Best of the modern Aussies skippers

[subshakerz]

Would like to know why AB usually gets selected over Steve Waugh. Seems too tight for me...

 

[Lillian Thomson]

Would like to know why AB usually gets selected over Steve Waugh. Seems too tight for me...

I would say probably because Border built from a pile a dung and Waugh inherited a strong side.

 

[subshakerz]

I would say probably because Border built from a pile a dung and Waugh inherited a strong side.

Sorry, I meant in batting.

Waugh had so many standout innings that I struggle to see why AB is reckoned a better bat.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Tactically, Ponting was easily the worst of the bunch imo.

 

[mr_mister]

Tactically, Ponting was easily the worst of the bunch imo.

and easily the best with the bat

 

[quincywagstaff]

Re: Taylor & Kasprowicz, yeah I do recall talk about Taylor didn’t obviously rate him; 13 overs out of 186 overs for the match (and Bevan bowled considerably more) in that 96/97 SCG Test says it all.

But if anything, I reckon Steve Waugh rated/respected Kasprowicz less than Taylor did. I remember when Kasprowicz was brought in for the WACA Test V Pakistan in 1999 that it was widely reported that Waugh was unhappy he was picked over Brett Lee (who was 12th man).

Kasprowicz took 7 wickets in the match so kept his spot but then in the following Test in Adelaide v India he bowled just 18 overs for the match out of 151. Kasprowicz was dropped for the next Test and only played one more Test under Waugh’s captaincy.

On that Adelaide Test, sure Kasprowicz was wicketless and expensive but compare that to how Brett Lee was treated under Waugh where he constantly showed faith in him despite long periods of poor form and when he was eventually dropped Waugh was pushing for his recall and he came back after a couple of Tests… to replace Andy Bichel!
Thinking about it, the case for a anti-Qld bias in the Taylor/Waugh era does seem to hold up.

 

[Engle]

Sorry, I meant in batting.

Waugh had so many standout innings that I struggle to see why AB is reckoned a better bat.

AB had an extraordinary series in the W.Indies in 83/84 where he averaged 74+ against the rampaging fasties. IIRC the next best Aussie bat averaged about half of that.
Also, AB did not play against minnows Zimbabwe and Bangladesh, which S.Waugh exploited.
Nor did he have the kind of batting support that S.Waugh enjoyed.

Amazingly, both had away averages of about 55, much greater than their home averages of about 45

 

[Engle]

and easily the best with the bat

Ponting was lucky to NOT have faced the vaunted pace attacks from WIndies or Pakistan at their peak ( or any other sustained attack)

As well, his home average (about 55) and away average (about 45) is the reverse of AB and S.Waugh.
A measure of batting performance on foreign soil carrying much weight, second only to performance against the best attacks.

 

[stephen]

Waugh did say that he regretted seeing Bichel's prime go to waste in the 12th man role. But yes, for a side that consistently dominated the shield, under Taylor/Waugh Queenslanders found it nigh on impossible to cement a spot in the side. Healy being the notable exception.

Years of Hayden, Law and Love piling on the runs while Bichel and Kasper ran through teams was standard in the 90s/early 00s.

 

[stephen]

But I think the worst case of anti-Queensland bias in recent times was Wade's comeback. Hartley absolutely deserved a baggy green. Best pure glove man in the country for years coupled with several years of dominating the shield with the bat.

If Hartley were picked it would have given Australia a few years to play with while Carey/Peirson/Inglis all developed.

 

[mr_mister]

Bichel seems like such a likeable dude. Maybe that trumped his status as a Queenslander in Waugh's mind. Kasper at least kept getting chances for a decade. It's really surprising he played in Ashes 05

 

[stephen]

Bichel aged like a fine wine too. Took steaks of wickets and made piles of runs after he was unceremoniously dumped from the Aussie squad.

 

[Top_Cat]

Ponting was lucky to NOT have faced the vaunted pace attacks from WIndies or Pakistan at their peak ( or any other sustained attack)

As well, his home average (about 55) and away average (about 45) is the reverse of AB and S.Waugh.
A measure of batting performance on foreign soil carrying much weight, second only to performance against the best attacks.

Most fearless puller and hooker the game as seen and he's the lucky one. Sure.

Waugh did say that he regretted seeing Bichel's prime go to waste in the 12th man role. But yes, for a side that consistently dominated the shield, under Taylor/Waugh Queenslanders found it nigh on impossible to cement a spot in the side. Healy being the notable exception.

Years of Hayden, Law and Love piling on the runs while Bichel and Kasper ran through teams was standard in the 90s/early 00s.

Healy also in the side under Border, a banana bender at the time (NSW-born, tho...)

 

[Burgey]

Sorry, I meant in batting.

Waugh had so many standout innings that I struggle to see why AB is reckoned a better bat.

Bish, please.

 

[Red]

I had a lot of love for Martin Love. Such a silk player.

Was an epic slipper also. Perhaps Tubby was afraid of losing his cordon spot