Moderate up/downgrade thread

[trundler]

You know the drill. List 2 cricketers similar in style and state who was the moderate upgrade on the other.

Ex:

Kapil was a moderate upgrade on Afridi as a one day batsman.

 

[honestbharani]

Hardik is a moderate upgrade on Robin Singh.

 

[mr_mister]

Bevan a moderate upgrade on Harris

 

[h_hurricane]

Jadeja is a moderate upgrade on Lillee as an all conditions bowler.

 

[mr_mister]

it would look less trollish if they both bowled pace and/or spin

 

[honestbharani]

I honestly thought Hussey was a moderate upgrade on Bevan as he could play the big shots in addition to being able to do everything Bevan did. Also succeeded in test cricket.

 

[mr_mister]

Hussey's style was much more orthodox I feel.

 

[h_hurricane]

Jadeja is a moderate upgrade on Lillee as an all conditions bowler.

Had a bit of a look in cricinfo.

Jadeja has claimed 43 wickets in 14 matches @ 36.39 outside asia.

Lillee has claimed 28 wickets in 10 matches @ 36.96 outside the 2 ashes countries.

 

[stephen]

I honestly thought Hussey was a moderate upgrade on Bevan as he could play the big shots in addition to being able to do everything Bevan did. Also succeeded in test cricket.

There was an ODI generation between them. When Bevan was batting, a strike rate of 70 was average. By the time Hussey was batting, 80 was average. Both had strike rates fractionally above averaged for their eras.

Bevan had the shots but he played to his era. In the late 90s it was safer to score in ones and twos with the occasional boundary. By the time Hussey was in his pomp bats had become much thicker and so boundaries were more frequent.

I know there was only a couple of years between them, but the difference between ODI cricket in 1999 and ODI cricket in 2007 is insane. The biggest leap seemed to happen between the 2003 and 2007 world cups.

 

[TheJediBrah]

I honestly thought Hussey was a moderate upgrade on Bevan as he could play the big shots in addition to being able to do everything Bevan did. Also succeeded in test cricket.

This is a great call, though tbf I think it has more to do with the change in ODI cricket (bats, boundaries, rules etc.) between them than anything else. But definitely still counts.

 

[stephen]

Bevan was far more tested against quality pace attacks than Hussey too. I love Hussey but he wasn't a step up on Bevan, who let's face it, had ice in his veins.

 

[vcs]

No one who saw Hussey's knock in the WT20 2010 against Pakistan would deny his rescuing and finishing abilities, it's just that he got fewer opportunities to showcase it compared to Bevan.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Hussey was a moderate upgrade as a fielder too. And being a good bloke. Massive downgrade on the jaw-line though. Bevan looked like a guy who chews cement for fun.

 

[mr_mister]

No one who saw Hussey's knock in the WT20 2010 against Pakistan would deny his rescuing and finishing abilities, it's just that he got fewer opportunities to showcase it compared to Bevan.

I saw it but it seemed like more of an exception to the rule rather than something he was capable of doing often

I could cite Bevan's 185* off 132 balls against the Asia XI as an example of his ability to play 'big shots'

 

[mr_mister]

fun fact: if that 185*(132) match was deemed an ODI game and not just a List A match, Bevan's career average jumps from 53.5 to 55.0. His strike rate jumps from 74.2 to 75.1

A small but noticeable jump. And I bothered looking this up because frankly it's silly that it doesn't have ODI status. They were two world class outfits and Bevan scored his runs against Wasim, Murali, Vaas etc

I might submit a petition to Wisden to get it recognised

 

[TheJediBrah]

From memory it was close to a full strength Asia side, but the ROW side was not even close.

Can't have ODI status unless it's a properly selected side with everyone from every represented country available, like the 2006 "super series"

 

[stephen]

It was still an international quality side that the World XI put out. Was one crazy innings. The shots Bevan played off Murali were simply nuts. Way ahead of his time.

 

[trundler]

It was obviously not played with the same intensity as a proper international match though. Akram bowled only 5 overs, for example. I don't think the 2005 Superseries should have international status for the same reason. Graeme Smith is on record saying that he simply didn't give a ****.

 

[mr_mister]

it still counts dammit

how many JAMODIs are played with low intensity? I would say a helluva lot

 

[TheJediBrah]

It was still an international quality side that the World XI put out. Was one crazy innings. The shots Bevan played off Murali were simply nuts. Way ahead of his time.

Barely. The bowling attack was Andy Caddick, Nantie Hayward, Franklin Rose and Phil Tufnell. The Asia attack was genuinely great though, Wasim, Vaas, Kumble and Murali.

I wouldn't have thought the intensity was any lower than your average non World Cup ODI though.

It was obviously not played with the same intensity as a proper international match though. Akram bowled only 5 overs, for example. I don't think the 2005 Superseries should have international status for the same reason. Graeme Smith is on record saying that he simply didn't give a ****.

Sour grapes tbh. Those games were some of the highest quality cricket I've seen.

The Test match was a bit of a disappointment though. World XI batting fell to pieces, and you get the feeling they suffered from not really being a proper team. Still would have expected more from the likes of Kallis, Lara, Dravid, Inzamam and Sehwag as individuals.