Richard said:
Flintoff since summer 2003 with the bat: 37 innings, 1505 runs at 43 exactly. Before this poor series it was 30 innings, 1369 runs at 48.89.
Flintoff since Galle 2003\04 with the ball: 61 wickets at 26.06 (before The Wanderers it was 58 wickets at 25.06).
But to blame his terrible record prior to December 2003 (43 wickets at 49.95) on lack of fitness (in 4-and-a-half years!!!! And 26 matches!!!!! And he was unfit all the time?????) is folly. Especially given the number of times he's bowled when clearly not fit in the last year.
It never stops does it ....That is, the excuses for, and the fudging of Flintoff's stats to talk him up. This could apply to nearly every cricketer in the history of the game ....
e.g ..such and such was not fit during that series so lets remove that series from his test record.Or Jo Bloggs broke up with his wife in that series so he wasn't up to it emotionally. Or, he was too young when he started etc etc
With regard to Flintoff.....I've just about heard them all. I mentioned on numerous occasions now the way Flintoff fans fudge his stats to talk him up. You can't have it both ways.
I'm sorry Flintoff fans....You need to Face facts. The unfortunate reality(for u) is that history judges a test cricketer on his FULL career stats. Not the last 12 months and not taking into consideration that the player started to young etc etc.
In the same way us (new zealand) fans, have to face facts that despite the fact we like and rate Vettori, we have to except he is not one of the "great-test players" around at the moment. he may be a good cricketer, but not one of the greats. His test record simply isn't good enough yet.
Otherwise almost every test cricketers stats could be manipulated as well...
For example I've mentioned already Chris Cairns started his cricket too early, he had an amazing run of different injuries throughout his career. He only played 62 tests. His last 30 tests Read.....
M Runs HS Ave 100s 50s wickets B/b Ave 5w 10w
30 1909 158 41.50 4 10 121 7/27 26.03 9 3
The above record in his last 30 tests is very impressive...but has been fudged (by me) and had he had the same averages of (41 with the bat) and (26 with the ball) thru his whole career it would have been amazing !!
The reality though is that Cairns average in his career was 33 with the bat and 28 with the ball. That is the record that he will be ultimately judged on when history looks back at the test career of Chris Cairns.
Flintoffs record will no-doubt improve. At present though his full test career shows a batting ave of 31 and a bowling ave of 36. If he (though its unlikely) never played test cricket again, that is the Test record that history would look back on, not his 12 month period of 2004.
Sorry to keep harping on about this point, but It keeps happening. I acknowledge that he has improved a lot as a cricketer from the Flintoff of old, but he is simply not one of the "great test players in the world" at the moment. ODI's yes, Tests no. He simply isn't in the class of test cricketers as Lara, Mcgrath, Tendulkar, Dravid, Warne, Kallis etc etc to name a few.
And the comparisons with all-time greats such as Botham, Hadlee, Imran etc etc is just a joke....As a test playwer he's not even on the same plane as the above.
Has their ever been a more Overhyped and overated (TEST) player??
