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Post by davemorton on Dec 14, 2023 15:34:52 GMT
Warner is playing his final Test series - why do they retire so young? - and I am currently watching the recording as he clocks up yet another century.
I know some people don't like him, though I am not one of those. I consider Warner to be perhaps the best Australian left-handed opener ever. I don't go back quite as far as Arthur Morris, who was Bedser's bunny in much the same way as Warner was Broad's, but I think he is better than Bill Lawry, or Mark Taylor, or Hayden and Langer. Have I forgotten anyone?
I was lucky to be in S Africa when Warner got a century in each innings at Cape Town, in the game which was the series decider. Two sensationally good innings against a fearsome fast attack.
Warner is also a superb batsman to watch, a sort of super-Lyth without, quite, Adam's cover drive. He is still unbelievably fit, and as good between wickets as any who ever played the game.
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Post by tykemania on Dec 14, 2023 16:26:14 GMT
Sorry, I really can't agree with any of that. When compared with the elite, Warner is a flat track (or perhaps a fast track) bully who has been repeatedly found out when playing abroad; he's a decent player, but not on the level of a Hayden (as evidenced by the six run gap in their Test averages). Quite aside from that, he is a boorish human being whose repeated transgressions, not least his involvement in blatant cheating have to be held against him.
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Post by newby on Dec 14, 2023 17:03:05 GMT
Whatever the merits of his cricket, or the handicap of his personality, especially to most of us Poms, he's had a very good career representing Australia in all formats. I don't think they have stuck with him for any other reason than he is an excellent cricketer. Perhaps it's only us who put a premium on insisting that a player has to be a jolly nice chap as well.
I suppose he has the luxury of being able to retire from Test cricket to do a lot less for more money than he can ever need by continuing in the IPL. Ideal part-time job if you have other interests you would like to spend 9 months of the year doing.
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Post by karma on Dec 14, 2023 19:42:42 GMT
Whenever I hear his name I think about the time he thumped that young choir boy Joe Root, who'd had the temerity to have a joke apparently at Warner's expense.
As a batsman he's a class act a full-bodied fine wine. But one that doesn't always travel well. Great inning today though, 164?
Another great player, Stuart Broad, seemed to have his measure. The character flaw that led to him sandpapering over some cracks will also be part of his epitaph, at least to me.
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Post by slowleftarmer on Dec 18, 2023 8:20:42 GMT
didnt he also thump Joe Root in a Birmingham night club?
Sorry, never liked the bloke and not sure most of his team mates throughout his playing career do either.
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Post by davemorton on Dec 18, 2023 11:08:55 GMT
I think he is liked by teammates, if not by opponents, because he always gives 100% to the team, in the field and running between wickets for his partner. I can think of another player - perhaps a S African who played for England? - who was exactly the opposite.
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Post by newby on Dec 18, 2023 17:26:30 GMT
I never knew there were any issues between basil d'oliviera and his England team mates!
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Post by karma on Dec 18, 2023 19:00:15 GMT
I just think he was nuts.
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Post by tbsteve on Dec 19, 2023 2:50:37 GMT
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Post by newby on Dec 19, 2023 9:14:30 GMT
He's Marmite I think it's fair to say. I don't like it, or more precisely I'm not prepared to give it house room.
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Post by davemorton on Dec 19, 2023 10:44:44 GMT
I assume the 'nuts' is a KP joke, Karma. I worked with a woman called Kath Povey. Same thing, except she was nice.
Marmite is fine, occasionally. A by-product of the brewing industry, I believe. Nicer than Vegemite. And everything's better than biltong, which Bumble said was like eating your shoes.
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Post by karma on Dec 19, 2023 12:07:17 GMT
I assume the 'nuts' is a KP joke, Karma. I worked with a woman called Kath Povey. Same thing, except she was nice. Marmite is fine, occasionally. A by-product of the brewing industry, I believe. Nicer than Vegemite. And everything's better than biltong, which Bumble said was like eating your shoes. Yes, Dave I was referring to KP I admired some of his cricket but yes he can be a bit marmite. Surprised he hasn't incurred more injuries, not playing cricket but repeatedly banging his head upon going through the dressing room door. Coincidentally, after a couple of circuits at Harlow Carr this morning, I've worked up an appetite and, being a vegetarian, I'm going to have Marmite on toast covered with peanut butter. You are right about the source of Marmite (sometimes called brewers yeast) , it's choc-a-bloc full of B Vitamins , magnesium and folic acid , which is why vegetarians eat it (and Vegans too) Unfortunately it's also usually full of salt so we use it sparingly or use the lower-salt version Peanuts are not really nuts but legumes (like peas or beans) but protein packed - we tend to use the low or no salt variety made from whole peanuts but without added oil. Being veggie and old, protein is what I prioritise . Apart from this, the combination is delicious and making me hungry. Lunchtime!
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Post by karma on Jan 1, 2024 14:25:41 GMT
Well David Warner has said that he has "no regrets"over 'sandpapergate' . In my book that makes this brilliant batsman, a bully and an unapologetic cheat.
I appreciate many players 'cheat' but haven't been caught and others will take a different view of this player.
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Post by davemorton on Jan 1, 2024 14:44:23 GMT
Sandpaper? Call that cheating? He should have played for Prestwich CC, but it's probably not easy to do a sneaky ball-change when the umpires aren't looking, at International level. It was shameful that the rookie Bancroft (?) was made to do the act and to take most of the blame - and that's down to Smith, Warner and Lehmann - but it was a pretty trivial occurrence, in my book, compared with, for example, the Matt Prior jelly bean prank, which was a deliberate act to distract a batsman, not to mention many of the disgusting things said out in the middle.
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Post by karma on Jan 1, 2024 18:13:48 GMT
Understand what you are saying . I'm just a paying member of the public and whether it's cricket, rugby, football or whatever, ALL cheating is basically stealing from whoever buys tickets to see sport (not cheating) and two wrongs don't make a right. Matt Prior was cheating too.
So basically Mr Warner is saying has 'no regrets' and that he's not bothered. He's not bothered that he cheated the other team(s), he's not bothered that he influenced a junior member of the team 🤔 to cheat, he's not bothered that paying members of the public are cheated (people who don't earn the fabulous amounts he does). And basically he's not bothered about anyone but himself
He doesn't even seem to be bothered that he got caught, that he's sullied a game that so many enjoy. No contrition . Basically 'up yours' . Well he might be remembered for his batting but I'll remember him for the other thing too and also thumping that young kid Joe Root.
Unapologetic cheat. No remorse. How are the kids meant to get their values?
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