Hello and welcome back to my blog
I have said in this space before that 'if everybody is somebody then nobody is anybody'. If fours and sixes are struck every over we lose the ability to describe the truly great batting assault because our superlatives lie withered on the ground, wasted on mediocrity. If an average medium-pace bowler takes wickets when a hint of seam movement destroys what little is left of a batting line-up's technique (due to a gluttony of flat wickets), the second coming of Glenn McGrath is proclaimed. I originally made this argument within the context of cricket commentary where practitioners have bought into the hype of 2020 cricket to a more disgusting degree than its promoters, but now I grow ever weary of the same weakness sneaking into the cricket talk in front of the television. I am increasingly aware that cricket media is powerless to prevent this because in the absence of a real star or real talent, television will hype anything
Suddenly Stuart Broad is the new Andrew Flintoff, Jacques Kallis is the new Garfield Sobers, Jonathan Trott is the new Steve Waugh and yes even Alastair Cook is the new Leonard Hutton (please don't make me say Jack Hobbs!). As cricket fans we desire enthralling cricket based on the concept of the battle between bat and ball but I refuse to be told that I should be happy with Mitchell Johnson bowling short at Ian Bell when I have seen Allan Donald bowl fire at Michael Atherton. Or watch James Anderson swing the ball around Sri Lanka when I have watched footage of Malcolm Marshall. We do our love of cricket a disservice when we allow ourselves to believe that any success we witness is of quality comparable with the greats of the past; we currently experience a nadir in the supply of great cricketers. To convince yourself otherwise will rob you of the ability to appreciate past greats and leave you with little to say when the current crop of talent (there is plenty) reaches maturity.
After hearing a couple of friends defend Cook and Trott as top class batsmen recently (friends whose understanding of cricket I respect and whose opinions I listen too) I was saddened to realise just how far this weed of mediocrity could spread. If cricket fans of such purity can allow their standards to drop then there is little hope for the money paying population. Cook's 766 runs in the Ashes this past season, while impressive for its temperament and consistency is not the equal of Vaughan's 600 runs of 2002/03 where an elegant technician took on the greatest attack in the world and won (personal, if not team victories). Cook is still a young man and has great potential, he is currently experiencing a wonderful vein of form but don't race to crown him the best opening batsman just yet. When his form does run out he will lose his wicket to another over-hyped player who then gets to be 'the great bowler who took down England's great batsman' and the cycle begins again.
Just because Trott takes an age to set his guard and pleasantly feasts on disappointing bowling attacks upon lifeless surfaces (which requires some skill but is largely a waste) does not make him the great no3 batsman that England hasn't had in decades. These young players need to be tested against the best exponents of the opposing skill (batting or bowling) before we can enjoy truly great cricket. I look forward to the 2013 Ashes when an English side, filled with talent now, will have grown into a juggernaut of quality cricket players to fight against a (hopefully) resurgent Australian XI. I drool at the idea of what Ross Taylor, Jesse Ryder and Tim Southee will achieve rather than sit content with what little success they have experienced so far. I plead with you not to be content with mediocrity now, when the true richness of cricket is simply absent and will return.
- Minnows to be included in the 2015 World cup - to the exclusion of many from the 2012 and 2014 T20 world cups (only 2 of them in each). It is certinaly too soon to come up with cliches like 'won the battle but lost the war' and yet I cannot help but wonder if this point will be recorded as the moment when lesser cricketing nations were shafted
- The decision review system will now be mandatory in all international matches although the use of ball tracking systems (Hawkeye or, the better, Eagle eye) will be negotiated by the two teams before a series. Hotspot will be mandatory. Progress of a kind I think and certainly a step forward of sorts in terms of democracy within the sport; there was no Indian dictatorship on this occasion
- The running out of non-striking batsmen by the bowler (mankading) will now be legal again. Not really an important rule change given there hadn't been an instance of it in nearly 20 years. The one are here they need to change, in my opinion, is the ridiculous running out of the nonstriker off the bowler's body from a straight drive. This type of dismissal has always seemed counter-productive in a sport where the straight drive is supposed to be the pinnacle of the batsman's technique. If the ball comes off the bowlers hand then I have less of an issue but now with the review system surely we can stop the runout (in this circumstance) where the ball is off the foot or the elbow or the shoelace.
- There will be no runners in international matches; Jesse Ryder has not yet recovered consciousness after this was announced
- ODI cricket will now feature a new ball at each end of the pitch, an idea that has been suggested by many people ever since that stupid 34th over ball change rule came into affect
- The optional powerplays must now be taken between overs 16 and 40; I really think this rule change was obviously required right from the off with only wishful thinking keeping it at bay until now
- Batsmen can now be dismissed obstructing the field if they change their path to intercept the ball and good luck to the poor people who have to write the rule/sections to cover this one - not to mention the umpires that will have interpret them. A nice idea but this could be a disaster in the making
- There have been some alterations to the rules around suspension of captains for slow over rates (two strikes and you're out instead of three - ACT Party eat your heart out)
RECENT RESULTS
- IND win the test series in WI after Chanderpaul's last day century and some terrible rule abuse by the two captains (see this article for more information) ensured a draw in the final test. India next play in England for what should be a cracking series
- ENG won their ODI series against SRL after being 2-1 down. They produced a green top for the 4th match and predictably won by 10 wickets before winning a thriller in the 5th match.
ARTICLE OF INTEREST
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/cricket/5262133/Cricketer-Iain-O-Brien-admits-depressionThis I stumbled upon today and seemed like a story that some people may have missed. Ian O'Brien has admitted suffering from depression since his university days and joins the list of former international cricketers to admit this as a constant through their career. O'Brien talks very candidly about the condition in this article and as somebody with family who suffer from the same thing (not to mention a few friends) I found it particularly interesting. I decided to include at as something different. Worth a read
Well that's it from here and I hope you join me again
It's good bye for now
Broad the new Flintoff? He plays more like Fred Flinstone than Fred Flintoff! I think the only person likely to compare Stuart Broard to Flintoff would be Broad himself.
ReplyDeleteI remember you bringing up the thing about the non-striker being run out via deflection and I have to disagree. That'd be akin to disallowing a goal in football because it deflected off the wall accidentally. Also, as a bowler I could argue that a freak dismissal like that give back a little of the balance in a game where an outside edge can get you four runs. Bring back the single-wicket game rules where only shots in front of square counted for runs!
Of the three players you mentioned, the one I'm most excited about is Tim Southee. He has the real potential to be a world class bowler and is beginning to show glimpses of that now. I'm all for giving young players exposure at the highest level if they have the talent for it. Hell, it worked for one left arm orthodox bowler in particular! I remember when Ross Taylor was in sublime domestic form and the NZ batting line up at the time was making bowling line ups worldwide look good. The coach at the time (the name evades me) said he wasn't looking for "fariytale selections." If they're good enough, put them in. I'd rather see a young lad in there who is failing, but gaining valuable experience, than an old hand who is failing and will learn nothing (oh hey Matthew Sinclair, how are ya?). Another in the same mould in Kane Williamson. If he is managed properly, that kid will be our next Martin Crowe (hopefully without the hiarloss and cringworthy commentary).