.

Test avg 28
ODI avg 22
T20 avg 17

You keep hating, he will bring you the vaseline.

 

[Bevab]

Test avg 28
ODI avg 22
T20 avg 17

You keep hating, he will bring you the vaseline.

We both know that all of those numbers have a big asterisk next to them that I doubt even vaseline could help with.

 

[CerealKiller]

We both know that all of those numbers have a big asterisk next to them that I doubt even vaseline could help with.

His action was cleared in 2009 though. We don't know at which point it breached 15 degrees' straightening again

 

[Master Khan]

Okay time for an actual unpopular opinion: cricket would be in better health if all cricket became Twenty20 cricket overnight.

Now, that doesn't necessarily mean that cricket itself would be better - and you would quite likely end up with people banding together to retain vestiges of Test cricket as a niche sport, but the long-term health of the sport would be far better. What other major sports try to maintain three formats, and of those that do how many try to maintain that all three are of equal standing?

This is something I agree with. I believe more countries would get into cricket and we could have more teams in T20 world cup. look at the next FIFA world cup in 2026, they are going to have 48 teams while cricket have reduce to 10 teams only during this ODI world cup which is terrible. I want to see T20 as the main format and more teams in the T20 world cups.

 

[Bevab]

His action was cleared in 2009 though. We don't know at which point it breached 15 degrees' straightening again

It’s partly the consequence of competing at the highest level of sport I feel… most players push and challenge boundaries and you sometimes lose sight of yourselves in pursuit of excellence. Could also be the pressure of being the country’s star bowler whilst bowling the most overs too. Jarrod Kimber’s piece on him a couple of years ago after he was called for it makes for compelling reading.

In the end though one of the biggest snarky remarks at the rampant chucking in those times came from not the predictable Aussies but rather from a fellow finger spinner himself. I don’t think you can sympathise with someone whose doosra was more than twice the permissible limit at the end of the day.

 

[Bevab]

Time for my next unpopular opinion.

Shane Bond doesn’t belong in a NZ ATG Test XI.

 

[icyman]

Bond was more suited for the limited overs game. Sad, that he had a fair share of injuries over the years though.

 

[noducksallowed]

His action was cleared in 2009 though. We don't know at which point it breached 15 degrees' straightening again

That hurts a lot of people but the truth is the truth.

 

[Aislabie]

Time for my next unpopular opinion.

Shane Bond doesn’t belong in a NZ ATG Test XI.

I am curious who you would have in your bowling attack if not Bond.

I'd probably be tempted to go with Hadlee, Boult, Bond and Grimmett (I know that's a cheeky pick) and Chris Cairns as an all-rounder and fifth bowler

 

[pillowprocter]

I am curious who you would have in your bowling attack if not Bond.

I'd probably be tempted to go with Hadlee, Boult, Bond and Grimmett (I know that's a cheeky pick) and Chris Cairns as an all-rounder and fifth bowler

Maybe if not Bond it'll be Wagner?

 

[noducksallowed]

Why not Bond? NZ doesnt exactly have ATG after ATG to pick from. Bond is a number 3 pick after Hadlee and Boult.
Anyone else is silly.

Hadlee, Boult, Bond as the pace trio and Vettori as spinner and also lower order bat.

 

[Bevab]

I am curious who you would have in your bowling attack if not Bond.

I'd probably be tempted to go with Hadlee, Boult, Bond and Grimmett (I know that's a cheeky pick) and Chris Cairns as an all-rounder and fifth bowler

As @pillowprocter mentioned I’d go with Wagner and Vettori as the spinner. Cairns for the all-rounder.