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Michael Slater
- Thread starter slippy888
- Start date
mr_mister
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
He's a legend as far as I care. Always felt both times he was dropped it was a bit harsh. First one came like three tests after a double century and just a generally awesome first few years of test cricket
Upon recall of course had that terrific 98/99 ashes where he got 3 centuries, and when he got dropped in 2001 ashes it was only after 3 poor tests in a series we were absolutely crushing anyway. He'd had a good year leading up to those poor 3 tests too, did well in the Windies massacre and made decent contributions in the Laxman series, not to mention a blazing 77 in his first innings of that fateful ashes series
Langer did perfectly well of course but I feel Slater was robbed a chance to become an ATG opener. If he'd been a little better at not choking in the 90s his record would look awesome. Scored runs all around the world
Upon recall of course had that terrific 98/99 ashes where he got 3 centuries, and when he got dropped in 2001 ashes it was only after 3 poor tests in a series we were absolutely crushing anyway. He'd had a good year leading up to those poor 3 tests too, did well in the Windies massacre and made decent contributions in the Laxman series, not to mention a blazing 77 in his first innings of that fateful ashes series
Langer did perfectly well of course but I feel Slater was robbed a chance to become an ATG opener. If he'd been a little better at not choking in the 90s his record would look awesome. Scored runs all around the world
h_hurricane
International Vice-Captain
An entertainer. Loved watching him blast the new ball. An early Sehwag though a lesser version. Should have played a few more years if not for Australia possessing such embarrassment of riches.
Never really kicked off in ODIs. Thought he turned the corner around the time he played that innings in Titan Cup SF, coming down the order. It was not to be.
A **** in the field, that Dravid incident was ridiculous.
Comes across as a lousy commentator with not much insights to add. Probably deserves the criticism he gets in that aspect.
Never really kicked off in ODIs. Thought he turned the corner around the time he played that innings in Titan Cup SF, coming down the order. It was not to be.
A **** in the field, that Dravid incident was ridiculous.
Comes across as a lousy commentator with not much insights to add. Probably deserves the criticism he gets in that aspect.
mr_mister
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Also another cool stat re Slats, ignoring a couple of one off tests he played, from 20 test series he only had 4 series where he didn't pass 90 at least once. 2 of them being his final 2.
This stat would be cooler if it was passing 100 sure, but it shows how he would rarely go missing for an entire series, always pulling out a big innings at some point and nearly always in the first or second test of one to make an early impact and stamp Australia's dominance
Compare that to Tubby Taylor who went around 20 innings without a fifty in 96-97 when Slater was unfairly dropped and it's hard not to think captaincy can sometimes blur sensible team selection policy.
This stat would be cooler if it was passing 100 sure, but it shows how he would rarely go missing for an entire series, always pulling out a big innings at some point and nearly always in the first or second test of one to make an early impact and stamp Australia's dominance
Compare that to Tubby Taylor who went around 20 innings without a fifty in 96-97 when Slater was unfairly dropped and it's hard not to think captaincy can sometimes blur sensible team selection policy.
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stephen
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Yeah Taylor got a lot of slack that Slater didn't get. I think there was some behind the scenes stuff going on with Slats - some stuff to do with women which I think gave him a shorter rope than he otherwise would have had.
He did well though to keep Hayden, Elliot and a few other domestic openers out for as long as he did. I mean Hayden was belting the door down with both hands in the 90s and barely got a run (Ambrose ripping out his off stump a few times notwithstanding).
I think Slater would have played another 5 years of circumstances had been different. A bit like Bevan in ODIs in that regard. And many other players in the 90s/00s Australia era.
He did well though to keep Hayden, Elliot and a few other domestic openers out for as long as he did. I mean Hayden was belting the door down with both hands in the 90s and barely got a run (Ambrose ripping out his off stump a few times notwithstanding).
I think Slater would have played another 5 years of circumstances had been different. A bit like Bevan in ODIs in that regard. And many other players in the 90s/00s Australia era.
Burgey
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^ He was diagnosed as bipolar some years ago. Have read that towards the end of his international career there were some signs he was going through a bit but it wasn’t picked up/ dealt with. Waugh wrote that he would have dealt with him differently as skipper if he had his time again.
There were some signs things weren’t great - the dravid incident in 01 being one and the other being his AB medal antics earlier the same year. Word also was he went out on the piss mid-4th test in the 01 Ashes. Am not sure if that’s true or not.
His commentary went backwards after a decent start imo. Always thought he was good on brekkie radio though, which he did for ten years or so
There were some signs things weren’t great - the dravid incident in 01 being one and the other being his AB medal antics earlier the same year. Word also was he went out on the piss mid-4th test in the 01 Ashes. Am not sure if that’s true or not.
His commentary went backwards after a decent start imo. Always thought he was good on brekkie radio though, which he did for ten years or so
stephen
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Why?
Red
The normal awards that everyone else has
Thought he was better.
stephen
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
You're the first person I've heard hold that opinion and I'm not sure there's any way to back that up statistically, so I wonder why. I mean he was very good, don't get me wrong and he kept Hayden out of the side for a number of years but I'm trying to wrap my mind around how he could have been better than Hayden.
TheJediBrah
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Reputedly rolling Gilly's missus wouldn't have helped
Basically went off the rails towards the end for a variety of reasons but that never happened
mr_mister
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
I came in expecting more Slater discussion
jimmy101
Cricketer Of The Year
Maybe this is what was going through Slater's head at the end of his career.