Third Test - Australia vs. West Indies

[PARRA_FAN]

Yes well it is his last tour to Australia, unless he decides to contine at 40, and he's always had big innings against Australia. I think almost every series against Australia he's scored a century. I noticed the Brisbane was booing when they showed the replay of Lara getting out, when he really wasnt. They wanted to see a big innings from Lara and was dutted by the umpire.

 

[Tommy Smith]

For those who havent read it, this is one of the more interesting articles you'll read these days:

http://foxsports.news.com.au/story/0,8659,17354921-23212,00.html

 

[Twizzle]

Wasnt it great to see the crowd cheer him on to his 200. The Aussie fans showing great respect for him and his talents.

that was great and they replayed it a few times on the TV, he has earned it

even if he got a duck, they would have applauded him

 

[El Diablo]

For those who havent read it, this is one of the more interesting articles you'll read these days:

http://foxsports.news.com.au/story/0,8659,17354921-23212,00.html

only if the selective walker makes you gizz

 

[Twizzle]

For those who havent read it, this is one of the more interesting articles you'll read these days:

http://foxsports.news.com.au/story/0,8659,17354921-23212,00.html

great story, especially this bit

"I remember last time Brian was touring here in 2001 he made a brilliant 182 in Adelaide, but early on in his innings it didn't seem like he was going to play a single shot," Ponting said.

"He was blocking every ball that came along, he looked really tentative and nervous and was leaving a lot of deliveries without even appearing like he wanted to go after them. He had scored something like five off 40 or 50 balls and so I ran past and chirped at him.

"I said 'you've been out here for an hour and made no runs' and 'you wouldn't want to get out now, you've wasted all this time for your team'.

"From that moment on he just smashed us. After the game he came into our dressing rooms and said to me 'thanks very much', to which I replied 'what do you mean?'.

"And he told me that's the way he likes to go about it, to face a certain amount of balls before he starts playing his shots. If you look at him bat now, that's pretty much what he does.

"At the end of that series he wrote on one of his Test shirts 'let's make sure we face at least 40 balls in the middle' and gave it to me. So I've always got on with him really, really well ... apart from that little blow up in Hobart the other day."

 

[aussies1st]

I hope Ponting didn't say something again :lol:

 

[Balmain_Boy]

202 not out mate, so he'll still be batting when you get there

enjoy, it will be a great privilige

probably the last time he bats in Australia

Yeh, it's going to be unbelievable. My old man booked us tickets. I said to him, if lady luck's with us, we might see him break AB's record. But jeez, I didn't think we'd be seeing it with him on 200+ :shock: First test match I ever attended was Lara's 277 and since then he's been second only to Bevan. I'm not going to be able to sleep tonight!

It was great to see the crowd appreciate Lara. Great to see them do it all summer actually. I think Lara's had a rough trot with the media on previous tours, but I think people are starting to realise that he is one of the top 5 bats of the last decade at the least. It's good to see him go out with the class he is.

 

[Balmain_Boy]

That's an good read. Sometime I wonder if Lara spoils for a fight just to get himself motivated.

 

[Twizzle]

I hope Ponting didn't say something again :lol:

I reckon Ponting learned somthing from that

its the way I bat as well, I'm a slow starter, mainly because I'm older than most

I always believe you've gotta build a foundation before you can build a house

I've heard Sunny Gavaskar say something similar, and he was another batting legend

thats why these guys have such high averages, they now how to build an innings

 

[aussies1st]

Lets hope so, Ponting just doesn't seem to be able to go on for a massive one like Lara but he can learn to build the "foundation before making his house" ;-)

 

[azza]

Few batsmen in the modern era have had the penchant to go on and make "big" hundreds the way Lara has done throughout his career. But it wasn't all that long ago that Ponting scored two double hundreds in back to back tests v India so I think he is capable of producing the big innings, if not as frequently as Lara can.

 

[Twizzle]

despite the fact that Lara's career is almost over, I think he will be remmembered as a better batsman than Punter

Punter has a fair bit to go, but Lara is one of the greats

 

[Balmain_Boy]

I think so Twizzle and by a fair margin. I also think it will be a little bit unjust to Ponting (and I am no great fan of Ponting's). He's every bit as effective as Lara. Lara just has an aura that I don't think any other batsmen in World cricket has at the moment. Some of that comes from he's seemingly 'unstable' temperament. But to me it's just the shots he plays. He plays shots that noone else in the world could contemplate. Like that one handed sweep for four, or that cover drive off Lee the boundary before he got his tonne. What the bloke can do with a piece of willow is just incredible.

BTW, I might be a bit over the top. Just so stoked to see BCL going out on a high in Australia.

 

[aussies1st]

Lara is definitely a great player. Way above anyone in our current era apart from Tendulkar. Hayden hasn't reached those heights and won't be due to his age. Ponting has a chance to though.

 

[El Diablo]

Punter is better

 

[Balmain_Boy]

I think Ponting is probably as good as Lara; well he will be if he can maintain it for the length of time Lara has. But I guess if I had to some it up, Ponting is a great test batsmen, where as Lara is a great test batsmen AND an enigma. It's the latter that will really have him remembered. Ponting will be remembered by Australians, whereas Lara will be remembered by the cricketing world.

Having said that, Lara has really on confirmed his greatness in the last 3-5 years in my book. So who knows what heights ponting will reach before the end of his career.

 

[azza]

Punter is better

I don't think so. Ponting is in that "very good" bracket but not in the "great" bracket like Lara and Tendulkar. Ponting may well reach the next level by the end of his career but he isn't there yet IMO. Moreover, he still hasn't proven himself on subcontinental pitches against quality off-spin. Lara on the other hand was brilliant in Sri Lanka against Murali.

 

[El Diablo]

Border was better too

 

[Balmain_Boy]

Nah.

 

[Tommy Smith]

When determining who is better and who is truly great, you have to take in the opinions of people around the world. The cricketweb forum is a place with fans all around the world and they had a vote on who they considered truly great players. Something like 95% voted Lara as being a true great. Only about 10% voted Ponting as great (obviously that could change over time). So thats what i take into account.

To use a comparison, in Pakistan im sure they hold Inzy in as high a regard as Aussies do Ponting. Same for Miandad and Border/Waugh. But only when a player is judged by the international community is their greatness revealed. And Lara and Tendulkar are the clear stand-outs there from the last 15 years. Others that stand out as truly international greats are Viv Richards, Gavaskar, Pollock, Sobers.

The way i would put it is, of modern batsmen, the likes of Waugh, Ponting, Border, Miandad, Chappell and Inzy would be in the Hall of Fame. The likes of Sir Viv, Tendulkar, Sobers, Pollock and Lara would be regarded as Immortals.