Ordinary away? Go for the DRAW

[benchmark00]

Originally Posted by NUFAN

Yeah Watson, I used the football analogy earlier and believe that this would be a genuine tactic if we did end up having a Test Championship.

I would rather my team ava-a-go too, but I think it would be brilliant to watch and less predictable compared to some current Tests at the moment.

I want to see another nation who is struggling with the ball to try it. BTW, there still is a chance that they can win this tactic. If the chase isn't that huge it is possible that this team can pull off a high fourth innings run chase, I mean if anyone is going to do it, its a team with 9/10 batsman.

Yeah but they're 9/10 mostly ****, not test quality batsmen.

[NUFAN]

Originally Posted by benchmark00

Yeah but they're 9/10 mostly ****, not test quality batsmen.

Why?

Look at SL's top six for the First Test match against Australia recently and add say Thirimanne, Chandimal and Paranativana.

Then they can play Herath and say Kulasakera which means that they are still showing some, not heaps but some inclination to win the match as Herath, Kula, Mathews, Dilshan have the potential to actually claim 10 third/fourth innings wickets.

I honestly think with increased batting lineups they would be very difficult to bowl out twice for the reasons mentioned earlier - competition for places and more cautious batting.

[benchmark00]

Originally Posted by NUFAN

Why?

Look at SL's top six for the First Test match against Australia recently and add say Thirimanne, Chandimal and Paranativana.

Then they can play Herath and say Kulasakera which means that they are still showing some, not heaps but some inclination to win the match as Herath, Kula, Mathews, Dilshan have the potential to actually claim 10 third/fourth innings wickets.

I honestly think with increased batting lineups they would be very difficult to bowl out twice for the reasons mentioned earlier - competition for places and more cautious batting.

That batting line up still isn't strong enough to worry a decent bowling attack who is defending 400+.

And you're not taking into account the general decrease in batting performance which occurs when batsmen are expected to bowl significant numbers of overs.

[NUFAN]

Originally Posted by benchmark00

That batting line up still isn't strong enough to worry a decent bowling attack who is defending 400+.

And you're not taking into account the general decrease in batting performance which occurs when batsmen are expected to bowl significant numbers of overs.

Most of the overs would be bowled by the bowlers at 10 and 11. Obviously they can't bowl every over, but in a 90 over day I would expect:

Kulasekera 22
Herath 35
Dilshan 20
Mathews 11
Samaraweera/anyone 2

So really its only Dilshan who has increased his workload, although at the SCG in the most recent Test he bowled lots of overs (made bugger all though, so you could be right).

Dilshan wouldn't open in this team due to the increased workload.

How many runs do you think Aus or SA would be looking to make against that attack in a day? Remembering ring fields, third man and negative bowling.

[benchmark00]

I'd expect 300 on day one and 400 on day two.

I know what you're saying, and in theory it's a much sounder concept than in practice.

[Zinzan]

This reminds me of Glenn Turner's tactics as NZ coach/selector in ODI's in the mid 90s.

Not the strongest side going around, but you can't knock the batting depth. Shane Thomson; who was a Test no. 4 at 9, Gavin Larsen - no mug- at 10 & Dion Nash - with a Test batting average over 20 - at 11. Even Dipak Patel batting at 8 batted 5 or 6 at Test level.

2nd ODI: West Indies v New Zealand at Port of Spain, Mar 29, 1996 | Cricket Scorecard | ESPN Cricinfo

Turner's basic philosophy was bat right down to 11 & have 6-7 slow accurate dibbly-doobly bowlers.

[benchmark00]

Strange that you brought up Gavin Larsen, because I was only reading an old thread where Richard thoroughly believed Larsen was a better one day bowler than both Brett Lee and Waqar Younis.

[benchmark00]

Originally Posted by Richard

Gavin Larsen > Brett Lee and Waqar Younis as a ODI bowler.

And no, nothing will change my stance on that.

Pick FIVE bowlers for the 1990-2008 ODI XI

[uvelocity]

terrible posting in that thread

[benchmark00]

Originally Posted by uvelocity

Richard posted in that thread

efa.

[NickDB]

Originally Posted by watson

It's a cowardly tactic, boring to watch, and I gives me no respect for the team. I'd rather my team lose 4 nil but at least 'ava-a-go'.

Yeah it is, but I'd rather have my team draw 0-0 or lose 1-0 than look pretty and lose 4-0.

If I may mention Rugby I'd say the Springboks are a perfect example of playing ugly but winning. Yes I'd prefer if they'd played attractive rugby but at the end of the day winning is winning.

Going back to cricket, if a team is going to be outplayed and lose whilst looking pretty it doesn't help the team at all, their moral goes down and their spirit fades.

However if knowing that no matter what the other team throws at you you can stretch out a draw that will eventually give the team enough confidence to slow build up to winning a few. It also means your opponents have to throw the kitchen sink at you no matter how good they are, giving you more chance of a rare win.

To me fight and spirit is more important than pretty.

[benchmark00]

A draw isn't a win ftr.

[NickDB]

Really???

Of course a draw isn't a win, but it's still better than losing.

[benchmark00]

Originally Posted by NickDB

Really???

Of course a draw isn't a win, but it's still better than losing.

Putting yourself in the best position you can to win and losing > only having a chance to draw or lose and drawing.


Just shows the different mentalities between the two cricketing nations, as I touched on earlier in the thread.

[Prince EWS]

Originally Posted by benchmark00

Pick FIVE bowlers for the 1990-2008 ODI XI

Stalking my VMs, boi?