Andrew Mcleans article on Australia being Too good...

[marc71178]

Yes, because since his injury, Lee has done nothing of note in Test Cricket.

 

[Son Of Coco]

It's just been the typical playing-Australia set of circumstances... injury decimates, previously substance-filled batting becomes collapse-happy - don't know how many catches went down but I'd not be surprised if it was a few.
Don't expect much different in The Ashes this summer - exactly that has happened in the last 3 series.

I'll probably find out by reading the rest of this thread, and I'm almost too afraid to ask, but why do you think this is so Richard? especially the substance filled batting part? I'm sure it won't be due to good bowling...luck perhaps?

 

[Slow Love™]

I read that. At first I thought he was just kidding around to emphasise how dominant Australia were, but by the end I was almost convinced that he seriously wanted Australia kicked out.

How on earth did you get that idea? By the end he was suggesting that unless Australia donated some of it's second-tier cricketers to other teams (in order to even up international standards), backyard rules should be adopted for the next match, and Ponting and Fleming should toss a coin to see who gets first pick out of the pooled sides. If anything, the article gets more tongue in cheek as it goes on.

It's nothing more than a deliberately emotive response to Australia's dominance, and I don't think any of the proposals within are intended seriously (in spite of how seriously many in this thread seem to be taking it).

 

[Son Of Coco]

Something like: Hodge, Katich, Love, (some have added Maher and Hussey but they're openers) and someone else (might have been North).

Is that the Love that was struggling to make the Queensland side not so long ago? I don't think his form at the time warranted selection. Hodge and Katich could probably consider themselves unlucky, Maher and Hussey not for the reason you have suggested. I think his results thus far have suggested that, combined with his age, he wasn't a bad choice for a team looking for young talent to come in.

 

[Son Of Coco]

even though hes been doing it for 4 years now.

yeah Vettori can bowl. Not sure what you're talking about Richard.

 

[Dydl]

Vettori can bowl long spells as well!

And lots of overs in a row!

And can fall over when appealing too excessively!

I don't like Vettori's appealing. He really does exaggerate an appeal imo.

 

[Richard]

Vettori can bowl long spells as well!

And lots of overs in a row!

Well - not in 50-over ODIs he can't!
He's only allowed 10 overs...

 

[Richard]

How on earth did you get that idea? By the end he was suggesting that unless Australia donated some of it's second-tier cricketers to other teams (in order to even up international standards), backyard rules should be adopted for the next match, and Ponting and Fleming should toss a coin to see who gets first pick out of the pooled sides. If anything, the article gets more tongue in cheek as it goes on.

It's nothing more than a deliberately emotive response to Australia's dominance, and I don't think any of the proposals within are intended seriously (in spite of how seriously many in this thread seem to be taking it).

Always worth waiting for, your responses are, Jesse!

 

[Richard]

I would say Brett Lee would be in the starting Test XI of NZ, South Africa, Zimbawe, Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, England, Sri Lanka.

Zimbabwe and Bangladesh, wow - what an achievement, to make their Test XIs!!!
If you really think he'd displace Nel, Ntini or even Andrew Hall, you need to think again.
The only Englishman he'd have a chance of displacing is Harmison and past precedent would mean there's little or no chance of that, you just have to look at Vaughan's comments (and to be fair, he's got a point - did Lee recently have a 7-Test period where he took 44 wickets at 18.31?)
India - wow, what an incredible achievement, to be a better bowler than Zaheer Khan and Ashish Nehra... I'd not say he's that much better, either.
Pakistan - possibly even less of an achievement, to be better than Rana Naved-Ul-Hasan, Mohammad Sami, Mohammad Khalil, Mohammad Asif and the like. And when Shoaib, Shabbir and Saqlain get back? Pull the other one!
Sri Lanka - personally I'd prefer Zoysa to him anyday. And Sri Lanka rarely pick more than 2 seamers - for the simple reason that there's hardly ever anyone good enough (being a slightly better bowler than Dilhara Fernando is NOT any achievement, either).
As for New Zealand - well, it's another case of: what an achievement, being a better bowler than Chris Martin (if he is - and I'm not sure), Daryl Tuffey (and he certainly isn't on a seaming pitch), Jacob Oram (ditto Tuffey), Scott Styris and the others...

 

[Richard]

No outcry.....Thats a predictable call by you. Like TEC, you've always had a chip on your shoulder about Lee.

Tell me, please - how is recognising a basic fact that so many refuse to see having a chip on your shoulder?

 

[Richard]

I'll probably find out by reading the rest of this thread, and I'm almost too afraid to ask, but why do you think this is so Richard? especially the substance filled batting part? I'm sure it won't be due to good bowling...luck perhaps?

The dropped catches cannot be down to anything to Australia's credit, nor can the injuries, they're just... these things that happen. Called coincidences.
The lack of substance-filled batting? Partly down to mental strangleholds, partly down to the accuracy of the Australians and the obsession with "fighting fire with fire" (ie trying your utmost to score as quickly as them, thinking it's the only way), and partly down to the fact that Warne can get you out on any pitch and McGrath and Gillespie will have any batsman, however good, for breakfast on a green seamer.
And partly down to the fact that some batsmen aren't good enough for Test-cricket. To give some English examples: Usman Afzaal, Ian Ward (batting at six and seven), Trescothick, Key. Some of the batsmen England have attempted to take-on Australia with recently. And there are PLENTY of others from other countries.