A pessimistic look at Australia's WC chances

[pup11]

Originally Posted by pasag

It's hardly silly, it's how cricket works. For everyone aside for Michael Clarke, that is. If this was anyone else I guarantee you we wouldn't even be having this discussion, he'd have been long gone. It's not a matter of telling him to do better, it's a matter of him working on his game in the lower levels and coming back a better player for it.

On that basis even Ricky Ponting should have been dropped by now, because by his own admission, he has been very inconsistent in the limited overs format since 2007 WC, but selectors haven't done that, because he is proven player, who the selectors expect to come good sooner or later.

There is no denying that Clarke has had a pretty poor 2008, and tbh, this is his first real slump in form in the ODI format, ever since he has started to play, and to his credit, he was the first one to raise his hand and admit it in South Africa, that he was disappointed with his own form, and he was working hard on improving his game.

As I already mentioned, despite all this it would make sense to talk about dropping Clarke from the ODI side, if a bloke was ready to replace him, but as we have already seen highly rated OD middle order batsmen like David Hussey and White have struggled to seize their chances, so therefore the Australian selectors aren't left with too many options.

[Matt79]

^This.

There's a difference between form and class, and I remained convinced Clarke is all class in ODIs, and that the team is better off with him there.

[Matt79]

Originally Posted by G.I.Joe

What's eating Matt? Toys all over the place.

Precam ****s me. The fact 'Smith' acknowledged being Precam more than a week ago but has still been posting ****s me. That was what was largely eating me in this situation. I'm not inclined to debate politely with someone who disrespects this forum and us so regularly.

Besides which, as I said in my initial post, I've gone on at length about my views on Clarke elsewhere and find it tedious to repeat it again. I think, contrary to claims that he's a protected species for non-cricket reasons, he actually gets treated rather harshly on CW compared to say, Katich - for rather silly reasons.

[aussie]

Originally Posted by pasag

It's not important, it's an overrated role that many others can play (not to mention he's not very good at it).

Like who right now?

Originally Posted by pasag

I don't know what you've been watching if you call him free flowing. He stutters around, digs himself into a long and painful whole and gets out. It's horrible to watch and it's horrible for the side. It's the story of how far his limited overs game has fallen. All you have to do is watch him to see. Sometimes I think people are blinded by the personality and the colour of his hair, tbh.

As i said, the series in PAK - where after AUS where spun out in the first ODI by Afridi, Clarke was easily the most free-flowing batsman on either side.

You also seem to be forgetting that given the injury woes the ODI side was having quite recently, Clarke was chosen to open the batting. Although he didn't disgrace himself, he clearly was suited to the role.

I call a spade a spade & all this Clarke should be dropped from the ODI side talk is extremely knee-jerk...