tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7743563958457915835.post5192405227725657293..comments2023-07-06T00:12:25.395+10:00Comments on We'll Have A Bowl: Unconventonal Wisdom: Why does Captain Ricky bat 3rd?JBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17441666338383100642noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7743563958457915835.post-50233736248112731272009-01-25T00:33:00.000+11:002009-01-25T00:33:00.000+11:00The idea is sound if you have the right guys; it w...The idea is sound if you have the right guys; it worked for Sri Lanka with Kaluwitharana and Jayasuriya for a couple of years. My issue with Warner/Ponting is that Warner is a loose unit and Ponting a nervous starter. If it works perfectly, that's great, then we're 0/120 after 15. What worries me is when we're 2 for not much after two overs.<BR/><BR/>The Hussey brothers...judging them by this series, not sure the middle overs is their go. The whole middle order has drastically underscored in the middle overs in the 3 matches so far and leaves me yearning for M. Clarke. Or even Boof Lehmann or even Bevvo. Guys who could work the singles with the odd boundary. As it is, the wily Botha is bringing the game back to SA every time during this period. Even part-timer Duminy has been effective.<BR/><BR/>Anyway, when all is said and done, all gripes are forgotten, then all I can say is this has been the most enjoyable summer of cricket for me in a long time. Every match keenly contested, plenty of good scraps, and as much as it annoys me, I've actually enjoyed watching the Saffers go about their work. But they'll really piss me off if they win on Australia Day. How fucking un-Australian would that be?!Master Ohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00674054900515007793noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7743563958457915835.post-14986670474122623852009-01-24T18:38:00.000+11:002009-01-24T18:38:00.000+11:00Actually not an indictment on Marsh - he's in good...Actually not an indictment on Marsh - he's in good form and looks okay.<BR/><BR/>But the point is, the nature of the one-day game means that the bulk of the high run overs come at the start and finish of the innings. Making batting 3/4 less important in the scheme of things. I think you want guys like Marsh/Hussey/Hussey for the middle overs and stack the top with Ponting/Warner.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7743563958457915835.post-3159323786830887522009-01-24T17:37:00.000+11:002009-01-24T17:37:00.000+11:00Marsh is the perfect opener to compliment Warner. ...Marsh is the perfect opener to compliment Warner. You certainly don't want two loose cannons like Warner at the top of the order. Sure he might have grundled to 43 off 63, (which isn't really too bad) but he does have the ability to play more attacking cricket, see IPL. The openers scored more than enough runs at a good enough clip to set us up yesterday. So what was the problem? Our current middle order batsmen (excluding the injured M.Clarke) are very ordinary between overs 16 and 40. Not only do they struggle to work the singles, but they get out. And they get out through soft dismissals. They suck against canny spinners such as Vettori and Botha. We should have scored considerably more in all three matches, but the middle order dicked around too much in the middle overs. I actually think that Marsh and Warner could be our openers for a long time. I would say that your idea certainly has merit but that you might be being a bit harsh on the leading runscorer in the series, averaging 66.66 at a strike rate of a 76.04 which I would say gives the top order some much needed stability.Master Ohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00674054900515007793noreply@blogger.com