The “I don’t care what his average is, but he’s a damn good player” Thread

[Qlder]

I think David Hookes fits this well.

I always wonder how good he could have been if WSC didn't halt his early Test career and if Andy Roberts (in his peak) didnt break his jaw in the time before helmets

 

[OverratedSanity]

Hemang Badani for me. Barely played any tests, only 30 or so ODIs, averages barely low 30s but every time I watched him bat, I thought he looked classy to the eye. . You can't tell me that someone who can time the pants off the ball like this can't play.

 

[Kenneth Viljoen]

Morne just wasn't as good as everyone thought IMO

That's because he didn't bowl full enough

Here is a classic example ..

Cook was Morkel's bunny yet he only knocked his stumps over in 2017 after a dozen dismissals because he finally worked out that pitching fuller gets more wickets

 

[kyear2]

England's self destructive compulsion to give whichever batsman in their team owns a pair of gloves the position instead of picking a proper keeper has been going strong for 30 years

And it's apparently spread everywhere as well.

 

[kyear2]

Robin Smith.

Yup, chose him as well. So much better than people would think based on the average. Fearless.

 

[Nas207]

In 2010s
Virat : Avg of 55 in 84 Tests
Pujara : Avg of 50 in 75 Tests
Rahane : Avg of 44 in 63 Tests

In 2020s
Virat : Avg of 30 in 33 Tests
Pujara : Avg of 30 in 28 Tests
Rahane : Avg of 25 in 22 Tests

They... got old?

On this topic, too early to say Jofra Archer? He looks way better than his average would suggest.

 

[Shady Slim]

They... got old?

On this topic, too early to say Jofra Archer? He looks way better than his average would suggest.

i got a lot of personal mileage out of making fun of archer's north of thirty bowling average during the ashes but in the seven tests since he has come back to his credit he's averaged under 26: long road for him still to stay healthy and he's already 31 which for an injury prone big quick isn't great but if he kicks on with it he'll be a legend, and likewise if he doesn't kick on with it it's solely at the feet of joe root

 

[Johan]

i got a lot of personal mileage out of making fun of archer's north of thirty bowling average during the ashes but in the seven tests since he has come back to his credit he's averaged under 26: long road for him still to stay healthy and he's already 31 which for an injury prone big quick isn't great but if he kicks on with it he'll be a legend, and likewise if he doesn't kick on with it it's solely at the feet of joe root

Root has done nothing wrong.

 

[ImpatientLime]

what about looks a million dollars but is infact ****? daren ganga. used to get so many reach arounds for his impeccable technique. dire player.

 

[Nas207]

i got a lot of personal mileage out of making fun of archer's north of thirty bowling average during the ashes but in the seven tests since he has come back to his credit he's averaged under 26: long road for him still to stay healthy and he's already 31 which for an injury prone big quick isn't great but if he kicks on with it he'll be a legend, and likewise if he doesn't kick on with it it's solely at the feet of joe root

Most 'striking' thing about his stats is his strike rate of 57. You'd think it would be much lower especially given he opens the bowling.

 

[Daemon]

Kane Williamson. Horrible (like really shocking, and somewhat embarrassing tbh) averages away from home against the better teams of his era. Like it was so, so bad that if it was any other player that would be an instant disqualifier for greatness. He even dodged certain tours at peak and retired mid series to protect the battering the average would take. But you can’t tell me he wasn’t a damn fine player.

 

[Chin Music]

That's because he didn't bowl full enough

Here is a classic example ..

Cook was Morkel's bunny yet he only knocked his stumps over in 2017 after a dozen dismissals because he finally worked out that pitching fuller gets more wickets

I certainly recall him having Strauss on toast from the 2008 series onwards as well.

 

[Nas207]

England's self destructive compulsion to give whichever batsman in their team owns a pair of gloves the position instead of picking a proper keeper has been going strong for 30 years

Stewart was the start of this trend, Sangakarra cemented it.

 

[Chin Music]

Stewart was the start of this trend, Sangakarra cemented it.

I think this has been going way longer than that. Jim Parks over Godfrey Evans was way before then. Late 40s earkt 50s.

 

[ankitj]

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi despite averaging 13.50 in international cricket.

 

[mr_mister]

I think David Hookes fits this well.

I always wonder how good he could have been if WSC didn't halt his early Test career and if Andy Roberts (in his peak) didnt break his jaw in the time before helmets

Yep. As a kid growing up in the 90s in my mind Hookes, Doug Walters and the Chappells were all legends and must have all been 1970s batting peers, such was the impression I got from the way commentators and pundits discussed them. "Hit 5 fours in an over against Tony Grieg on debut in the cententary test, what a murderous batsman he must have been"

When I got older and started looking at career stats I was suprised to see he achieved basically nothing at international level. Still holds a few impressive Sheffield Shield records though like fastest ton, centuries in both innings of consecutive games, and highest 4th wicket partnership. A bit of a mystery

 

[Son Of Coco]

Rob Quiney

 

[Jane Austen]

Yep. As a kid growing up in the 90s in my mind Hookes, Doug Walters and the Chappells were all legends and must have all been 1970s batting peers, such was the impression I got from the way commentators and pundits discussed them. "Hit 5 fours in an over against Tony Grieg on debut in the cententary test, what a murderous batsman he must have been"

When I got older and started looking at career stats I was suprised to see he achieved basically nothing at international level. Still holds a few impressive Sheffield Shield records though like fastest ton, centuries in both innings of consecutive games, and highest 4th wicket partnership. A bit of a mystery

Those five fours caressed to the boundary by David Hookes in the 1977 Centenary Test remain in the long-ago memory nearly fifty years later.
At the time we all thought it was the second coming of the Messiah ie Graeme Pollock,but it was not to be.Flashes of brilliance,yes,but there was no credible consistency at Test level.A wasted talent.
Doug Walters was a batter of unpredictable and flawed genius.Unlike Hookes,Dougie had a successful Test career averaging 48.26.There were times when a session of Walters at the crease would turn a match into an Australian victory---consider his three centuries in a session in seasons 1972/73,1973/74 and 1974/75 v West Indies,New Zealand and England respectively.
That was why Ian Chappell,one of the great Test captains,stated that whatever form Walters was in,he would always pick him because he was capable of playing a match-winning innings which few others could do.
Neither of the Chappell brothers could be considered under-achievers.
Greg Chappell always reminded me of Peter May,batting "tall" and with powerful and orthodox elegance,masterful at the on-drive.He is a candidate for an ATG Australian X1.
Ian Chappell,the older brother was an underated batter in my opinion.He didn’t have the inate talent or elegance of brother Greg but he was an integral part of the Australian batting for many years.The phrase ""tough and nuggety" was often used to describe his batting to which I would add that he was more than an accumulator,looking for runs with quick footwork and fearlessly standing up and hooking ths fastest bowlers.As with Herbert Sutcliffe who also enjoyed hooking,after getting out with the shot he replied that the runs he made hooking more than made up for the times the shot got him out.Chappelli---a fearless batter,captain and commentator.
Ian and Greg are the grandsons of Vic Richardson who captained the succesful Australian Test tour to South Africa in 1935/36 when Don Bradman declined to tour.Vic Richardson was a batter more in the style of Ian rather than Greg.

 

[andruid]

Wasim Jaffer strikes me as someone who looked like a million bucks while opening the batting for India. If my memory serves me right, he was on the wrong end of Ganguly sticking Dinesh Karthik at the top of the order to soak up the new ball in a tour England. Then when that tour was over, Gautam Gambhir and Sehwag took over as openers and Jaffer was left by the wayside.

 

[Top_Cat]

Hookesy is a great shout. One of those 'on his day' types, especially if he was ****ed off about about something or someone.

Years ago I was playing for Woodville and our grade had a bye, so we went to watch the A's vs East Torrens. I got to Campbelltown Oval and saw Hookesy was out running the slips catches. Apparently he was given a spell from the state side after delivering a gobful to one of the selectors. Something like that. In a hint of what was to come, Hookesy was letting loose with a volley of stingers at those old metal slips catchers, and mercilessly berated anyone who fumbled. Was delivering some lessons for us all. Hero.

Anyway I remember being super disappointed when he batted a bit down the order. Luckily the A's had them in all sorts (had three state bowlers in the line-up at the time) so Hookesy strided out at 3/sfa. Dude proceeded to smash 222 red off nothing. I dunno how many zacks he rained down upon us but it was a lot. He was using one of those old Gray Nicks double scoops and landed them to every corner. Dented about 5 cars.

Hookesy walks off at the changeover, hurls his gloves and box and basically splinters his bat on one of the trees. Then he makes a beeline for the Torrens skipper and gives him a spray, he ****ing should have scored ****ing 300, etc. basically having a go at skip for being weak as piss and not letting him open. Skip retorted with no I in team and if he didn't like it to **** off home.

Oh yeah? Hookesy calls him a poof, storms off, hops in his Beamer and vanishes. Hero. Epic ****ing day.