Long term bets..

[Athlai]

Originally Posted by Prince EWS

Personally, I don't think McCullum is that talented as a batsman at all. As I said in the other thread, he creates the illusion of talent by attempting lots of shots, often off good balls. It usually causes his downfall but on the odd occassion it comes off, he looks great. It's nothing that any batsman couldn't do if he actually thought it would be a good idea, which it isn't.

But he can play all the shots that's the thing. Just uses them wrong, eventually I think he'll get lucky and hit himself a ton.

[Perm]

Originally Posted by Athlai

I think McCullum will be given ample opportunity under Bracewell to score one. Unwisely being constantly put up the order he's bound to eventually hit one. A very talented batsman, who just needs to calm down at the crease IMO, yet I have no real problems with the way he plays if stuck in his rightful place down the order.

He'll be given opportunity up the order, but I doubt he's good enough to concentrate and keep his cool for long enough to score a century. Talented no doubt, but doesn't possess the mental aspect of batsmanship.

[Athlai]

Originally Posted by Perm

He'll be given opportunity up the order, but I doubt he's good enough to concentrate and keep his cool for long enough to score a century. Talented no doubt, but doesn't possess the mental aspect of batsmanship.

We are playing Bangladesh soon...

[Perm]

Originally Posted by Athlai

We are playing Bangladesh soon...

Syed Rasel, Mashrafe Mortaza, Abdur Razzak.

I think not.

[Prince EWS]

Originally Posted by Athlai

But he can play all the shots that's the thing. Just uses them wrong, eventually I think he'll get lucky and hit himself a ton.

My point is that virtually every batsman can play all the shots. They just choose not to, because it's not the best idea to do so, especially if you aren't particularly good at them - like McCullum. The fact that he uses them wrongly actually makes him look better than he is, IMO. It's not his downfall; it's actually his only way of fooling people into thinking he should be persisted with, deliberate or not.

Now, his wicket keeping is good and is batting is useful enough if he bats at around #8. But he most certainly is not a good batsman IMO.

[Prince EWS]

Originally Posted by Perm

Talented no doubt

Plenty of doubt from where I stand. Obviously he's more talented than your average person, but I don't think he's any more talented than your average first grade club cricket batsman.

[Perm]

Originally Posted by Prince EWS

Plenty of doubt from where I stand. Obviously he's more talented than your average person, but I don't think he's any more talented than your average first grade club cricket batsman.

Have you seen some of his ODI knocks? Especially against Australia.

[Athlai]

I do realise he is not a good batsman but I think he has a lot of games to come, and eventually a century will probably come his way. albeit from a side thats not Test quality.

His 86 off 91 against Bracken, Tait, Johnson, Watson and Hogg I think is testament that he can get the runs on his day. Not the best attack in the world yet certainly better looking than Rasel, Mortaza and Razzak. (Though I have begun to rate Rasel and Mortaza very highly, Razzak's always been up there for me.)

[Prince EWS]

Originally Posted by Perm

Have you seen some of his ODI knocks? Especially against Australia.

Yes, I have. I stand by my opinion.

[Perm]

Originally Posted by Prince EWS

Yes, I have. I stand by my opinion.

Fair enough then. I still think McCullum is talented, at least with the shots he has at his disposal and other factors in his batting (big hitting, running between the wickets, manipulating the strike) but as I said, the mental aspect of his batting is lacking. Shot selection being the main issue, with concentration not too far behind.

[TT Boy]

Originally Posted by Perm

Because he's just an average bowler. Can tear through sides when conditions suit and he is in good rhythm, but up against a decent batting lineup I feel as though he'll get hammered. Definitely not sub-25 material. Probably 27 or 28.

When the conditions don’t suit him…

http://content-www.cricinfo.com/ci/e...ch/299004.html

Also took a five wicket haul in Sri Lanka, a series where Shaun Pollock was reduced to bowling off spin…

And apparently these boys can bat. Steyn had also just returned from missing the second test with a thigh strain and was bowling at only 135kph.

http://content-www.cricinfo.com/ci/e...ch/249217.html

Calling him average is extreme underestimation of his ability and if he did finish his career with a 27 bowling average that wouldn’t be the definition of an average cricketer, merely a very good one.

[Perm]

I didn't mean average in a bad way, but I don't think he's as good as Makhaya Ntini, Brett Lee or Chaminda Vaas. All of whom average more than 27.

I think he has potential, but I'd like to see him develop a bit more accuracy.

[Dasa]

Originally Posted by Perm

I didn't mean average in a bad way, but I don't think he's as good as Makhaya Ntini, Brett Lee or Chaminda Vaas. All of whom average more than 27.

I think he has potential, but I'd like to see him develop a bit more accuracy.

I think he'll be known as much much better than all three of the bowlers you've named by the end of his career.

[Jono]

Steyn has more weapons and variety than Ntini, more natural ability than Vaas and more brains at a younger age than Lee.

He'll almost definitely be better than all 3 barring serious injury IMO.

[andruid]

I wanna join in for Associate predictions

TM Odoyo, and Hiren Varaiya to snag 200 OD wickets each
Eoin Morgan to score 2500 OD runs

more to come later