Red
The normal awards that everyone else has
I'm a self indulgent prick with study to avoid, so why shouldn't I start a trendy favourite/best XI thread? In this thread I will select an XI based on my favourite cricketers. I will limit it to those I have seen either live or on TV. Cricket became my passion/hobby/addiction sometime in the 1980s. Pre internet, pre mobile phones, pre bike helmets. Life was simpler then, but then again, I think most people remember their childhood with some nostalgia. I can still recall sitting on the lounge room floor, watching the following intro and feeling genuine excitement about cricket ( I can also remember my grandfather being really impressed by the graphics in the intro, the way the stumps are drawn "maybe with a computer...").
However, the era wasn't a particularly strong one for Australian cricket. In fact, it was particularly weak. I spent the first few years of liking cricket wishing that I could "barrack" for the WIs. In AFL (VFL) I supported Richmond. So I didn't get a lot of joy from sport. However, I recall going to Maccas and getting a meal as a child. On the paper on the tray was a team photo of the WIs touring team for the summer. I don't know what year it actually was, because the WI's seemed to come every year to annihilate us, but I do know that Viv Richards was on the team photo. He was my first favourite cricketer. I think he is still my favourite.
Not many players in cricket have a word associated to them. Rick McCosker has "swathed" associated with him after he played "swathed" in bandages in a gutsy knock. Evidently early era bowler CTB Turner was associated with the word "terror" because of the way his kicking deliveries made the batsman fear. Ask any cricket follower which cricketer belongs to the word "swagger", and the answer will be Viv. King Viv.
Viv had aura. Viv had presence. He swaggered. Other cricketers have averaged more than Viv. None have been as intimidating or belligerent towards bowlers. Ian Chappell tells the story of the first time he encountered young Viv in a warm up game on a WIs tour. Viv (playing for an island team) smoked the first couple of balls back over the bowler's head for 4s and 6s, and then the bowler dismissed him, bowled. The bowler's comment was "you can't keep batting like that and getting away with it". Chappell states that he realised later on that Viv could keep batting like that, and get away with it. Imran Khan is on record as saying, quite simply, "Viv was the only batsman who intimidated me as a bowler".
Viv was also an extraordinary fielder, and fielding is something I rate very highly in cricketers. It can make a difference between a good team and a great team. Viv had outstanding anticipation and his ability to throw down stumps was the best I've seen (Ricky Ponting might be close). In addition to this, Viv was a handy off spinner, capable of bowling a few darts as required. All in all though, he is in my team, at number 3, for his ability to completely discourage an opposition bowling attack by smashing good bowling to all parts of the ground, relying on his incredible eye and slightly unorthodox but very watchable technique.
However, the era wasn't a particularly strong one for Australian cricket. In fact, it was particularly weak. I spent the first few years of liking cricket wishing that I could "barrack" for the WIs. In AFL (VFL) I supported Richmond. So I didn't get a lot of joy from sport. However, I recall going to Maccas and getting a meal as a child. On the paper on the tray was a team photo of the WIs touring team for the summer. I don't know what year it actually was, because the WI's seemed to come every year to annihilate us, but I do know that Viv Richards was on the team photo. He was my first favourite cricketer. I think he is still my favourite.
Not many players in cricket have a word associated to them. Rick McCosker has "swathed" associated with him after he played "swathed" in bandages in a gutsy knock. Evidently early era bowler CTB Turner was associated with the word "terror" because of the way his kicking deliveries made the batsman fear. Ask any cricket follower which cricketer belongs to the word "swagger", and the answer will be Viv. King Viv.
Viv had aura. Viv had presence. He swaggered. Other cricketers have averaged more than Viv. None have been as intimidating or belligerent towards bowlers. Ian Chappell tells the story of the first time he encountered young Viv in a warm up game on a WIs tour. Viv (playing for an island team) smoked the first couple of balls back over the bowler's head for 4s and 6s, and then the bowler dismissed him, bowled. The bowler's comment was "you can't keep batting like that and getting away with it". Chappell states that he realised later on that Viv could keep batting like that, and get away with it. Imran Khan is on record as saying, quite simply, "Viv was the only batsman who intimidated me as a bowler".
Viv was also an extraordinary fielder, and fielding is something I rate very highly in cricketers. It can make a difference between a good team and a great team. Viv had outstanding anticipation and his ability to throw down stumps was the best I've seen (Ricky Ponting might be close). In addition to this, Viv was a handy off spinner, capable of bowling a few darts as required. All in all though, he is in my team, at number 3, for his ability to completely discourage an opposition bowling attack by smashing good bowling to all parts of the ground, relying on his incredible eye and slightly unorthodox but very watchable technique.
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