Australia really are the new 90s England...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/21647159

Non-pure-bred-green-and-gold-throw-another-shrimp-on-the-barbie-Aussies playing for Australia? Well I never.

You'll be snorfling the other side of your arse when they take the Ashes 4-1.

(Ian Bell smiting an undefeated 208* in the dead rubber.)

It'll be a tainted victory, with their Pakistani batsman, Portuguese all-rounder, Pakistani leg spinner and sort of English-ish seamer.

For shame.

Pakistani leg spinners are a bit South African.

Brass Monkey wrote:Pakistani leg spinners are a bit South African.

It will all end in tears.

Seems quite Ireland 2011


and quality from the BBC

The 31-year-old plays for Queensland after he fled his homeland, saying he was persecuted by religious extremists.

Looking at that pic I would assume he plays for Ryobi.

32 year old who has played just 11 FC matches? looks very tahir to me

The One wrote:32 year old who has played just 11 FC matches? looks very tahir to me

Identical, part from Tahir's 164 FC matches.

more in terms of likely to be crap

The One wrote:more in terms of likely to be crap

I hold no brief for Tahir, and never wanted him selected, but I do not see how you extrapolate that from the matches played.

not an outstanding player at home. getting picked at a late age by a side thats desperate for any sort of spinner. not going to be pretty

So the matches have nothing to do with it.

The One wrote:32 year old who has played just 11 FC matches? looks very tahir to me

Just shows how desperate we are to find anyone who can turn a ball.

Big Dog wrote:

The One wrote:32 year old who has played just 11 FC matches? looks very tahir to me

Just shows how desperate we are to find anyone who can turn a ball.

so he does not look like xman

Big Dog wrote:

The One wrote:32 year old who has played just 11 FC matches? looks very tahir to me

Just shows how desperate we are to find anyone who can turn a ball.

Yep, you're even resorting to picking darkies!

Henry wrote:

Big Dog wrote:

The One wrote:32 year old who has played just 11 FC matches? looks very tahir to me

Just shows how desperate we are to find anyone who can turn a ball.

Yep, you're even resorting to picking darkies!

You never heard of Bruce Yardley or Jason Gillespie?

Big Dog wrote:

Henry wrote:

Big Dog wrote:

The One wrote:32 year old who has played just 11 FC matches? looks very tahir to me

Just shows how desperate we are to find anyone who can turn a ball.

Yep, you're even resorting to picking darkies!

You never heard of Bruce Yardley or Jason Gillespie?

Roy?

Ernie Toshack too

'The Black Prince'

http://www.espncricinfo.com/australia/content/player/7960.html


Eddie Gilbert, of Queensland, who scared the bejayzus out of Bradman, did not get to play for Oz, unfortunately.

Surely an entire generation of young Aussies would have been inspired to want to bowl leg spin 10-20 years ago. What happened to them all? Is this the biggest case of talent wastage and mismanagement cricket has ever seen?

beamer wrote:Surely an entire generation of young Aussies would have been inspired to want to bowl leg spin 10-20 years ago. What happened to them all? Is this the biggest case of talent wastage and mismanagement cricket has ever seen?

One can ask the same question about WI - why didn't anyone want to follow in the foot steps of Ambrose and Walsh?

Sampras and Aggasi dominated tennis. There is not a half decent American tennis player now and nothing on the horizon either. In tennis's case though, it has expanded to other places like the Baltic states, even as it has decreased in popularity in America (despite the domination of Sampras).

I guess the point is that there are many variables in sports - competition from other sports and a sports's own standing in a given country are definitely some of these factors.

Genius is sometimes taken for granted.

Henry wrote:Genius is sometimes taken for granted.

...indeed...we have not found a new Bradman...the windies a new Sobers, nor the saffos a new G Pollock...and you guys have yet to find a new Phil Defreitis

Yoody gets foxed by the carram ball.

What an embarrassing effort this is. 5 for 50 in this session. Amateurs.