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England's batting in the 90s

GIMH

Norwood's on Fire
There were loads of people he didn't like. I've never been concerned by such things. Most people at that time were pretty anonymous. It was hard to tell who was serious and who was on a wind up. I was a bit of both at the time, but trash posting on forums these days is rather old hat. The insults and one liners just don't work.
I often wonder how Richard would go down on the forum these days. Suspect we wouldn't get the same volume of 97 pages of going round in circles and instead he'd get the same deep sigh and roll your eyes treatment that we all give each TJB post
 

RossTaylorsBox

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
If you ever wondered what Richard thought of you, just read this essay.
sledger – piss poor excuse for a bad guy, you are. You tried to fool us all initially, I know, but it really was impossible. I was utterly flabbergasted when you apologised to me for a *slightly heated* tete-a-tete a long while ago – no-one has ever undertaken such a course of action, before or since. From that moment, you’ve been the guy I’ve got on with probably best on the entire site. You’re the only one who ever bothered to speak to me on MSN during my most recent and most lengthy absence from CW, and all-in-all I’ve no reason to suspect that you won’t go far in this World. But hopefully you’ll stay here with us in that time, obviously.

Lol
 

Lillian Thomson

Hall of Fame Member
I often wonder how Richard would go down on the forum these days. Suspect we wouldn't get the same volume of 97 pages of going round in circles and instead he'd get the same deep sigh and roll your eyes treatment that we all give each TJB post

He wasn’t quite as bad. He would say things like “I’m not wrong. I’d not have said what I said if it had been wrong.” That was usable.
 

Slifer

International Captain
My favorite English batsman from the 90s was easily Robin Smith. What a tough as nails batsman!!!
 

mr_mister

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
It actually is. Thanks for that, I honestly didn't realise. It may have been mentioned before but I never noticed. That really is an odd anomaly that he performed for England most during Ashes averaging 42.4 in 12 matches vs Aus. Don't you find that weird when he averaged low 20s vs SA, WI and NZ? Strange.

I think it's partly that even vs Aus Ramps never looked impressed by his own performances . It was quite a long time ago and gone out my memory bank.
It is strange. His only two test tons came against these attacks

154 v Ambrose, Walsh, Bishop, McLean and Hooper
133 v McGrath, Gillespie, Warne and Lee

Pretty ridiculous considering he averaged 27 overall and low 20s against NZ like you said. I used to think it was partly due to the fact he happened to be test class from 98-01, averaging around 40 from around 30 tests. Like after struggling so long at that level he finally came good and it wouldn't have mattered who his opponent was. But even that period included a flop series against NZ in between solid ashes series.

Digging even deeper, he only passed 40 four times from 91-97 in his first 20 tests where he was seemingly useless. But all four of those innings were against Australia across 3 ashes.

In fact from 24 innings against Australia total he had 10 innings where he scored from 40-72. And then the 133 in his final test against them. Passing 40 nearly every second time he went out to bat helped England stay in the fight for some of those series because the usually reliable Atherton for example barely scored a run against McWarne

It is quite strange he raised his level against the very best. His FC record obviously shows he was no muppet with the bat but yeah his test career is hard to understand
 
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morgieb

Request Your Custom Title Now!
It is strange. His only two test tons came against these attacks

154 v Ambrose, Walsh, Bishop, McLean and Hooper
133 v McGrath, Gillespie, Warne and Lee

Pretty ridiculous considering he averaged 27 overall and low 20s against NZ like you said. I used to think it was partly due to the fact he happened to be test class from 98-01, averaging around 40 from around 30 tests. Like after struggling so long at that level he finally came good and it wouldn't have mattered who his opponent was. But even that period included a flop series against NZ in between solid ashes series.

Digging even deeper, he only passed 40 four times from 91-97 in his first 20 tests where he was seemingly useless. But all four of those innings were against Australia across 3 ashes.

In fact from 24 innings against Australia total he had 10 innings where he scored from 40-72. And then the 133 in his final test against them.

It is quite strange he raised his level against the very best. His FC record obviously shows he was no muppet with the bat but yeah his test career is hard to understand
I think it's down to mental pressure. Against the great attacks he was probably more relaxed and his true batting class shown through. Against weaker ones at Test level he probably felt too much pressure to succeed and just got bogged down and froze. Clearly at county level he could relax more and just bat.
 

kyear2

Cricketer Of The Year
My favorite English batsman from the 90s was easily Robin Smith. What a tough as nails batsman!!!
Mine too, easily. First time I heard his name was listening on the radio and I just had to be able to see him bat. He was batting with Lamb at the time and from memory they were the only two who were leading the fight back against out attack.

And when I finally got to see him, he didn't disappoint.
 

aussie tragic

International Captain
Imagine how much worse England's batting would be in the 90's if they didn't allow the African imports Allan Lamb, Robin Smith and Graeme Hick lol
 

Lillian Thomson

Hall of Fame Member
David Gower should have played more and further into the 90's. Graham Gooch just insisted on everyone being as boring as he was.
 

quincywagstaff

International Debutant
My favourite English 90s batting trivia piece is that Steven Rhodes actually played at 6 in a Test... which was one of only two Tests England won in Australia in the 90s/00s!

Re: Hick, I think he even batted as low as 8 for England (because of a nightwatchman) on the 98/99 tour... and was out for a golden duck!

Re: Ramprakash, I think where he was dudded was being left out entirely from the 1999 South African touring squad when his form over the previous two years had been largely very good.

David Gower should have played more and further into the 90's. Graham Gooch just insisted on everyone being as boring as he was.
Yep. And in contrast Gatting played far too often in the 1990s when he was well past his best.
 

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