Border at 50

[Pratters]

Border turns 50 today.

Happy brithday to the man.

Thoughts on the guy?

[Richard]

Brilliant Test batsman.
Brilliant catcher.
Brilliant tactician.
Relatively good judge of cricketers.
Disgrace of a judge of when to allow a fellow player to leave the field due to illness.

[Pratters]

Relatively good judge of cricketers.

A reason he was a good selector.

[Pratters]

A superb recent article by former player and definitely one of my top 5 cricket writers, Derek Pringle:

http://www.portal.telegraph.co.uk/sp...requestid=7159

[Richard]

A reason he was a good selector.

He was a reasonably good selector, but nonetheless he played a part in some utter stupidity which has had examples given in other threads by myself and tec.
For which he may take some blame, but we'll never know as we don't sit in on selection meetings.

[Pratters]

He was a reasonably good selector,... but we'll never know as we don't sit in on selection meetings.

As we do not sit in selection meetings how do you know he was a good selector or not when the decision is taken as a team

[Sanz]

Great player, Great Captain, Great selector. Congratulations to him !!

[archie mac]

Allan Border

Stand to order for the little big man of Cricket
Stand to order Aussie flags as he comes to the wicket
Stand to order and applaud Allan Robert Border

He came to the fore during the WSC highjack
Just 23 – older than Craig, both from NSB HS
Far too loyal to except a Packer kickback

Come of age at Lahore the final destination
First player to score 150 in both innings
10 hours of determination master of concentration

Stand to order for the greatest Australian left -hander
Stand to order for Hill, Morris & Harvey. No slander
Stand to order and applaud Allan Robert Border

THE ASHES
In 1982/83 looked all over no batting form
Only his loyal fan’s thought he should stay
Managed to hold his spot despite media storm

Fourth Test with the last man in 74 to make
Thommo could see the finish in boundary style
Tavarè buckets miss, Miller to rescue rebound takes

In 85 some players took the Ashes Rand
The ‘G’ Force cleaned us up Border’s 196
Only Lords perform under the S.C I stand

89 back to emulate Woodfull circa 1934
McDermott learns the epithet Captain Grumpy
Ashes are ours Aussie Cricket off the floor

Stand to order for the little big man of Cricket
Stand to order Aussie flags as he comes to the wicket
Stand to order and applaud Allan Robert Border

Worrell Trophy
Faithful lieutenant to the mercurial Hughes
No support from Chappell’s, Fot or Bacchus
After the tears a reluctant Captain to choose



In Border’s time the Windies were great
Leg spin the answer 11-96 AB the all-rounder
With speed to burn bouncers and losses we did hate

One time in Adelaide his dream came close
Polish that tension ball, May and McDermott…
Champagne away; Taylor to make that toast

Stand to order for the greatest Australian left -hander
Stand to order for Hill, Morris & Harvey. No slander
Stand to order and applaud Allan Robert Border

One Day
273 appearances in the pyjama game
Run Out specialist short mid wicket
Record speaks for it’s self-everlasting fame

As rank outsiders to the Cup they came
Gatting’s reverse sweep the final act
Border’s boys to enjoy immortal fame

The End
They all go even one of the best
Not ready to retire more to achieve
To give adopted State the Shield quest

In the hall of fame great recognition
To many awards to keep tally of
AB medal for the best a fitting distinction

Stand to order 1174 runs 156 Tests 93 in charge
Stand to order selector & commentator contribution large
Stand to order and applaud Allan Robert Border

[marc71178]

Anyone who played that long with that average can't have been a bad player (especially factoring in the fact he wasn't playing in such a batsman-friendly era)

As for the Jones incident - blown out of proportion by 1 forum member, why does that not surprise me.

[twctopcat]

As Richie Benaud said, not a bad career for a cricketer who only had two shots.

[Anil]

one of the grittiest players ever...i consider him to be an even more dependable batsman than waugh under pressure.....

[twctopcat]

Yeah for sure. The first time i realised that was watching old tapes of '81 and he always seemed to hang around when willis and botham were going mental. Though i could be completely wrong.

[Pratters]

As Richie Benaud said, not a bad career for a cricketer who only had two shots.

Never heard that one. Classic Benaud

[Top_Cat]

As Richie Benaud said, not a bad career for a cricketer who only had two shots.

That sounds unusually harsh to have come from Benords. Maybe Benaud was saying it in ironic sense to those critics of Border who said that about him? Because I can't imagine Benaud saying something like that about Border, particularly since it was so untrue. Border in his pomp was a fearsome player off the back-foot (pulls and cuts raced to the fence) and was an outstanding driver of the ball, especially through cover and mid-off. That in addition to the fact he was one of the best players of spin of his generation.

[twctopcat]

I think he was being ironic, probably a few people said that early in his career i don't know. Richie said it during the coverage for the first test last week though i got the feeling he had said it a few times before!!!