West Indies Cricket Fans

howzdat wrote:I wonder why Usman Tariq Khawaja has been dropped from the Australia team currently playing in Sri Lanka?

howzdat wrote:Any comparison my question implied would have been on the simple and straightforward basis of effectiveness. To date, Philander has - and is more likely to have - a bigger impact on a cricket match as a bowler than the WI captain.

A while ago I decided to go all persona non utter with regards to the WI captain; prompted by some folks running to his defense by citing various forms of imagined negative bias, including nationality, in assessment of the man's contribution to the WI team. At the time I wondered why in the face of the glaringly obvious they continued to argue for him. So I took a look at the Sammy stats up to the then recently concluded Aussie series. In the batting stakes he was well up amongst the achievers on aggregate score on at least two series. So I thought ok howzdat time for you stand back from your own thoughts and assess Sammy wholly on the actuals.

With the century he subsequently scored in Engalnd I think all objective arguments that Sammy's continued selection is actually giving WI a bigger long term headache will fall upon deaf ears.

If Wi middle order prospers in the next two series Sammy will remain camoflaged in the glow of good feeling; he might get a few runs here and there, now and then, stoking the arguments of his legion followers, BUT objectively speaking he is gumming up the works. But it is as a bowler where i think he is doing the most damage.

At best he can be seen as a wholehearted bits and pieces player but not a 'go to' player at times of strife. Nonetheless, if the leading teams continue to get pulled back toward the pack then the impression of forward progress will remain and Sammy will continue to be an automatic pick.

So nowadays I just prefer not to say anything about him. cos we are stuck with him.

howzdat wrote:By Tony Cozier: Which_direction_next_for_the_game

Meanwhile, The ICC had agreed to a World Test Championship that would give the traditional game more context and the fitting finale that benefits both the shorter formats. The inaugural tournament was set for next year; without strong majority support, it has been delayed until 2017

Perhaps all the boards, and the television networks, presently so enamored by Twenty20 are taking note of the figures for the present Big Bash series in Australia. TV ratings are down 30 per cent and crowds nearly 40 per cent from the same stage last year.

Sportsmax's coverage shows vast empty spaces in the huge stadiums hosting the matches. Average crowds over the first nine matches were 11,167 compared to 17,575 last year. Only once has there been more than 10,000. There were similar declines in England last season.

And there is a growing feeling that, while Twenty20, especially at international level, will still flourish to provide the financial support for Tests, ODIs is the version that will have to make way to free up the overpacked international calendar.

The coming few years will tell.