Best & Worst Declarations

[silentstriker]

Originally Posted by shortpitched713

Wow, pretty selfish on his part, I would think. Its his duty and responsibility as a professional cricketer to accept the decisions his captain makes to help England win, and personally I don't care if he was on 399*, he should be willing to leave whenever it would benefit his country. Such behavior would be a bit of a black mark on the legacy of any cricketer, one would think.

Cricket is a team game played by individuals. It's not like the NFL. Cricket is about individual battles more than many other sports, and its very inward focused as well. Obviously, the team should come first but if a captain declared an innings where someone was on 399*, that's selfish on the captain's part and I'd certainly think it was done as retribution or just because the captain was a vindictive bastard.

[BoyBrumby]

Have to admit to having been impressed when Tubby declared overnight when he was on 334* himself. Although the fact that he'd equalled Sir Donald's (then) highest test score by an Aussie may've been a factor too.

Admirably selfless all the same.

[shortpitched713]

Originally Posted by Bouncer

Didnt he win the game???? So how was that bad declaration?

Not bad for anyone but Sachin's ego.

[shortpitched713]

Originally Posted by silentstriker

Cricket is a team game played by individuals. It's not like the NFL. Cricket is about individual battles more than many other sports, and its very inward focused as well. Obviously, the team should come first but if a captain declared an innings where someone was on 399*, that's selfish on the captain's part and I'd certainly think it was done as retribution or just because the captain was a vindictive bastard.

On the other hand, if the captain does such a thing and they end up getting the win in the last over as light is fading, then I think all should be forgiven as far as the slight to the batsman goes.

[16 tins of Spam]

Originally Posted by iamdavid

Thought Flemings declaring behind and Waugh's subsequent declaration in this match were great.

Yeah, that was the one that leapt to mind for me. Interesting to note Mark Richardson's uncharacteristically high strike rate in NZ's second innings.

[silentstriker]

Originally Posted by shortpitched713

On the other hand, if the captain does such a thing and they end up getting the win in the last over as light is fading, then I think all should be forgiven as far as the slight to the batsman goes.

Not really, because at the time, the difference in a few minutes is unlikely to make a difference. If they've already been out for twelve hours making 399*, denying the batsman an extra two minutes to get his world record is petty, vindictive and is just asking for a fractured locker room.

[shortpitched713]

Originally Posted by silentstriker

Not really, because at the time, the difference in a few minutes is unlikely to make a difference. If they've already been out for twelve hours making 399*, denying the batsman an extra two minutes to get his world record is petty, vindictive and is just asking for a fractured locker room.

Wouldn't justify a player not speaking to the captain though.

Although I agree that that situation is a bit extreme my point still stands. A captain should not have to feel he is hampered in making a declaration due to what are from the team's perspective, pointless milestones.

Who knows if the said batsmen would get the record in two minutes, or might get a case of the nervous 390s and scratch around for a number of precious overs.

[silentstriker]

Originally Posted by shortpitched713

Wouldn't justify a player not speaking to the captain though.

It would justify the player running up the stairs and getting into a first fight, to be honest.

Originally Posted by shortpitched713

Although I agree that that situation is a bit extreme my point still stands. A captain should not have to feel he is hampered in making a declaration due to what are from the team's perspective, pointless milestones.

Its not about waiting for a player who is on 40* to get a century. We aren't talking about that. Waiting a few minutes here and there for a personal milestone improves the morale of the whole team, more-so than if you've got pissed off players because you suck as a man-manager.

[BoyBrumby]

Originally Posted by shortpitched713

Wouldn't justify a player not speaking to the captain though.

Although I agree that that situation is a bit extreme my point still stands. A captain should not have to feel he is hampered in making a declaration due to what are from the team's perspective, pointless milestones.

Who knows if the said batsmen would get the record in two minutes, or might get a case of the nervous 390s and scratch around for a number of precious overs.

I think most captains (assuming they aren't at the crease) would send out the 12th man with some gloves or A. N. Other suitable pretext to the bloke on the verge of his milestone and tell him he's got X balls/overs before time is called.

Just seems a bit spiteful if not. It is a team game, but personal milestones do matter.

[shortpitched713]

Originally Posted by BoyBrumby

I think most captains (assuming they aren't at the crease) would send out the 12th man with some gloves or A. N. Other suitable pretext to the bloke on the verge of his milestone and tell him he's got X balls/overs before time is called.

Agree thats probably the best way to go about it.

[silentstriker]

Originally Posted by BoyBrumby

I think most captains (assuming they aren't at the crease) would send out the 12th man with some gloves or A. N. Other suitable pretext to the bloke on the verge of his milestone and tell him he's got X balls/overs before time is called.

Just seems a bit spiteful if not. It is a team game, but personal milestones do matter.

Yup, thats a perfectly fine way of handling it.

[Richard]

Originally Posted by BoyBrumby

I think most captains (assuming they aren't at the crease) would send out the 12th man with some gloves or A. N. Other suitable pretext to the bloke on the verge of his milestone and tell him he's got X balls/overs before time is called.

Just seems a bit spiteful if not. It is a team game, but personal milestones do matter.

Atherton had some element of mitigating circumstances; he'd been accused - by the Ian Chappell brigade, naturally - of negative thinking in the previous Test. He was, hence, determined to give-off a let's-try-for-the-win mentality. He realised, not very long after, that this was a mistake, as he realised 4 years later that he was mistaken to get sucked-in by perceived "Australianisms" when he played barely half-fit through most of The Ashes 1998\99. That series more than any other has tainted his legacy and it's such a shame it happened.

[subshakerz]

Originally Posted by silentstriker

Its not about waiting for a player who is on 40* to get a century. We aren't talking about that. Waiting a few minutes here and there for a personal milestone improves the morale of the whole team, more-so than if you've got pissed off players because you suck as a man-manager.

Imran Khan once created a huge furore in Pakistan by declaring in a match against India in 1983 when Javed Miandad was unbeaten on 280. Would you consider that wrong?

http://usa.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/1...19JAN1983.html

Imran insisted it was because he didn't believe in records, but it never really sat well with Miandad, who dedicated an entire chapter of his autobiography on this incident.

To Imran's credit, he is the only captain to declare with himself being in the 90s, I guess he didnt believe in personal milestones.

http://usa.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/1...17DEC1991.html

[Richard]

Originally Posted by BoyBrumby

Have to admit to having been impressed when Tubby declared overnight when he was on 334* himself. Although the fact that he'd equalled Sir Donald's (then) highest test score by an Aussie may've been a factor too.

Admirably selfless all the same.

But mad to think he ever had a chance of winning the game on that pitch. Terrible declaration, should have batted on and aimed for the 800-mark.

[Richard]

Originally Posted by subshakerz

Imran Khan once created a huge furore in Pakistan by declaring in a match against India in 1983 when Javed Miandad was unbeaten on 280. Would you consider that wrong?

http://usa.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/1...19JAN1983.html

Imran insisted it was because he didn't believe in records, but it never really sat well with Miandad, who dedicated an entire chapter of his autobiography on this incident.

To Imran's credit, he is the only captain to declare with himself being in the 90s, I guess he didnt believe in personal milestones.

http://usa.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/1...17DEC1991.html

Interesting, had never heard of that before.

Strange because Imran is and always has been thought of as being such a superb man-manager of exactly people like Javed.