The Lineup
B.I.R. Column Of Fame
Man of Steel... Wood... and Mud: Bear Grylls
Rock Legend: Tom Morello

League Gods: The Emperor and Alfie

Str-8 Shoota: Malcolm X

Str-8 Shoota: Zack de la Rocha

Super Bad mofo's

Comrade Hillary

Monday, January 12, 2009

Alas, poor Skippy 

So Mathew Sinclair is dropped from the NZ cricket squad after a less-than-inspiring innings of 2 runs, to make way for the fat drunk known as Jesse "the body" Ryder. Sinclair was out caught behind to a prod outside off stump ... the same shot that Guptill got away with when the Windies 'keeper spilled a regulation edge. In fact, hero Guptill was dropped 3 times before he reached 30. If Sinclair had one third of that luck, he might have gone on to a great innings too.

Also interesting is that Guptill is dropped down the order to make way for the body (after making the most of his chances as opener, and then going on to score a great century). The logical choice would have been to drop McCullum - who can hardly buy a solid innings at the moment - down to #3.

Labels: , ,


Comments:
Sinclair doesn't get dropped because his edges are always the result of tame pokes at balls he should either be leaving or belting the cover off.

Those are the type that fly regulation height and speed to the guys standing there for those very catches.

If you're going to go at the ball go at it hard so you at least offer sharp chances.

I just watched replays of the two dismissals and Guptill was looking to drive forcefully down the ground so his knick took off. Looking at Sinclairs shot I'm not quite sure what the fuck he was trying to do, it was the type of stroke he plays constantly when repping NZ. A nothing foot anchored pokey stab at a ball a foot outside off.

Exactly what everybody surely knew he would do because it's what he does EVERYTIME he goes out to bat for NZ in the last few years.

International cricket does not suit guys who start nervously and Sinclair's starts last for about 40deliveries.
 
For the record in his last 9 tests and 16 innings going back to november 2004 he has 301 runs at 18.81, his last 15 innings he's averaged 15.4.

In ODI's in the same time period he has 235 runs at 26.11

so in the last 4 and a bit years for NZ he has had 37 innings, scored 536 runs at 21.44

The facts are unmistakeable. He has deserved to be dropped every time he has been and he has no fucking argument with it. Good luck scoring 50 million runs for CD but do not expect a place in a NZ team you contribute nothing to time and time again.
 
Despite Yamis' accurate summation of Skippy's failings I just plain like the guy and want to see him succeed, if only for long enough to pick up an Indian 20/20 contract.

That said, I'm over the moon that the next generation is breaking into the senior side and finally providing competition for spots in the line-up.
Guptill and Broom, along with incumbents Ryder and Flynn have shown that our development programmes are working well. There's several more excellent cricketers to follow these guys, and I await only the emergence of another Shane Bond before I boldly proclaim an era of kiwi dominance in international cricket.

Calming back down for a moment I imagine that Guptill is slotting into three so as not to disrupt (on the strength of only one, albeit magnificent, innings) the promising partnership of Prince Brendan and Jesse the Body. Nothing wrong with having an opener at three, although Guptill is bound to open in the long-term.
 
"I just watched replays of the two dismissals and Guptill was looking to drive forcefully down the ground so his knick took off. Looking at Sinclairs shot I'm not quite sure what the fuck he was trying to do, it was the type of stroke he plays constantly when repping NZ. A nothing foot anchored pokey stab at a ball a foot outside off."

Guptill's edge to the keeper was still fairly regulation, though. The keeper only had to move slightly to his right. The 'hard' chance was the one to either gully or point - hard, low, and moving away from the fielder. The caught and bowled he offered would be taken 4 times out of 5.

I think Sinclair was attempting a cut, and half-pulled out of it.

Still, if you only half pull out, she ends up pregnant.
 
My point is really that Guptill was being positive and trying to play some bloody cricket. When you go hard at the ball your edges fly a lot faster and so an edge that would be gobbled up usually from a defensive shot gets the edge of the hand or glove because the reaction time was a lot less.

Sinclair just freaked out like he always does and had one of his "my god, they've bowled a live handgrenade moments" and his body did one of his convulsive spasms, jerking at the ball.

I'm the opposite chuck z, I've always found the guy to be quite weird. He has never seemed to be "one of the boys" since day 1 in the NZ side and often has the "what did I do to deserve this" look on his face for every single thing that goes against him on the field. Including when his team mates miss chances he looks like he has just eaten a green lemon.
 
GingaGup was lucky; make no mistake. Still; you need to make the most of that, and from overs 10 on, he was good.

Could make a decent #3.

As for the development programmes; not sure Ryder is a product of that.

And the Academy failed Timmy Mac badly.

HNY all.
 
Yamis, I agree that Skippy has never been 'one of the boys' in the Black Caps. I can remember reading years ago that Flem and the senior core of the team at the time treated him as an outsider. I just wonder whether that treatment was a cause or an effect of his attitude and facial antics. Regardless, I don't think a team needs to be comprised of good mates. Surely the relationship between Coney and Hadlee shows that a team can operate successfully despite personal animosity between players, let alone despite a fringe player being unpopular?
I like Sinclair because his double tons made me feel fantastic about NZs cricketing prospects for a little while there. Of course he's pissed me off time and again with his failures since, but a bit of goodwill remains.

LB, Jesse the Body came through Under 19s, Academy and variously named NZ second XIs, as have Guptill, Broom, Taylor and How, plus most of the older players too, including Skippy. The only current Black Cap who doesn't seem to have progressed past Under 19 into the Academy is one DR Flynn.
 
You're right, you don't have to be one of the boys but in this case it seems odd that it wasn't two people who disliked each other (Coney v Hadlee), it was the fact that he looked disliked, or was an outsider to an entire bloody team. Even now when he's been captaining CD he's made some odd comments. I think he's a headjob (when batting, fielding, and off the field).

When he gets in he is an outstanding batsman. Unfortunately he just doesn't have the mental ability to survive at the start of an innings against bowlers who can send down half a dozen deliveries in that challenging corridor just outside off stump. In domestic cricket the bowlers are a little slower and spray it round more allowing players to leave plenty and get their eye in. That's why I like batsmen who may not make so many runs domestically but start confidently and play some (proper) shots.
 
Doesn't that fat drunk have a test average just under 50 (49.33) and a ODI average in the mid 30s? If the batting line-up was made up of fat drunks like him then we would be in a much better position. Would also like to see one of those Poms body check him when running between the wickets.

You can't not try Skippy every year or so as surely he can't be worse than the losers who have made their way into the team. At least, he might score a double ton or take a brilliant catch (that one in Aussie comes to mind). However, he is really the final option if there are injuries.

-dinkas
 
I think you can actually not try him every year now.

Because every year he makes a lot of runs in domestic cricket (and his domestic record stands up v any cricketer in the world I expect) because he has been dropped 4 times (5 now I think) and each time he has come back its based on his domestic record and he's made nothing for the blackcaps.

Our main problem has been with our openers. By and large our 3's, 4's, 5's, 6's, 7's etc have been competent.

It's there that we need to find a Richardson like player or two and then we could become an international side worth playing.
 
Friend! www.gmlvl.com was known to me due to its safety. But Occasionally, Today I found www.gmlvl.com were releasing new promotion. their leveling service looks really cheap. Before that, WOTLK Fast PowerLeveling 70-80 $129.99 Now only $89. I am overwhelmed by their amazing price.I will not let this precious to fly away from my eye.
 

Post a Comment

This page is powered by Blogger. Isn't yours?

The New
Blogging it Real supports the following sporting organisations