3rd Test Border Gavaskar Trophy December 14-18 1050hrs @ The Gabba

[DaRick]

Why did he retire so young?

Saqlain I always suspected may have dipped out because of the growing scrutiny on bowling actions.

Murali’s was so complex that whatever side of the argument you stood on there was always some scientific or biomechanical counter argument getting lodged. Saqlain didn’t have a ‘tricky’ action - he just had a downright suspicious one at times. He was still a fantastic bowler and that doosra was beautiful when he got it right: it was like it hung in mid air sometimes and then pitched and kicked away

He was also one of the few non Indian spinners who did well there albeit he only played one series there - he took 20 odd wickets. He bowled well in Australia on his one visit, only notably struggled in a couple of places.

Just reading a few online things about him, there are some theories that he was a lot older than his alleged age as well

Knee injury + over-obsession with variation over his stock delivery + incompetent PCB management (they had a traditional healer treat him FFS) + changing life priorities (religion became more important to him than cricket).

Like Wasim Akram, he was born in Lahore, so his age is probably correct. If he was born in the Khyber area (ala Younis Khan or Shahid Afridi) then his age would be suspect, since birth certificates aren't such a big thing in those places.

A fellow offspinner in Murali was already being investigated for throwing during Saqlain's prime, so there's no reason why Saqlain wouldn't have been, especially since the PAK cricket team was already under suspicion for unrelated reasons during the late 1990s.

Here one theory regarding why Saqlain's doosra wasn't considered a throw:

He didn't turn his doosra as much as other bowlers but because he turned his offie that much it was enough.

He would twist his wrist around to cut around the right side of the ball and that armed with a very fast arm action meant it would come out and land on the flat surface of the ball and go on with his arm.

It was his arm speed and quick shoulder that meant it was a legal delivery.

That said, some bowlers who took after him (Shoaib Malik and especially Saeed Ajmal) definitely had suspect actions. Tellingly, Ajmal turned his doosra far more than Saqlain did - no surprise that his action was found to be illegal while Saqlain's wasn't.

 

[Lunchtime]

Saqlain was a world class off-spinner. Really enjoyed watching him bowl.

 

[Cmarsh]

He’s pretty much the only player under 30, and he’s the scapegoat. It’s not just SA.


Sure there is, it’s clearly a diversion play by the selectors so they don’t drop the gold pass members.

The clearly talented Konstas has his selection justified on the basis on twin centuries on a postage stamp ground with 50mtr square boundaries, and two hit and giggle scores against India A and in the BBL.

Good luck to him, but should he fail, I don’t want to hear the “he’s only 19 and is still learning and needs time”.
Because that’s what should be said now.

That India A side had a quality bowling attack though.

 

[SSwans2011]

I've got no problem with Konstas being selected. He's clearly the best long-term option for that opening spot.

It's dropping McSweeney over Khawaja or Labuschagne despite them having much more exposed shit form that doesn't sit comfortably with me.

It's ironic with Khawaja because I think we never should have dropped him in the first place and he should have been brought back a lot earlier than he was, but now it appears that we're going to hold onto him for too long.

 

[TY24]

So they didn't pick Konstas on the basis of his red ball runs this summer... they do pick him following his 27 ball Big Bash innings? JFC.

I have no idea what role Abbott is supposed to be performing, and I'm yet to see a good argument for his inclusion.

Richardson is an interesting one. I think he's one they really want involved whenever he's fit, seemingly ignoring the risk of him being made of glass.

Bringing in 15 guys for a home test match is a touch embarrassing, and smacks of some desperation and a lack of awareness as to who the best team is.

Do you understand the concept of 'a body of work'?

 

[Black Diamond]

He scored a red ball 100 against India A and a shield 80 since the test team was announced. He has not been picked because of the Big Bash game.

The post you are quoting isn’t worded the best, but is agreeing with you - Konstas had the runs and form but wasn’t picked.

 

[PhatBoy]

Knee injury + over-obsession with variation over his stock delivery + incompetent PCB management (they had a traditional healer treat him FFS) + changing life priorities (religion became more important to him than cricket).

Like Wasim Akram, he was born in Lahore, so his age is probably correct. If he was born in the Khyber area (ala Younis Khan or Shahid Afridi) then his age would be suspect, since birth certificates aren't such a big thing in those places.

A fellow offspinner in Murali was already being investigated for throwing during Saqlain's prime, so there's no reason why Saqlain wouldn't have been, especially since the PAK cricket team was already under suspicion for unrelated reasons during the late 1990s.

Here one theory regarding why Saqlain's doosra wasn't considered a throw:



That said, some bowlers who took after him (Shoaib Malik and especially Saeed Ajmal) definitely had suspect actions. Tellingly, Ajmal turned his doosra far more than Saqlain did - no surprise that his action was found to be illegal while Saqlain's wasn't.

Yeah Saeed Ajmal looked very suspect and you’re right his hand did go a long way around the other side of the ball which is fair enough

 

[Dubai Quacker]

I'm not sure North would be happy for Konstanty to jump sports in his first pre-season.

Bloody autocorrect.

Gotta take this issue up in the “things that annoy me” thread.

 

[Trojan90]

Meanwhile, not far away our arch enemies have unearthed 5 genuine ling term players and resolved that you need a battery of fast bowlers on rotation to win the Ashes. This could turn to shit very quickly for us.

It’s got disaster written all over it. What will our squad look like?

They’ve worked out a solution to their opening issues. Plucked some kid out of nowhere, found their keeper, decent middle order. Tapped a legend on the shoulder, sampled a few quick’s and spinners. Root in the form of his life shaping up for a career defining series.

If they can pull back on the recklessness I can see them being hard to beat. Maybe I’m overreacting?

 

[Westend]

He scored a red ball 100 against India A and a shield 80 since the test team was announced. He has not been picked because of the Big Bash game.

And Sydney was facing bumrah instead and didn’t get a chance to play those games

They picked him over Konstas at the start of the series . They should’ve stuck with him

They the selectors should man up and admit they where wrong .. they f&$ked up and stuck with the older players who are in terrible form

 

[Grumpyshades]

Only questioning it because he seems to be the exception to the rule of blooding minimal new blokes. Green possibly the only other one but at the time was the only all rounder averaging over 30 in the shield.

a little misleading..In the 2 seasons prior to his test debut Green was averaging mid 60's with at least 6 100's..(can't remember exactly)
Green was the best performing batsman in the shield before being picked to play test cricket

 

[Iceman!]

And Sydney was facing bumrah instead and didn’t get a chance to play those games

They picked him over Konstas at the start of the series . They should’ve stuck with him

They the selectors should man up and admit they where wrong .. they f&$ked up and stuck with the older players who are in terrible form

They are in no worse form than the guy you are saying they should stick with.

Also they did man up and admit they were wrong by dropping mcsweeney for konstas

 

[Westend]

a little misleading,In the 2 seasons prior to his test debut Green was averaging mid 60's with at least 6 100's..(can't remember exactly)
Green was the best performing batsman in the shield before being picked to play test cricket

Yup

 

[Westend]

They are in no worse form than the guy you are saying they should stick with.

Also they did man up and admit they were wrong by dropping mcsweeney for konstas

No they f$$&Ed up by giving a young player 3 tests and made him a scapegoat

Ussie and labs form is just as bad and for longer one of those should of been dropped for Konstas

 

[Cleavy]

They knew they had 2 patient openers, and now McSweeney cops it in the neck for not batting aggressively enough and being unable to combat Bumrah. What’s Khawaja’s excuse?

 

[Iceman!]

No they f$$&Ed up by giving a young player 3 tests and made him a scapegoat

Ussie and labs form is just as bad and for longer one of those should of been dropped for Konstas

It isn’t making him a scapegoat, they are dropping a guy who is struggling in a high pressure series.

They also have thousands of test runs, heck Marnus at least had a 50 from this series.

 

[western royboy]

It’s got disaster written all over it. What will our squad look like?

They’ve worked out a solution to their opening issues. Plucked some kid out of nowhere, found their keeper, decent middle order. Tapped a legend on the shoulder, sampled a few quick’s and spinners. Root in the form of his life shaping up for a career defining series.

If they can pull back on the recklessness I can see them being hard to beat. Maybe I’m overreacting?

You are on the money, meanwhile we have an aged batting list and an aged bowling unit and Alex Carey.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

It's dropping McSweeney over Khawaja or Labuschagne despite them having much more exposed shit form that doesn't sit comfortably with me.

I don't agree. While Usman and Labuschagne are still issues to solve, they are issues that are without a solution presenting itself atm.

When I read CA's article today quoting Bailey on the decision to drop McSweeney and seemingly put Konstas in his place it's translates to me as "Selector acknowledged **** up two games ago and corrects mistake".

Selecting a guy to open who'd never opened before (first time we'd done that since WSC took our best players) McSweeney was set up to fail and should be dropped.

I agree with dropping him. Given our biggest issues are at No.2 and No.3 I don't agree with the reserve batsmen being Webster and Inglis... But then the alternative is failures like Renshaw, Harris and Bancroft.

 

[Westend]

It isn’t making him a scapegoat, they are dropping a guy who is struggling in a high pressure series.

They also have thousands of test runs, heck Marnus at least had a 50 from this series.

Nope he is the fall guy for the other poor performers on the side you can’t convince me otherwise

Its not like we are 3 nil down if we where I could understand

But it’s 1 all. If they stayed with Sydney for this test and he struggled and we lost going into the scg test and he was dropped .. that I could agree wirh

This decision is terrible for a young player and if I was Nathan I would be terrible disappointed and pissed off

It reminds me of a young martyn getting dropped after he made 9 against sa hitting on the up … he was made a scapegoat at the time and it took him years to get back .. lets hope that doesn’t happen with Nathan

 

[Westend]

I don't agree. While Usman and Labuschagne are still issues to solve, they are issues that are without a solution presenting itself atm.

When I read CA's article today quoting Bailey on the decision to drop McSweeney and seemingly put Konstas in his place it's translates to me as "Selector acknowledged **** up two games ago and corrects mistake".

Selecting a guy to open who'd never opened before (first time we'd done that since WSC took our best players) McSweeney was set up to fail and should be dropped.

I agree with dropping him. Given our biggest issues are at No.2 and No.3 I don't agree with the reserve batsmen being Webster and Inglis... But then the alternative is failures like Renshaw, Harris and Bancroft.

Well the selectors have created another issue with dropping Sydney does he go back to Sa to play as an opener? the selectors don’t rate him as one ?

Or does he go back to batting 3/4 ??for Sa If so how does he get back in with labs and smudge 3 and 4 and green who averages 50 batting at 4 ?

Patterson making runs at 3 plus he wears a blue cap so is Nathan behind him ?

Selectors have just f$$ked over a young player to accomodate a 38 year old who can’t field and is struggling with the bat and a number 3 who hasn’t made a ton in 40 odd innings ..that were we are at

 

[Pure_Ownage]

So when is George resigning after admitting after 3 games that a non opener isn't the right option when it was obvious to the rest of us before the 1st test that that was the case? There's no accountability in cricket leadership and unfortunately with the new CEO coming in that won't change as he's weak.

Bailey should be sacked tomorrow and hand back his paycheck.

 

[Ohitsthatguy]

If Konstas fails I hope you will be all as critical

 

[Iceman!]

Nope he is the fall guy for the other poor performers on the side you can’t convince me otherwise

Its not like we are 3 nil down if we where I could understand

But it’s 1 all. If they stayed with Sydney for this test and he struggled and we lost going into the scg test and he was dropped .. that I could agree wirh

This decision is terrible for a young player and if I was Nathan I would be terrible disappointed and pissed off

It reminds me of a young martyn getting dropped after he made 9 against sa hitting on the up … he was made a scapegoat at the time and it took him years to get back .. lets hope that doesn’t happen with Nathan

I disagree if the series was already lost then you stick with him, we currently are still a chance to win the series which means it is all about picking the best 11 to win the next test.

I strongly believe Usman is currently still a better test match batsmen than Sydney.

 

[Westend]

If Konstas fails I hope you will be all as critical

I hope Konstas scores runs as he is a talented young lad with a big future

But that doesn’t mean I agree with the way he got picked for the squad

Not his fault of course

 

[Iceman!]

So when is George resigning after admitting after 3 games that a non opener isn't the right option when it was obvious to the rest of us before the 1st test that that was the case? There's no accountability in cricket leadership and unfortunately with the new CEO coming in that won't change as he's weak.

Bailey should be sacked tomorrow and hand back his paycheck.

Wait you want people to resign every time they make a mistake?