CRICKET SA vs England

[Ou grote]

Looks like a Sunday with no cricket again.

 

[milomak]

boucher wearing a helmet to harris? that's a bit strange no?

 

[LancelotSA]

boucher wearing a helmet to harris? that's a bit strange no?

No, they often do. Not uncommon for a batsmen to get a top edge off a spinner and the ball smacks the wicket keeper, who is standing up, in the mug.

Also if a quickie is bowling from the other end it means the helmet has to be placed somewhere, risking 5 runs if hit, so rather wear it.

 

[The Cosmos]

hopefully we can knock off the deficit really quickly, and bat till tea tomorrow.

mckenzie out. he has not promised much this series.

82/2.

please dear God, let Kallis get a 100 at least.

 

[WonderBob]

hopefully we can knock off the deficit really quickly, and bat till tea tomorrow.

mckenzie out. he has not promised much this series.

82/2.

please dear God, let Kallis get a 100 at least.

Mckenzie, not promised much? he scored 339 runs at an average of 48.5 this series.

What do you expect from him then. Cause I reckon thats pretty good.

 

[The Cosmos]

ok my error, but this test match he's not been firing. we are shooting ourselves in the foot everytime we are ahead. (in this case a series lead)this test is a true test of character, and we better look out otherwise we are repeating the same rubbish like before. we don't have the stuff to put teams away. same with our rugby. our sport is mediocre.

 

[WonderBob]

ok my error, but this test match he's not been firing. we are shooting ourselves in the foot everytime we are ahead. (in this case a series lead)this test is a true test of character, and we better look out otherwise we are repeating the same rubbish like before. we don't have the stuff to put teams away. same with our rugby. our sport is mediocre.

I disagree. We have won the series already. This is not just a lead. We have won a series in England for the first time in more than 40 years. That last test was a very emotional win, and I know that most of the players really enjoyed celebrating that win. It is not easy lifting yourself up again for a dead rubber game.

Australia also have a record of losing/drawing dead rubber games.

You can see from the way we batted in that first innings that we just were not on the same level than before. And any professional sports person will tell you that no matter how much you talk about still playing at 150% in a dead rubber, its just not the same. Especially in a game like cricket where the mental side of your game is so important.

We are still lifting that series trophy at the end of this game.

 

[WonderBob]

ok my error, but this test match he's not been firing. we are shooting ourselves in the foot everytime we are ahead. (in this case a series lead)this test is a true test of character, and we better look out otherwise we are repeating the same rubbish like before. we don't have the stuff to put teams away. same with our rugby. our sport is mediocre.

Just one more thing, the 3rd test was true test of character, and we passed that with flying colours. This one... not so much of a test of character.

 

[JustGadgets]

This match is like playing for Fun !

 

[The Cosmos]

our lack of performance in this test like this will always rob us of a test in the future. if we can't win these ones, we can't hope to even compete with australia, let alone try and be the best in the world.

wether australia lose/draw some dead rubber games, is irrelevant because they are at the top. and they make sure they stay there. we still have to get there.

we always seem to win by just enough, and we don't bury teams.

 

[WonderBob]

This match is like playing for Fun !

Not exactly. Still a test match. And while its understandable that they are not 100% there mentally, its not really excusable.

But I forgive them.

No use being too harsh, and especially dont see how anyone can, based on this match, say that our sport is mediocre. Cricket we are 2nd in the world behind Aus and Rugby 1st. Where else do you wanna be?

 

[WonderBob]

our lack of performance in this test like this will always rob us of a test in the future. if we can't win these ones, we can't hope to even compete with australia, let alone try and be the best in the world.

wether australia lose/draw some dead rubber games, is irrelevant because they are at the top. and they make sure they stay there. we still have to get there.

we always seem to win by just enough, and we don't bury teams.

Well, we are just not that good. Australia was a fookin amazing team through the late 90's and till about 06. Warne was a once in a lifetime (more than just 1 lifetime imho) bowler, Mcgrath also up there. Langer and Hayden were outstanding as an opening partnership. You wont see another Gilchrist in your lifetime either.

We have improved immensely over he last 18-24 months, go look at our results if you dont believe me. 3 year ago we were nowhere. Now we are (semi) comfortably the 2nd best team in the world. Australia is not the same team they were when we last played them. And we must wait till the end of the year to see how we will do against them.

I for one enjoy closely fought games. Makes it more exciting. Even as a player, I enjoyed closer games more than the run away victories (not that I played in too many of those ). A lot of aussie fans will tell you that they want other teams to compete with them more.

But thats just my opinion.

 

[pos(t)er]

I for one enjoy closely fought games. Makes it more exciting. Even as a player, I enjoyed closer games more than the run away victories (not that I played in too many of those ). A lot of aussie fans will tell you that they want other teams to compete with them more.

And this is where the difference between people who watch sport for the sport and people who watch it for(national)pride, becomes clear.

I myself watch it for the sport, so i agree 100% with you.

 

[The Cosmos]

i figured as much.

 

[WonderBob]

And this is where the difference between people who watch sport for the sport and people who watch it for(national)pride, becomes clear.

I myself watch it for the sport, so i agree 100% with you.

Thats why I can also appreciate it when the opposition are playing well. I know a lot of people that will get so frustrated and angry and just walk away when all that has happened is that the opposition has proved that they are in fact worthy opponents.

Wont say I dont watch for national pride as well. But it has been a long time since I felt that a team (in the sports I support namely cricket and rugby) has let me down in that regard.

 

[WonderBob]

i figured as much.

explain please?

 

[The Cosmos]

National pride is not just as good as a series win. It's all the way. And it's not just for pride. If we are going to be the best, we need to win series(which we already did), and win it well, and bury teams, and raise our standards. that's the only way we are going to go up.

 

[pos(t)er]

So we can't be proud if we're not #1?

Sport is sport;it has enough dimensions to not be restricted to beating your chest and standing on top of the world.

 

[WonderBob]

National pride is not just as good as a series win. It's all the way. And it's not just for pride. If we are going to be the best, we need to win series(which we already did), and win it well, and bury teams, and raise our standards. that's the only way we are going to go up.

But we are doing that. We are going up, we are raising our standards. We did bury England at certain stages of the tour, their captain even quite because of it.

Did you watch Smith hit the winning runs last Saturday? how did you feel when that happened?

I understand what you are saying, not trying to change your point of view. Just giving you mine. And somehow it seems like I am enjoying watching (this game at least) more than you are. Except if those grumpy faces you posted were not a true reflection of how you felt. So I like my point of view more

 

[milomak]

as much as i appreciate the sports i watch, i would prefer the team i am supporting to be in a dominant position first before appreciating the merits of how the individual teams have played. if i have no emotional investment in the teams playing then i don't mind at all if they make it a close contest.

case in point the 434 game. i can appreciate that game in hindsight safe with the knowledge that we won. had we lost, even by a close margin, i doubt that i would want to ponde much on it. it is for that reason that stations like liverpool tv, man united tv etc don't show good games which the team lost.