Ponting's assessment of where Australia's cricket is at

LINK

is remarkably sanguine.

I don't think it would be Punter's style to say, tartly, "Quite a lot of crap still in there, frankly."

Wouldn't help the type of career he seems to have in mind, either.


He probably basically believes what he says.

Notice though that he heads the whole set of comments (at least as reported) with the hint that he's wearing "biased goggles". So he might be sparing a few blushes.

I read it as him approaching the problems with a 'glass half full' mindset.

What are you doing still up? Not that I'm in any position to criticise anyone's sleep pattern ...

Ponting: "We will just wait and see, but the one thing I do not want to do is to travel around the world for six or eight months a year." Quoted from the Caribbean, where he is on duty for the Antigua Hawksbills in the Caribbean Premier League.  

I don't think he'll be there for 8 months, somehow.

He's making the point that he does not at this stage of his family life want to spend any more long periods touring, as either a player, commentator, or coach. Pretty straightforward really.

I know what point he's making. Just ironic that he would make the statement from a chosen overseas 20-20 tournament. Someone held a gun to his head? If you choose to, you could play 8 months year.

Steve Waugh gave his assessment today in the Sun Herald. Some points he made were- 1. Katich was dumped far too early, and that it was a ridiculous decision to axe him considering he'd averaged 50 in the year he was dumped.

2. Australia needs to show patience with their young crop of batsmen. There is plenty of talent but they need to be backed, and hope that one of them can play a breakthrough innings, because it becomes contagious. He said that Mark Taylor's first Ashes century in 1989 inspired him to make his 177 in the next test at Headingley.

Personally, I think that extra 5% of desire that an international cricketer needs is missing from this current Aussie bunch.

Henry wrote:Personally, I think that extra 5% of desire that an international cricketer needs is missing from this current Aussie bunch.

Damn straight. The apathy is lead by Captain Softcock, TAYne POCson, and Vice Captain Spoiled Brat, Cave ("I'll sledge you via Twitter) Warn-out.

(1) is obvious to anyone who has ever played or watched cricket and whose name is not horace

(2) agree; but they really need to pick players with desire and technique, not the flashy show ponies. Keep them away from T20 shit because that, and more particularly the money that goes with it, erodes desire.

lardbucket wrote: Keep them away from T20 shit because that, and more particularly the money that goes with it, erodes desire.

The single easiest solution to Australian Cricket's malaise.

lardbucket wrote:(1) is obvious to anyone who has ever played or watched cricket and whose name is not horace

(2) agree; but they really need to pick players with desire and technique, not the flashy show ponies. Keep them away from T20 shit because that, and more particularly the money that goes with it, erodes desire.

He did mention that there was too many flashy players in the current line up. He said that one or two flashy players in your top six is fine, but four or five of them is too many. You also need guys who can grind out the tough runs on tricky pitches and against good bowling.



And I'm going to STFU now because with all this para-phrasing I'm starting to sound like Red.

At least you know you sound like Red ...Red doesnt know she sounds like herself

For instance ... Maddinson and Mitch Marsh, touted as future heroes.

When have they ever made tough runs?

Sure, they can slog and carve on easy wickets, probably better than most players going around, but what happens when they come up against a bowler like Anderson, Chris Martin, or Dale Steyn on a wicket offering assistance? A quick round trip to the centre; that's what happens.

Where are the tough bastards?

One good thing that happened last year ... we started to see Shield wickets that helped bowlers again. Thank God for that. The flashy show ponies had been belting good bowlers around for a few years because all the wickets were blancmanges. Last year wickets were tumbling throughout the land as batsmen played shit shots against balls that moved. WE need more of that to sort out who can actually play a composed innings.

I really liked the look of WA's Davis, who clearly knows how to play a long innings .... but he had a terrible run last year. Maybe he'll be back. Maybe it's not too late for Klinger after all. Who else is even in contention? Butterworth is as tough as nails, and can bat, but he seems to be thought of purely as a bowler these days. Silk and Doolan are tough and have the technique and the determination. Head and Handscomb, maybe. I'm not sure if we could have Head, Root, and Rogers in the same series ....

lardbucket wrote:I'm not sure if we could have Head, Root, and Rogers in the same series ....

David Willey's getting himself in the frame as well...

Cummins?

More proof that Haddin's an idiot ... he thinks Australia 'deserves' a win at The Oval.

Stop talking, start performing, twat. Catch the ball; it's the red thing that flies by you off the edge of an English bat.

Mickey Arthur- "Watson was one of the players I lost."

http://www.espncricinfo.com/australia/content/current/story/663557.html

Also goes on to say that most of the young Aussie cricketers have big egos.

One of eleven, I think.

You can understand his anger if it's true that several people had backed his decision to suspend those four players to his face, but had then told CA they didn't agree with it.

The inevitable book will be some interesting reading.

lardbucket wrote:More proof that Haddin's an idiot ... he thinks Australia 'deserves' a win at The Oval.

Stop talking, start performing, twat. Catch the ball; it's the red thing that flies by you off the edge of an English bat.

.... to be plucked out of the air with breathtaking agility two metres wide of the leg stump.

And again!

I remain worried by the ones he watches fly by to his right, and the ones that hit him in the leg before he has even moved.

Don't forget he was catching those legside sparrows for his international career.

lardbucket wrote:For instance ... Maddinson and Mitch Marsh, touted as future heroes.

When have they ever made tough runs?

Sure, they can slog and carve on easy wickets, probably better than most players going around, but what happens when they come up against a bowler like Anderson, Chris Martin, or Dale Steyn on a wicket offering assistance? A quick round trip to the centre; that's what happens.

Where are the tough bastards?

One good thing that happened last year ... we started to see Shield wickets that helped bowlers again. Thank God for that. The flashy show ponies had been belting good bowlers around for a few years because all the wickets were blancmanges. Last year wickets were tumbling throughout the land as batsmen played shit shots against balls that moved. WE need more of that to sort out who can actually play a composed innings.

I really liked the look of WA's Davis, who clearly knows how to play a long innings .... but he had a terrible run last year. Maybe he'll be back. Maybe it's not too late for Klinger after all. Who else is even in contention? Butterworth is as tough as nails, and can bat, but he seems to be thought of purely as a bowler these days. Silk and Doolan are tough and have the technique and the determination. Head and Handscomb, maybe. I'm not sure if we could have Head, Root, and Rogers in the same series ....

agree with this entirely...however Bernie and the other deadheads will select marsh and madman...I am certain a tough journeyman like Rogers is not the their template for the future ...I guess Lardy your shot at me above is because I have never been convinced by Katich...suggest you talk to Cowan or read between the lines in his book about the culture of the dubber dressing room which fleas led

Interesting stuff from Punter on why he played Murali so well but Harby so poorly:


As for weaknesses, you'd say spin bowling was the one you started with based on nurture?

Yeah, I started with that, but it's interesting, it was only a couple of series around playing spin as well. My record in Australia against spin would be pretty good because I knew how to play on those pitches. It was only on a couple of visits to India where I really struggled. I had some good series in Sri Lanka against Murali on some spinning wickets and found a way to play him. I think it was actually the shape he bowled. Harbhajan troubled me more because when he started he got the ball to drift out, and when the ball drifts out, it lures you into playing. Murali's angle, because he was wide of the crease and coming over the ball, he was almost drifting in and spinning in further. Harbhajan got me a lot early from balls that drifted out, committed me to play, caught a footmark and got caught in close. Murali was always coming that way [towards the leg side], so I could work him around.

Once Harbhajan got me a few times then it was harder to go out and start against him and face him, because he had the wood on me. But I got hold of him in some of the big moments, like the World Cup final and things like that. It was just one of those battles that started the first ODI I played against him in Sharjah [in 1998], and continued on right to the end.

Interesting that Punter wants Bailey in the test side but Chappelli doesn't has he thinks Bailey's not a good red ball player.