2007 Cricket World Cup (West Indies) thread

[curiouswanderer]

What an odd quote to use - especially as the 'smoke them out' tactic failed ol' George W....
Saturday showed me that there is a split in the national team - those that work with Smith and those that couldn't care. Smith puts his all in every single time, whether he is going through a good or bad time. The poor lad went through hell where every second SA supporter was calling for his sacking. I think Smith's fighting spirit is what is missing from some of the players - especially Captain Slow..

yeah..good points there. I always thought of Smith as a decent captain though he is quite arrogant. He's had a tough time but he really works hard at it. But we starting to blame the coach for lack of imagination...some of that also falls on Smith. He tends to try and ride out bad overs instead of making quick changes. He doesn't have an extensive game plan which is something the captain and the coach must work on. They should've had a plan to counter the Aus opening pair if they scored too quickly but it didn't look like they had a plan.

 

[hj2k_x]

I agree, but at this point I would opt for Prince ahead of Kallis. Prince would never turn down a single, and once he's in, he would rotate the strike continuously, feeding the other batsman the strike. Kallis is too thick to do that - he actually declined a few singles on saturday

I think so too. Both cannot be in the same team , just like Gerrard and Lampard in th England team, they are too similar...

I definitely vote for Price ahead of Captain Slow

 

[Boodles]

Also agree with you guys - kallis and prince very similar game play.

Both, not suited for modern odi.

After WC, i would drop kallis from ODI alltogether, and just keep him in Tests...... but for the time being he can continue to bat the way he does...

lol....

 

[hj2k_x]

For me he is bit like Cullinan, who I also found more suited to tests than ODI's.

The rest of the teams in the world have different players for tests and ODI's. It's time we did the same.

 

[curiouswanderer]

what about our bowlers? We keep looking at our batsmen but we don't look at our bowlers...We really need a spinner in the team. I mean even that Harris guy would be ok.

 

[hj2k_x]

what about our bowlers? We keep looking at our batsmen but we don't look at our bowlers...We really need a spinner in the team. I mean even that Harris guy would be ok.

Pollock and Ntini were just as guilty of bowling the same ball over and over and over.

 

[curiouswanderer]

yeah Pollock could at least resort to bowling some off cutters or at least start training on how to do that considering he is bowling at medium pace now. Once you get on top of Pollock, it's over. same thing vice versa. If Polly gets on top of you, you are screwed. Either we get a spin bowler or Smith starts taking his bowling more seriously. He's not that bad. Rem the game against SL in Aus last year? SL was taking us to the cleaners in the first few overs. smith brought himself on and managed to subdue the sri lankans and took some wickets. we need that now esp on flat pitches.

 

[Boodles]

Saturday showed me that there is a split in the national team - those that work with Smith and those that couldn't care. Smith puts his all in every single time, whether he is going through a good or bad time. The poor lad went through hell where every second SA supporter was calling for his sacking. I think Smith's fighting spirit is what is missing from some of the players - especially Captain Slow..

Poor 'ol Smithy. Many of you guys give him such a hard time on this forum, and it was something i couldnt understand. Smithy has everything you want from a captain, including arragance.


I think it would be hard for kallis (or anyone for that matter) to change the way they play. Its like anything, you are who you are, and you play like you play.

So i think kallis should retire from odi's and move onto greener pastures, that being just the test arena.

 

[hj2k_x]

yeah Pollock could at least resort to bowling some off cutters or at least start training on how to do that considering he is bowling at medium pace now. Once you get on top of Pollock, it's over. same thing vice versa. If Polly gets on top of you, you are screwed. Either we get a spin bowler or Smith starts taking his bowling more seriously. He's not that bad. Rem the game against SL in Aus last year? SL was taking us to the cleaners in the first few overs. smith brought himself on and managed to subdue the sri lankans and took some wickets. we need that now esp on flat pitches.

Indeed. I generally do not rate smith as a bowler at all, but we do not have many options right now.

And its true that Pollock is now medium pace so something needs to be sorted asap.

 

[NaZKuL]

and what bout kemp?
if he doens't perform, they gonna have to bring in loots bosman or robin petersen to add variety....

 

[hj2k_x]

He is also a waste of space...

I quite like Bosman.

 

[NaZKuL]

He is also a waste of space...

I quite like Bosman.

true.. i thought kemp would've bowled a few overs against AUS... seems he doesn't bowl anymore...

I have a feeling it will be SL vs AUS in final...

(1 post till 500! )

 

[curiouswanderer]

Yeah Kemp plays the odd good game but he just doesn't seem to have consistency. He needs a lot of balls to get his eye in and if most of the time he's out within his first 15 balls for less then 10 runs. Pieterson is a good choice..can bowl at least. Must be more aggressive in batting though.

 

[Abe]

I agree, but at this point I would opt for Prince ahead of Kallis. Prince would never turn down a single, and once he's in, he would rotate the strike continuously, feeding the other batsman the strike. Kallis is too thick to do that - he actually declined a few singles on saturday

http://content-rsa.cricinfo.com/southafrica/content/player/45789.html

http://content-rsa.cricinfo.com/southafrica/content/player/46788.html

Mat Inns NO Runs HS Ave BF SR
Prince: 46 37 11 933 89* 35.88 1392 67.02
Kallis: 250 236 43 8696 139 45.05 12222 71.15

Can't take Prince in place of Kallis yet. Even Kallis' strike rate pf 71.15 is far too slow. Prince needs to push his up to 75 before he gets the nod above Kallis. Both are slow in the begining but Prince bats slow all the way through. Kallis normally catches up the balls later on. Prince also does not bowl which reduces options in the side.

 

[hj2k_x]

true.. i thought kemp would've bowled a few overs against AUS... seems he doesn't bowl anymore...

I have a feeling it will be SL vs AUS in final...

(1 post till 500! )

Sies. And are you coming to the meet friday at cool runnings? See the link in my sig...

 

[hj2k_x]

http://content-rsa.cricinfo.com/southafrica/content/player/45789.html

http://content-rsa.cricinfo.com/southafrica/content/player/46788.html

Mat Inns NO Runs HS Ave BF SR
Prince: 46 37 11 933 89* 35.88 1392 67.02
Kallis: 250 236 43 8696 139 45.05 12222 71.15

Can't take Prince in place of Kallis yet. Even Kallis' strike rate pf 71.15 is far too slow. Prince needs to push his up to 75 before he gets the nod above Kallis. Both are slow in the begining but Prince bats slow all the way through. Kallis normally catches up the balls later on. Prince also does not bowl which reduces options in the side.

Jees! That is slow for Prince. Drop them both...And replace them with whom though?

 

[curiouswanderer]

Prince was dropped last year and was ordered to up his scoring rate in the domestic series. Apparently he did so and was included again. Don't think much has changed. At the moment the team cant be changed so there's no point in discussing who to bring on that's not in the current squad.

All the players need to start self reflecting.

 

[hj2k_x]

No need to drop Prince, just use him sensibly. Kallis cannot be used sensibly, except when we're wanting to bat for a draw - in a Test.

It's a tough one because Prince doesn't bowl. At least Kallis managed to bowl a bit ok in patches on Saturday

 

[mccrack]

Jees! That is slow for Prince. Drop them both...And replace them with whom though?

Here are your options.

http://www.supercricket.co.za/default.asp?des=content&Id=14042&cl=&scat=

JP Duminy is having a bad run it seems... really thought he was our future number 5? Wondering if his drop in form has anything to do with being thrown into the deep end in Sri Lanka and then dropped from the team entirely.

Agreement on Kallis anyway, we need attacking players not a Captain Slowmo.

 

[NaZKuL]

Kallis doesn't bowl too badly, because he mixes it up.
His argument is that he was trying to secure partnerships and the innings, while wickets were falling around him....

...When he gets going, we all know that he can tear almost any attack apart.

very much true... but "when he gets going" is important...
he has a tendency to fail.. he either needs to start bowling... or else... out out....

Sies. And are you coming to the meet friday at cool runnings? See the link in my sig...

I can see Cool Runnings from my office window! and the whole of cpt...
I go to long street everyday for lunch!


POST number 500!!! yipppeeeeeeeeeeeEE!!!!!