Hashim Amla

[ZCFOutkast]

i dont know how you guys argue like this, alllllllllllllllllllllllll the flippen time. First proteas v windies thread, then CWC thread, then AB thread and now an Amla thread... all about the same sh#t over n over again.

Amla is great.
AB is great.
They play for SA which is great.

They will become greats when their careers come to an end.

It's all TrollOutkast's fault. Which is why I've put him on ignore for now.

And I love both Amla and AB, they are different, and both are special in their own right.

There is no problem here. The only disparity is that absolutely no one wants to say the obvious - Hashim Amla is better than AB de Villiers.

It's easy to say Amla is better than Sanga, or AB is better than KP - all of those arguments backed up by similar stats and generally accepted, but no one wants to say Amla is better than AB using the same stats which are overwhelmingly in favour of Amla. I know in a few years' time I may have to go into an India thread and say yes Kohli is better than Amla, but no one here will make that bold statement that Amla is better than AB. Although I can assure there is no shrtage of people who say AB is better than Amla despite stats saying otherwise. Therein lies the issue. At least in India threads they can afford to just draw a comparison between the only two players where a comparison is logically possible - Amla&Kohli.

At least Cricinfo get the picture http://www.espncricinfo.com/icc-cricket-world-cup-2015/content/story/842419.html:

111 Matches in which Amla got to his 20th ODI century, the fastest for any batsman in ODI history. The previous fastest was Virat Kohli, who got to his 20th hundred in his 141st ODI. Kohli needed 133 innings while Amla got there in 108.

AB's name only comes up when we're dealing with domestic issues

20 ODI hundreds scored by Hashim Amla, the second-most by any South African batsman. Amla is tied with AB de Villiers and one behind Herschelle Gibbs (21). Overall, he is the 12th batsman to hit 20 centuries in ODIs.

Among the comments, even my great nemesis agrees:

POSTED BY Greatest_Game on | March 3, 2015, 15:03 GMT

@ TOMASK " Is [Amla] breaking the record books regularly and the retirement of these bowlers just a coincidence?

No. It is because he is a consistently very high performing batsman. Nothing more, nothing less. He is miles ahead of any other batsman in ODI history. Fastest to 2000, 3000, 4000, 5000, and soon 6000 runs shows that he is no aberration. He scores those runs against everybody, against all attacks, faster than anyone in the history of the game.

Remember that Sir Viv also made his runs without facing "McGrath, Shane Warne, Murali, Wasim, Waqar, Shoaib, Ambrose, Walsh, Bishop, Marshall." Are you suggesting that the Master Blaster made his runs only because of weak opposition? Did Kohli make his runs against weak opposition? He faces the same bowlers Amla does, but Amla is simply much better.

I think he's been reading my MyBB comments!

 

[sand_man]

Amla is a legend, period!!!

I hope we get another 6-7 seasons out of him! It's been an honour and a privilege to watch him play!

He's a great asset and servant to South African cricket and I'm extremely proud to have him represent our country!!

A man who is always humble in both victory and defeat, he is the perfect role model!

 

[Ho3n3r]

Amla is a legend, period!!!

I hope we get another 6-7 seasons out of him! It's been an honour and a privilege to watch him play!

He's a great asset and servant to South African cricket and I'm extremely proud to have him represent our country!!

A man who is always humble in both victory and defeat, he is the perfect role model!

Agreed! And good to see your exclamation button is working well!

!!!!!!!

 

[sand_man]

Agreed! And good to see your exclamation button is working well!

!!!!!!!

Yeah!! I like it a lot! It's either that or caps lock?! And caps lock is offensive. It's difficult to express emotion in posts and I'm a very emotional person!!!

K?!!

 

[OzzieCapie]

So only Amla's technique etc was dissected so thoroughly that he had to improve in Tests before he could be allowed back into ODIs. Such a pity others weren't subjected to the same. We missed he trick here guys. That's a million dollar strategy. They'd be 60 avg ODI batsmen.

The others did not have the terrible batting deficiencies that Amla had. If he had not corrected his stance and movements before ball then he would not have played much. At the time the only reason I can think he was picked was 'ptential' (which he had spades of) and quota...nothing wrong with either imo, (not afraid to say)

Who's fastest to 2000, 3000, 4000, 5000 (soon 6000 runs) and 20 centuries?

You are still not proving the stats of those 37 innings....

You can use any stats of your choice, you can also use Amla's poor figures against the good Aussie bowling to claim he is a flat track bully, you can use AB's stats in last 10 overs which is without par...why dont you.

At the end of the day it is a silly argument to compare an opener vs #4,5...and in your case racially inspired.

 

[Lament]

i dont know how you guys argue like this, alllllllllllllllllllllllll the flippen time. First proteas v windies thread, then CWC thread, then AB thread and now an Amla thread... all about the same sh#t over n over again.

Amla is great.
AB is great.
They play for SA which is great.

They will become greats when their careers come to an end.

Absolutely no doubt,
But the only reason outcast made this thread is to troll, he knew someone was going to bring AB up so that he cant rant and rave how much better Amla is.
Regardless they are both (including Kallis) the best batsman SA has ever produced.

PS. If I had to choose between Amla and AB, i'll pick AB

 

[Electric]

I believe he will prove to be a higher scoring batsman than Kallis due to not having to take the additional strain of bowling.
He is a very economical batsman and as such I believe he will have a very long career.

Exceptional player though.

 

[ZCFOutkast]

You can use any stats of your choice, you can also use Amla's poor figures against the good Aussie bowling to claim he is a flat track bully, you can use AB's stats in last 10 overs which is without par...why dont you.

At the end of the day it is a silly argument to compare an opener vs #4,5...and in your case racially inspired.

You are sorely mistaken. Race has nothing to do with this. I would drop Amla in a heartbeat, select these boys and watch them throughout the year even if they win, in that period - only one ODI, and manage to draw just one Test (aided by weather ). Mosena, Ramela, Zondo, Bavuma, Tsolekile(c), Mosehle(wk), Gqamane, Rabada, Phangiso, Shezi, Tsotsobe; Coaches Toyana(Head7Batting)&Ntini(Bowling)

At least that way the team would get support and we would've have these concerns
Deon Govender https://twitter.com/djdeong/status/573382830178344960

I don't get how people who live in South Africa, don't support the Proteas, I mean really... #ProteaFire #Proteas

Even the Springboks (double world champions and regular top 4 side) continue to be a very very distant second best to serial failures Bafana Bafana.

So wher Amla-AB is concerned as well as any of this dialogue, the bottom line is AB was an opener in both Tests&ODIs. He failed Accept it and deal with it and stop pretending that he is not. As an opener he's no better than an Alviro Petersen. #FACT!

Amla has played 15 Tests at number 4 (836 runs, 46.50 avg, 3 hundreds). That's proof of someone who can do it everywhere!!! Same cannot be said about AB! In Tests, he's only done that at number 5&6. Barring one or two matches, obviously Amla hasn't opened so we can't read anything into that, but at first drop that's a fair indication of how well he would've done. Particularly when we marry that to his unparalleled record opening in OIDs. So he'd have been perhaps a good as Graeme Smith in the role.

Bear in mind that like AB, Smith was very young too when he had to open. He swam. He didn't sink like AB and be restricted to playing in the shallow end where every average Steve Smith, Joe Root&Angelo Mathews are world beaters.

Can Amla accelerate like most players in the world coming in at 4-6 in ODIs? No. I can think of many other players other than AB who woul ddo a better job at that than. Amla. However, the only reason the Proteas have been a force in world cricket, and the only reason th elikes of Kemp, Albie, JP, Miller and now AB have been able to launch as they do is down to what Amla has over the years done before them come to the crease.

Often times South Africa have won matches purely down to Amla's knock. All the extra runs after his wicket has fallen have done little to change the result but increase the winning margin. It's not surprising therefore that we've been poor whenever he hasn't done well, and our world cup fortunes changed only when he started scoring runs. It's a pity Amla doesn't get injured. Philander's injury showed against India. If Amla were to miss a few series of our ODIs&Tests, I can assure you that we would see he's much more valuable than Steyn&AB combined!

 

[ZCFOutkast]

Absolutely no doubt,
But the only reason outcast made this thread is to troll, he knew someone was going to bring AB up so that he cant rant and rave how much better Amla is.
Regardless they are both (including Kallis) the best batsman SA has ever produced.

PS. If I had to choose between Amla and AB, i'll pick AB

I don't have to rant&rave about anything. Amla is way ahead in Tests&ODIs. From my perspective there is no comparison. From some people's perspectives there is a comparison, but when we subjectively expand that comparison purely because we are thrilled by a certain person, then the net invites plenty other players.

Right now these are my SA rankings:
Batting
Tests: 1. Kallis, 2.Smith, 3.Amla (I think in a few years Amla will have displayed both of them)
ODIs: 1.Amla, 2.Daylight, 3.AB
T20s: 1.JP, 2.Daylight 3.Faf
Bowling
Tests: 1.Steyn, 2.Philander, 3.Daylight
ODis: 1.Tsotsobe, 2.Philander, 3.Tahir
T20s: 1.Tahir, 2.Steyn, 3.Tsotsobe

Of course the likes of Fannie, Ntini, Polly&Donald would significantly change things if they were included (Tests: 1.Steyn, 2.Donald, 3.Ntini, ODIs: 1.Polly, 2.Tsotsobe, 3.Philander).

 

[Ho3n3r]

All I see is bliss. Amla is still awesome, almost as awesome as AB, so can't wait till these 2 go **** up the Pakis!

 

[ZCFOutkast]

I believe he will prove to be a higher scoring batsman than Kallis due to not having to take the additional strain of bowling.
He is a very economical batsman and as such I believe he will have a very long career.

Exceptional player though.

Amla's into his 30s and he's been a feature in the T20 side again. I think now he'll work hard to cement his place in that side, so he'll have to strain his body a lot. Which means in my view he'll finish earlier than Kallis and fall short of his runs. His Average will be miles ahead, but longevity is important too. It worked against Graeme Smith a bit, despite the fact that he carried the Proteas for many years&through difficult challenges by leading from the front with the bat. So longevity should work against AMla too if it happens that way. But he will be captain until he pretty much retires like Smith so that should count as a toll like it was for Smith.

 

[OzzieCapie]

First 25% of tests (20 tests) Amla averaged 33

You dont want to count ABs last 5,000 ODI runs and average ---(Ave 66, SR 107, hundreds 17), but happy to dismiss Amla's poor start and chances given.

Let's wait until both careers are completely finished and then compare all stats...you are selecting both a particular time period and the stats you deem to be important.

 

[Ho3n3r]

First 25% of tests (20 tests) Amla averaged 33

You dont want to count ABs last 5,000 ODI runs and average ---(Ave 66, SR 107, hundreds 17), but happy to dismiss Amla's poor start and chances given.

Let's wait until both careers are completely finished and then compare all stats...you are selecting both a particular time period and the stats you deem to be important.

Don't feed the troll...

 

[Rusty0]

First 25% of tests (20 tests) Amla averaged 33

You dont want to count ABs last 5,000 ODI runs and average ---(Ave 66, SR 107, hundreds 17), but happy to dismiss Amla's poor start and chances given.

Let's wait until both careers are completely finished and then compare all stats...you are selecting both a particular time period and the stats you deem to be important.

Thats stupid, the only reason AB average and strike rate is so high is because Amla sets it up for him.
No Amla, no crazy wild and free to destroy AB...

 

[Lament]

Don't feed the troll...

A look insides ZCF's mind

http://goo.gl/jWSjAG

 

[Ho3n3r]

A look insides ZCF's mind

http://goo.gl/jWSjAG

Damn that's accurate...

 

[Ho3n3r]

JK8 .................................... zfoutcast

How many nicks do you have these days?

We're outnumbered...

 

[ZCFOutkast]

The way I see it is that if AB&Amla were the same race, e.g if they were both white Australians, or Sri Lankans I don't think there'd be any debate whatsoever as to who is the better batsman of the two. I get the sad impression here that many feel uncomfortable giving Amla the nod despite irrefutable stats.

 

[ZCFOutkast]

I remarked that the only way we'd see Amla's value is if he were to be absent and that's been rare.

I just remembered the tour to flat Sri Lankan wickets when the great batsman was missing. http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/series/635650.html

AB often found himself coming in between the 11-15th over and struggled badly.

Amla returnd in the 4th game which was the first time AB batted in the 25th over or later. Didn;t help much, but 5th game he dropped himself down to #5 and recorded his first 50+ score of the tour.

South Africa did win one match when Tsotsobe (with a bit of help from Farhaan) shot Sri Lanka out for just 167.

If Amla played most of those matches South Africa would not have suffered a 4-1 hiding!

I can't think of anything else that proves why he's more important than anyone else in our ODI side.



I think it's only fair to add this apt quote

Thats stupid, the only reason AB average and strike rate is so high is because Amla sets it up for him.
No Amla, no crazy wild and free to destroy AB...

 

[Mike7]

Please ban this ****ing cretin.

Absolutely sick of his ****e.