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[Cricket] Second Ashes Test Australia vs England Adelaide 2nd-6th December 2017







Eeyore

Colonel Hee-Haw of Queen's Park
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Apr 5, 2014
23,586
Really? Swann's average 29.96. Verity's average 24.37

No-one mentioned Rhodes (average 26.96 and a batting average of over 30) or Blythe (average 18.36).
Tich Freeman only played 12 tests but still had an average of 25.86 (but nearly 4000 F/C wickets at 18).
And we haven't mentioned Peel, Briggs, Wright,Bosanquet, Goddard and Illingworth.

I don't what's the more astonishing claim: that Swann is one rung above the likes of Verity and Rhodes or that England can't produce spinners.

Do you remember Swann's sudden retirement ? Average 29.96 ? I honestly thought that 'Playing for your averages' was most appropriate.
 




dazzer6666

Well-known member
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Mar 27, 2013
52,482
Burgess Hill
I didn't forget Panesar. I mentioned him in the list of bowlers that Moeen is comparable to. A marginally better bowler than Moeen but Moeen's overall contribution is higher.

Warne's famous critique of playing the same test match 50 times was about right for Monty. Definitely a rung or two below Swann and never threatening world class.

I'm all for playing the best spinner and actually would prefer Moeen to earn his crust as a batsman who bowls a bit. However, an Ashes series isn't the place to blood a debutant imo. I'm still not sure what Rashid did so wrong in the winter.

Another problem is at home we can get away with a half decent spinner who bats. The problem only ever unearths itself properly on the sub-continent.

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

As well as wrecking his own career, Monty sadly has the batting and fielding ability of someone from the Plumpton Green Sunday 3rd XI who has been drafted in because they were short.
 


Eeyore

Colonel Hee-Haw of Queen's Park
NSC Patron
Apr 5, 2014
23,586
Alan Oakman was a reasonable batsmen who could also bowl decent off spin. but not in the class that is mentioned on here.

Jim Laker and Tony Lock were well ahead of him. Although in another era he would have played more.
 




Eeyore

Colonel Hee-Haw of Queen's Park
NSC Patron
Apr 5, 2014
23,586
bit of a sweeping statement when you consider Laker, Titmus, Edmonds, Embury, Underwood, Locke, Verity even Giles.

underwood was totally unplayable in his day...on a wet wicket. I haven't seen a better spinner than him apart from probably Warne or Mushie.

What about the mighty Nick Cook ? Totally unplayable on his day. Well, if you're a New Zealander...
 


vegster

Sanity Clause
May 5, 2008
27,894
Do you remember Swann's sudden retirement ? Average 29.96 ? I honestly thought that 'Playing for your averages' was most appropriate.

Yes, a surprisingly fast retirement, he has an awful lot of ideas on 5Live about bowling now but seemed to run out of ideas once he took a bit of tap when playing.
 


Giraffe

VERY part time moderator
Helpful Moderator
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Aug 8, 2005
26,551
I’m heading to bed shortly. See you all at 3.30am. Disappointment awaits?
 






Giraffe

VERY part time moderator
Helpful Moderator
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Aug 8, 2005
26,551
Likewise. Can't decide whether to get up and watch it or stay in bed and use the iPad.

I’m getting up. I know I’ll fall asleep otherwise and wake up to Australians dancing in my face. Would rather suffer the pain of watching it all than wake up when it’s over and suffer the just woken up disappointment feeling.
 






Questions

Habitual User
Oct 18, 2006
24,896
Worthing
I always rated Phil Edmonds. He was the best English spinner during the 1980s and key to the Middlesex years of plenty. He was only selected for England when it was unavoidable though. Attitude issues.

Didn’t his wife write a book on one of their tours and spill a few too many beans ?
 


Gwylan

Well-known member
Jul 5, 2003
31,339
Uffern
Jim Laker and Tony Lock were well ahead of him. Although in another era he would have played more.

... and Illingworth and Titmus.

He was a bit unlucky in his career, if he'd been born 30 years later, he'd have about 100 caps. He was a terrific fielder too. I saw in his final years and was still pretty decent.
 


OzMike

Well-known member
Oct 2, 2006
12,938
Perth Australia
Just over half an hour to go, at work but will listen online, I really hope that we can do it to keep the series alive.
It would have been nice if we had turned up on the first day of the test instead of the third.
 




Pantani

Il Pirata
Dec 3, 2008
5,445
Newcastle
I've got up for this. Expect to be back in bed in half an hour :lolol:

Root goes early and it is all done.
 














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