Hashim Amla boring?

[Smudge]

I liked his on-drive against Panesar late on the fourth day. Something about it appealed to me. Besides, how can he be anything but boring when that's exactly what the situation required? Hardly his fault.

 

[Top_Cat]

Plus, seriously no one looks better wearing a helmet at short leg than Amla. That beard is awesome.

Just waiting for him to be given out caught behind fending a short one off the beard. Just had images in my mind of him walking off with a ball-sized hole in his beard, watching the replay. haha

Don't think he's boring. Has a nice technique, reminds me a bit of Yousuf (don't think its the beard....). Has that same breezy grace so he looks calm even when the team is falling apart. Who knows where he'll end up? Has the technique and obviously the temperament to do well.

 

[Prince EWS]

Whilst I made a joke suggesting that it'll be the end of the world as we know it once Amla's technique can be described as "very good", his technique is an interesting discussion point.

When he first hit the scene, he had the worst technique I had ever seen for a top order Test batsman. He had the most ridiculous backlift which caused him to be late on anything with any heat behind it and he planted his front pad straight down the wicket which got him in trouble WRT to both lbw and the short ball. He was dropped, then recalled when he had made very little change.

I don't think I've seen a player's technique improve so much over a couple of years though. It's still a far cry from what I'd call "very good"; his backlift is still a bit high and the way he flicks his wrists through the ball so early in his innings really can't be good either, but he's improved immeasurably in his defence of the short ball and he plays some nice shots down the ground now as well with the full face.

As for whether he's boring or not - well he's certainly not what I really look for in a batsman. He doesn't have the purity or textbook-like technique to make me ensure I'm watching when he's in. However, as a viewer, you know he offers a few chances early, you know he can play a really long innings and you know he can play some really stylish shots once he's in so I wouldn't put him in the "boring" category. Obviously that's purely a matter of taste though.

 

[Top_Cat]

As for whether he's boring or not - well he's certainly not what I really look for in a batsman. He doesn't have the purity or textbook-like technique to make me ensure I'm watching when he's in. However, as a viewer, you know he offers a few chances early, you know he can play a really long innings and you know he can play some really stylish shots once he's in so I wouldn't put him in the "boring" category. Obviously that's purely a matter of taste though.

Haha, that's pretty interesting from a Kallis fan.

EDIT: I mean in terms of being exciting to watch, not his technique.

 

[duffer]

He's pretty boring if you bowl short crap at him like England did for much of the just-concluded innings. That's the bowlers' fault, and the fielding captain's, though, not Amla's.

This.

Chuffed for him, enjoyed that knock.

 

[Mard]

lol amla must have seen my thread

 

[Jakester1288]

lol amla must have seen my thread

Yeah.

He is 71 odd not out from like 90 odd balls, I really wish I watched it.

 

[Spinksy]

No, I don't honestly think that Hashim Amla is boring at all. He is a great cricketer with an excellent technique. He may be slow when it comes to scoring his runs but that is what test cricket is all about.

 

[Raghav]

All the members missed on Mark Richardson...One of the cricket's most boring batsman in my opinion.

I dont think Amla is boring..Is he so boring than Kallis? I Doubt

 

[Prince EWS]

He is a great cricketer with an excellent technique.

I reiterate:

Amla has a lot going for him and his technique has improved. It's certainly a long, long way from being "excellent" though.

 

[Briony]

I think that Amla's technique has certainly improved from when we saw him last against England in SA. He also bats a lot more positively these days. Prince I'd call boring but not Amla.

 

[Craig]

Still tipping he won't average less then 30 when he tours Australia. Can just see Stuart Clark and Brett Lee have a field day with his high backlift. I don't think he would be successful either if he comes out with either Smith or McKenzie gone early and he tries to flick the ball off his pads if it is swinging.

 

[Precambrian]

Still tipping he won't average less then 30 when he tours Australia. Can just see Stuart Clark and Brett Lee have a field day with his high backlift. I don't think he would be successful either if he comes out with either Smith or McKenzie gone early and he tries to flick the ball off his pads if it is swinging.

I want to see more of his back-foot game, till then I would reserve my judgement. But I think he's done well against the swinging ball, and I think English conditions are more testy than Australian pitches for swing.

 

[Perm]

Still tipping he won't average less then 30 when he tours Australia.

So you're predicting he will do well?

 

[gettingbetter]

^ haha

Ive actually championed Amla for a long time. He is one of the few quota players to have earned selection based on exceptional performance at the domestic level.

He has had technical issues but certain players can work within those limitations.

Whether he is a quality Test player, good Test player or ordinary remains to be seen but he has deserved his chance.

He is a quota player?

I'm quite sure that he is of Indian background, not sure if that comes under the quota.

 

[Uppercut]

He is a quota player?

I'm quite sure that he is of Indian background, not sure if that comes under the quota.

I believe it does. I can just picture the SA pen-pushers holding a colorimeter up to his face...

 

[Richard]

The definition of "quota-qualified" is "previously disadvantaged".

Colour of skin isn't actually 100% relevant, it just formed much of the criteria for those who were "disadvantaged".

 

[Goughy]

He is a quota player?

I'm quite sure that he is of Indian background, not sure if that comes under the quota.

Yes, all non-white players are included in quotas/targets.

 

[PhoenixFire]

I thought they scrapped the quotas, I remember reading that somwhere.

I would have thought that Ntini and Prince would have got into the team on merit TBH.

 

[Goughy]

I thought they scrapped the quotas, I remember reading that somwhere.

I would have thought that Ntini and Prince would have got into the team on merit TBH.

Do we have to go through all this again?

No, quotas still exist. In fact the composition of sports teams has become increasingly politicised with the adoption of "The Sports and Recreastion Act" (I think it is called) last year, where the governement (ie the ANC) can override selection and change teams and squads. This dispite the supposed outlawing of political interference in International sport.

Certain players may or may not be capable of making it on merit, but quotas/targets still exist. Currently 3-4 is still the min and just under 50% of the squad must min be previously disadvantaged ie 7 of 15.

IMO, Amla would make it on merit.