Where would you bat Ponting ?

[NUFAN]

Originally Posted by TumTum

Yeah use the only series where Cook has actually played decently as an example and to somehow in your weird way justify that he has a really good front foot technique?

FAIL that is all I can say.

Cook has performed well in others series. Khawaja has a fantastic technique, I would say it looks more classical compared to even Ponting's.

In the end of the day though, having a good technique doesn't mean too much because Smith and Hughes wouldn't be in the Australian team, nor Katich.

[TumTum]

Originally Posted by NUFAN

Cook has performed well in others series. Khawaja has a fantastic technique, I would say it looks more classical compared to even Ponting's.

In the end of the day though, having a good technique doesn't mean too much because Smith and Hughes wouldn't be in the Australian team, nor Katich.

Agree to disagree on his technique then. Ftr Smith is a bad example, he won't last long

[vcs]

Originally Posted by Spark

Ooooh I don't know about that... that's a massive call. I'd say Sehwag tips the scales decisively in India's favour.

Sehwag's importance simply cannot be understated, he makes a huuge difference to India's batting lineup.

On the Ponting-Dravid comparison, I don't really see how it's all that close.. they both peaked and started dropping at about the same times (so the difficulty of the pitches doesn't really come into it) and Ponting just scores more runs than Dravid, especially at his peak. He can play backs-to-the-wall innings as well, as he did in Old Trafford 2005.

[Spark]

Well if we're comparing peaks, Ponting > basically everyone.

[Howe_zat]

Originally Posted by TumTum

Yeah use the only series where Cook has actually played decently as an example and to somehow in your weird way justify that he has a really good front foot technique?

FAIL that is all I can say.

No-one's saying you need a perfect technique to bat in the top 3. Cook's technique has never been great, sometimes he bats without one. Cook has done very well in other series, you don't compile nearly 5000 Test runs without a good series.

Some good examples:

Debut series vs India 2005-06
vs Pakistan 2006
All 3 series vs West Indies (2007, 2008-09, 2009)
Tour of Sri Lanka 2007-08
Home & away vs South Africa (2008, 2009-10)

[TumTum]

Originally Posted by Howe_zat

No-one's saying you need a perfect technique to bat in the top 3. Cook's technique has never been great, sometimes he bats without one. Cook has done very well in other series, you don't compile nearly 5000 Test runs without a good series.

Well if you are going to overtake someone like Ponting in the batting order, I'm pretty sure you do. Not talking about the opening positions.

[Debris]

Originally Posted by Hit Wicket

I have never seen Khwaja in action for a significant period of time, so will not comment on his suitability.

However, the argument that he is a defensive batsman falls flat on it's face when you look at Dravid at number 3. Ponting was an excellent number 3 for Australia during their years of domination. However, a complete number 3 should also have the ability to shut shop and get settled in tough conditions and situations. Dravid, in that respect is the complete number 3 - Headingly '02 is the ultimate number 3 innings - and not Ponting, whose only instinct is to attack. Sometimes situations in life and cricket demand licking your chops and admitting that the opposition has got the upper hand, knuckling down and weather the storm rather than go on the offensive.

Ponting has done it on a few occasions with reasonable success, but is not a natural number 3. His falling away at the position in a depleted team is a testament to his limitations as a number 3.

He certainly did not look like a defensive batsman today. And I did not see any signs of deficiency in his front-foot defence so Tum Tum is seeing something I did not see.

[TumTum]

Originally Posted by Debris

He certainly did not look like a defensive batsman today. And I did not see any signs of deficiency in his front-foot defence so Tum Tum is seeing something I did not see.

Yeah he looked much better in this aggressive frame of mind. Maybe he plays with a different technique between the 2 formats? idk

[The Argonaut]

Ponting will stay at 3 as long as he is captain. When he loses that job (assuming he hasn't retired) then the new skipper may ask him to bat lower down. In the long run I think Watson would make a good 3. Two of Katich, Hughes and Marsh would open. Hussey will make way for either Ferguson or Khwaja.

Hughes
Marsh
Watson
Clarke
Ponting
Khawaja/Ferguson
Haddin

Looks OK.

[Mike5181]

Originally Posted by The Argonaut

Ponting will stay at 3 as long as he is captain. When he loses that job (assuming he hasn't retired) then the new skipper may ask him to bat lower down. In the long run I think Watson would make a good 3. Two of Katich, Hughes and Marsh would open. Hussey will make way for either Ferguson or Khwaja.

Hughes
Marsh
Watson
Clarke
Ponting
Khawaja/Ferguson
Haddin

Looks OK.

If you are looking at say a couple of years when Hussey, Ponting and Katich are dust then i would say

1.Hughes
2.Watson
3.Khawaja
4.Clarke (c)
5.White
6.Ferguson
7.Haddin (wk)
8.Smith
9.Copeland
10.Johnson
11.George

Decent line up i guess. There are others that could go in there like Marsh, Paine and the current bowlers like Siddle are still pretty young so they could still be in the team.

[Burgey]

Decent yeah, but looking at that line up, how many of them do you see tonning up regularly, even if not to the extent Ponting did in his prime?

[Spark]

Hughes, Clarke, and possibly Khawaja.

[Burgey]

Originally Posted by Spark

Hughes, Clarke, and possibly Khawaja.

Clarke yes, fitness permitting. Hughes -hope you're right but I've a feeling he'll be more a rocks and diamonds player, and Khawaja, well he's a pup, and an untried one.

Will be interesting.

[Hit Wicket]

Originally Posted by TumTum

Plus India and SL have not produced raging turners for a long time, so 4th innings chases are much easier these days.

Someone must have forgot to let the other teams know because in the last 10 years, there have been only 7 200+ successful chases in these two countries, with India featuring in 6 of them.

[Mike5181]

Originally Posted by Burgey

Decent yeah, but looking at that line up, how many of them do you see tonning up regularly, even if not to the extent Ponting did in his prime?

I can actually see most of those players scoring centuries on a consistent basis and not just a Marcus North type thing. I think definitely they are all capable of averaging 40+. They should all be around the level of Ross Taylor which is someone Australia wouldn't mind having.

It will be their bowling that will stop them from regaining the legacy they have compiled over the last couple of decades. I can't say i have seen much of the young bowlers running around the domestic scene in Australia but the desperation of the selectors at this time with decisions like the Michael Beer one. It kind of leads to questions over the depth they have in their bowling stock.