Ian Chappell

I stopped reading at this point


Ian Chappell, captain of Australia during one of their golden eras, is now an incisive and highly respected television commentator.


So those in charge of West Indies cricket would do well to ponder his comments on their young all-rounder Dwayne Bravo during a vibrant half-century against Sri Lanka in the Twenty20 World Cup on Wednesday.

"He would be my choice as captain," Chappell told viewers. "I really like his competitiveness. He can inspire his team. I think he would be an ideal captain."

West Indies badly missed Bravo during the dispiriting month of May when they were well beaten by England in a two-test series.

Bravo had been given permission to play in the Indian Premier League (IPL) because it was felt a long-standing ankle injury would not stand up to the demands of five-day cricket.

In an interview during a rare sunny day at the Oval, Bravo said the injury required careful monitoring.

"I was getting some discomfort in my ankle for quite some time now. I got the surgery done to try and solve the problem. So far it's been good but there are still some problems in there. It's not as good as before and not as good as I would like it to be but I've continued my rehab programme," he said.

"Every day I have to do my strength and balancing work, I have to keep my stretching going, I have to ice three times a day."

Even the mere four overs required in Twenty20 cricket proved problematic in the IPL.

"It got a bit rough and tough in the IPL when we had back-to-back games, that took a toll on my ankle but so far it has been good, I have had a lot of between days to recover," Bravo said.

SUBSTANTIAL ROLE

Bravo, still only 25, made his debut against England at Lord's in 2004. His figures in 31 test matches (1 833 runs at 32.73 with two centuries and 70 wickets at 39.58) are good but not outstanding.

It is his attitude and enthusiasm, noted by Chappell, which suggest he can fulfil his considerable potential and play a substantial role in West Indies cricket.

Bravo bowls at a lively pace without being particularly quick. He is a batsman good enough to score a test century against Australia, full of strokes and initiative. His quicksilver fielding can be dazzling.

The ankle injury has affected his fielding, however.

"In the field it has slowed me down a bit. It affects me in the speed and agility side of it. But as I continue playing it gets looser and I start to feel comfortable," he said.

Bravo is from Trinidad, home of the great allrounder Learie Constantine who, denied the chance to make a proper living at home, went to England and the Lancashire leagues and later became the first black man to sit in the House of Lords.

Through test cricket and his IPL contract with the Mumbai Indians, Bravo does not have the money worries that drove Constantine to England. He has a similar pride in West Indies cricket and is anxious to see the smiles back on the faces of their fans.

"We want to redeem ourselves and back our ability and do it for ourselves and our team and the fans back home. We have to put our hands up and give a good showing of ourselves," he said.

"We are a better team in the shorter version of the game, I think that's very understandable. We are a very good team, we have a good balance, experience and youth and a lot of talent.

"It's all about being there and doing the right things and making less mistakes and try and put the opposition under pressure."

That point? I stopped at the C of Chappell....

I stopped reading at this point

Good. Makes sense. I reckon the rest is beyond your reach anyway.

I stopped reading at this point

And yet you posted the whole article?

Well it was about Bravo (I think). Though WIFan might enjoy it.

is this the cut and paste equivalent of 'i have you on ignore'?

Commentary wise, Ian Chappell comes across better when he's not in the channel nine box, for whatever reason.

Ian Chappel is a wanker.

The One wrote:is this the cut and paste equivalent of 'i have you on ignore'?

taipan wrote:Well it was about Bravo (I think). Though WIFan might enjoy it.

Cheers

It was a good read. I agree about Chappel though, he is about as arrogant as it is possible to be. Even after they lost the first match with 5 overs to spare he was going on about Australia being one of the top 3 sides in the tournament and that he expected them to get through.

I think Bravo will be a brilliant captain sometime in the next few years. It must be the only thing I've ever agreed with Chappel about tbh.

I like Chappell as a commentator. Acerbic, amusing.

Off mike is more the problem, it seems.

Has a very annoying voice and comes across as abrasive when he commentates, but overall I think he does a decent job.

doremi wrote:Has a very annoying voice and comes across as abrasive when he commentates, but overall I think he does a decent job.

It is that abrasiveness and arrogance that pisses me off more often than not tbh.

ChappellI is a tosser.
Drones on about his mate Johnny Gleeson whom he compares to anyone who turns their arm over ... and his "authority" on T20 is unsurpassed.

Like do-boy's to a great extent, I guess!

Merlin wrote:ChappellI is a tosser.
Drones on about his mate Johnny Gleeson whom he compares to anyone who turns their arm over ... and his "authority" on T20 is unsurpassed.

Like do-boy's to a great extent, I guess!

Two words. Kerry Packer. Most of Channel Goanna's commentator's are a joke.

Paks needed 30 odd off about 8 deliveries, and being caught off a big heave, Chappelli deemed the batsman guilty of, "not very sensible batting."

WTF?

What's he supposed to do with that sort of target to chase down, block the fecker and wait for a wide half volley or a long hop?

Qunt.

Ian Chappell; handy batsman, great captain, annoying twat.

Big_Bad_Bob wrote:Paks needed 30 odd off about 8 deliveries, and being caught off a big heave, Chappelli deemed the batsman guilty of, "not very sensible batting."

WTF?

What's he supposed to do with that sort of target to chase down, block the fecker and wait for a wide half volley or a long hop?

Qunt.

Perhaps he was talking of the number of deliveries before?

Or else, heaving without timing towards a waiting fielder, instead of using the momentum and direction of the ball to lob it over the rope where no snapper-up was waiting?

I don't know. I wasn't there.

Bradman wrote:Ian Chappel is a wanker.

Aye. Lost respect for him yonks back when it was clear that he had "sets" against certain players. That is something the great Benaud would never let on about.

Chappell is a twat and I tune out when he talks on air. D!ckhead.

What do you mean "sets"?

DJ_Smerk wrote:What do you mean "sets"?

He had made up his mind that certain players (Aus and OS) were "soft", "selfish", "incurably impulsive" etc, and would drone on about that player (and there were a number) at every opportunity. I didn't matter what the player did, he will always find a way to justify his ongoing stance.

Lost count of the number of times of yelled "yeah, we heard you the first time, you qunt" at the TV.

inflexible mindsets. set prejudices.

He sounds like a nice chap

I cringe every time he tells the same farking joke about Don Tallon's brother. It's a good summer when he only tells it once.

What joke is that then?