WATTOs class mates

[Lightning McQueen]

Comments get skewed by these personal biases too often IMO. The worst is when I read comments where supporters are willing certain Aussie players to fail (often to justify loud opinions and stupid predictions made earlier).

Yep, got it in one. That's my biggest annoyance in all of this .. urging Australians, and Australia to fail. I just cannot handle that.

Like or dislike players by all means, but never let it detract from the bigger picture, or a balanced argument.

I think it's because there are more unpopular players in the side than previous years, in recent years there was always one or two that might of got on your nerves, there seems to be more nowadays, we play an arrogant brand of cricket.

[Hondo]

LM we have played that way as long as I have been following cricket - that's since 1980. Tough, confident and bordering on arrogance at times and sometimes crossing the line.

Look at the way we strutted around in the 70s for starters and then cue a Warnie send-off highlights reel

Not that I am anti-warnie BTW. It's just that what we think of as arrogant today is no different to the last 30 years or so IMO.

[Lightning McQueen]

LM we have played that way as long as I have been following cricket - that's since 1980. Tough, confident and bordering on arrogance at times and sometimes crossing the line.

Look at the way we strutted around in the 70s for starters and then cue a Warnie send-off highlights reel

Not that I am anti-warnie BTW. It's just that what we think of as arrogant today is no different to the last 30 years or so IMO.

Yeah, I'm hearing you, perhaps it was players that had established themselves that used to get animated, now it's as soon as they reach the test arena. I don't really know the answer but I never thought I'd see the day that I get annoyed with our team.

[Pup]

If they did this to Clarke or Johnson and not Watto , Im sure they would have been castigated more in the forums

There is a huge amount of Clarke haters out there but yes i know what you mean.

[mal]

Hondo reminds me of another poor act
Paul Adams decieved and out to Warne [bowled from memory by a flipper ???]
When Adams got out we could all hear this long protracted laugh at the batsmans disMissAL
That was Shane Keith Warne


And yes the ugly Aussie image has been with us for a few decades

I just wish Watto would smile more often
Be less temperant on the field
Sledge or whatever on a lower scale
Watto has a poor image, and one that attracts spectators to despise him at times

[Adelaide Hawk]

Comments get skewed by these personal biases too often IMO. The worst is when I read comments where supporters are willing certain Aussie players to fail (often to justify loud opinions and stupid predictions made earlier).

Yep, got it in one. That's my biggest annoyance in all of this .. urging Australians, and Australia to fail. I just cannot handle that.

Like or dislike players by all means, but never let it detract from the bigger picture, or a balanced argument.

I think it's because there are more unpopular players in the side than previous years, in recent years there was always one or two that might of got on your nerves, there seems to be more nowadays, we play an arrogant brand of cricket.

I guess that's where I am a little different. I quite like the players with a bit of mongrel in them, they are usually the most exciting players to watch. That's not to say I tollerate unnecessary poor behaviour, but I am always willing to give benefit of the doubt to slight misdemeanours in the heat of battle. It's professional sport, and you can bet a lot of these players are having a smile together over a beer at the end of the day.

The only player who IMHO has overstepped the mark is Harbhajan Singh, he just rubbed myself, and many others up the wrong way with his deliberate attempts to antagonise.

BTW ... I'm still searching for the reasons people don't like Michael Clarke. What has he ever done on a cricket field to provoke such dislike from cricket supporters?

[RoosterMarty]

Comments get skewed by these personal biases too often IMO. The worst is when I read comments where supporters are willing certain Aussie players to fail (often to justify loud opinions and stupid predictions made earlier).

Yep, got it in one. That's my biggest annoyance in all of this .. urging Australians, and Australia to fail. I just cannot handle that.

Like or dislike players by all means, but never let it detract from the bigger picture, or a balanced argument.

I think it's because there are more unpopular players in the side than previous years, in recent years there was always one or two that might of got on your nerves, there seems to be more nowadays, we play an arrogant brand of cricket.

I guess that's where I am a little different. I quite like the players with a bit of mongrel in them, they are usually the most exciting players to watch. That's not to say I tollerate unnecessary poor behaviour, but I am always willing to give benefit of the doubt to slight misdemeanours in the heat of battle. It's professional sport, and you can bet a lot of these players are having a smile together over a beer at the end of the day.

The only player who IMHO has overstepped the mark is Harbhajan Singh, he just rubbed myself, and many others up the wrong way with his deliberate attempts to antagonise.

BTW ... I'm still searching for the reasons people don't like Michael Clarke. What has he ever done on a cricket field to provoke such dislike from cricket supporters?

A lot of people dislike him because he is one half of Australia's "glamour couple", he also said a few things to Roy when he played up... and I guess because he was named as "Australia's captain in waiting" quite some time ago also gave some people a reason to hate him. It's all a bit stupid really, Clarke is one of my favourite cricketers.

[Lightning McQueen]

Yep, got it in one. That's my biggest annoyance in all of this .. urging Australians, and Australia to fail. I just cannot handle that.

Like or dislike players by all means, but never let it detract from the bigger picture, or a balanced argument.

I think it's because there are more unpopular players in the side than previous years, in recent years there was always one or two that might of got on your nerves, there seems to be more nowadays, we play an arrogant brand of cricket.

I guess that's where I am a little different. I quite like the players with a bit of mongrel in them, they are usually the most exciting players to watch. That's not to say I tollerate unnecessary poor behaviour, but I am always willing to give benefit of the doubt to slight misdemeanours in the heat of battle. It's professional sport, and you can bet a lot of these players are having a smile together over a beer at the end of the day.

The only player who IMHO has overstepped the mark is Harbhajan Singh, he just rubbed myself, and many others up the wrong way with his deliberate attempts to antagonise.

BTW ... I'm still searching for the reasons people don't like Michael Clarke. What has he ever done on a cricket field to provoke such dislike from cricket supporters?

So did I until I started coaching junior cricket, seeing under 11's doing the chainsaw after a wicket, copying Brett Lee didn't go down to well with me.
I happen to like Michael Clarke, the only thing that annoys me about him is when he constantly throws the ball back to the keeper, even if he fields it at mid off.

[mal]

Micheal Clark is an immaculate individual
At the top of his game
A wonderful example of a mature responsible cricketer
How anyone could dislike Clarke is beyond me

Here are my current ratings of the most annoying cricketers in the current XI
Included in the ratings are immature acts, missdeMEAN ours, and other annoying traits

This has nothing to do with temperamant or cricketing abilty

1 WATTO hands down, he is on par with Harbijan Singh
2 BOLLINGER gave me the bird at Adelaide Oval last season, and is a pestious type on field
3 PONTING becoz he has to at times
4 HADDIN has a go at the opposition, but often within respectability
These 4 are the main protagonists
5 SIDDLE the way he smirks when things go against him
6 ????
KAT/HUSSEY/CLARKE/NORTH/JOHNSON/HAURITZ are all nice lads who Ive never had a prob with

[spell_check]

Hondo reminds me of another poor act
Paul Adams decieved and out to Warne [bowled from memory by a flipper ???]
When Adams got out we could all hear this long protracted laugh at the batsmans disMissAL
That was Shane Keith Warne

Aww, that's my favourite Warnie moment!

Who wouldn't laugh at someone reverse sweeping straight to slip? Even a no.11 should know better.

[NFC]

Pretty ordinary that you would want Australia to lose a Test match just because you dislike Watson....

I thought the kiss blowing was absolutely disgraceful as well but there doesn't seem to have been much talk in the media about that.

Because an Australian didn't do it. If an Aussie, god help us Watson did it, everyone would be abusing us.

[NFC]

Micheal Clark is an immaculate individual
At the top of his game
A wonderful example of a mature responsible cricketer
How anyone could dislike Clarke is beyond me

Here are my current ratings of the most annoying cricketers in the current XI
Included in the ratings are immature acts, missdeMEAN ours, and other annoying traits

This has nothing to do with temperamant or cricketing abilty

1 WATTO hands down, he is on par with Harbijan Singh
2 BOLLINGER gave me the bird at Adelaide Oval last season, and is a pestious type on field
3 PONTING becoz he has to at times
4 HADDIN has a go at the opposition, but often within respectability
These 4 are the main protagonists
5 SIDDLE the way he smirks when things go against him
6 ????
KAT/HUSSEY/CLARKE/NORTH/JOHNSON/HAURITZ are all nice lads who Ive never had a prob with

Despite the facct he throws away his innings virtually every time he steps out to bat?

I agree though, very good cricketer, hugely talented (expecting him to reach Ponting llike greatness at his peak) and shouldn't be bagged as much as he is.

[mal]

Disagree on Clarke being an impetious batter who gives his wicket away
His batting after the Indian Test series have been Steve Waughrish
He has almost given away his penchant of lofting over the infield
He has become a carpet batting batter and ala Waugh his back foot strokeplay on the offside has been gorgeous

He will still occasionally get out playing the big shot, but which batsman dosent


WATTOS class mate AAMIR
Said in the press

Aamir insisted Watson could count his lucky stars that he had made a century claiming he had forced the test opener to lose concentration
""He played a bad shot and was lucky to get there""

AAMIRS class mate WATTO
Said in the press
Watson insisted he was at his best when he was in a fight
And he told fast bowlers to keep coming at him-like 17 year old Pakistani quick Aamir who blew kisses at him and sledged him during a vicious bumper wat at the MCG
""I know when Im in fight thats when I will do my best"" Watson who hit an unbeaten century yesterday

SUMMARY
WATTO luvs a scrap yes, but if you look at the Aamir v Watto ball by ball duel, the young Paki quick won on points
Only a butterfingered gully fielder changed the headlines today
Watto out for 99 = Aamir won the battle

[Lightning McQueen]

I'm not trying to dangle a line here, it's just an observation as I haven't been able to watch much of the tests this series, has Watto's bowling suffered any from his overwhelming success as an opening batsman. I did get to watch some of the Paki's first innings, he appeared to just be going through the motions, is he bowling within himself to avoid injury.
A couple of years ago I thought he was in the 140's consistently and aggressive, he just seemed to be rolling the arm over and having a bit of a laugh.

[mal]

WATTO since becoming an opener and his bowling figures
ENGLAND
0/23[3]
0/26[5]
WEST INDIES
0/31[9]
2/44[10]
2/57[12]
1/15[11]
0/34[12]
2/30[14]
PAKISTAN
1/30[13]

8/290[89]
36.25 ave

useful stats
stats can lie as Ive been told, his value is he gives the frontline bowlers a break
as we can see he never has a heavy workload, prob becoz of past injuries
he does look lethargic in his run up
I would think hes given up bowling as quick as possible, and going for variations and reverse swing
But Im only guessing I havent taken much notice of his career

[FlyingHigh]

Mal, you have struck a nerve with these comments. The behaviour from some of our Australian cricketers hasn't been great of late, the performance from Watson in the previous Test wasn't good, nor was some of the crap Siddle was dishing out to Pakistan tail enders today, it really isn't necessary.

I am pleased to have the Australians dealt with and scorned in the media for poor behaviour, but only if they were also prepared to dish it out to members of opposing countries for much the same misdemeanours. However, they are not, and it has been my belief for some time that castigating Aussie cricketers is the safe way to go for fear of creating an international incident should they do the same to players or teams from other countries.

This attitude from the media has become tiresome, and also responsible for creating a new generation of cricket supporters in this country who are Aussie haters, which is insane.

Players from other countries know this, and are aware so long as they walk around the field with smiles on their faces, they can pretty much say or do as they please. Benn was unlucky, his matter was dealt with by match referees, not the Australian media.

Today, I saw Aamer from Pakistan give Ricky Ponting a send off in much the same manner as Watson's in the Perth Test. As a matter of fact, Ponting seems to get that send off against most countries these days. It was very similar in that both players were extremely disrespectful in giving the dismissed batsman the cherio. If Watson's actions came under scrutiny from the media, then so too should have Aamir's .. but we know it won't.

The only comment made at the time came from the diplomatic Richie Benaud who uttered the words, "Reminds me of Perth ... and Watson looks on in approval". In other words, Richie didn't like what Watson did, nor did he like what Aamer did. At least Richie had the guts to say something, the others remained silent.

Mal is spot on. Had Watson been carrying on as Aamer and Asif were today, it would be headline news in tomorrow's sport page. I just hate the double standards.

Re: WATTOs class mates
magpie in the 80's wrote:
Quote:
Today, I saw Aamer from Pakistan give Ricky Ponting a send off in much the same manner as Watson's in the Perth Test.
What a lot of cod wallops, nothing like Watsons send off. Aamer didnt run up to Ponting and get in his face. I saw a KID give a fist pump like what Brett Lee gives when he got an important wicket when bowling.

Good post AH, and I agree with you except for this bit. M80's is right, from what I saw on the telly Aamer's was nothing like Watson's antics in the Perth Test. Aamer's was simply some exuberance that a plan had worked, and anyone who has played cricket at any level has felt that extra rush of excitement when one of your plans comes to fruition in the field.

[FlyingHigh]

Today, I saw Aamer from Pakistan give Ricky Ponting a send off in much the same manner as Watson's in the Perth Test.

What a lot of cod wallops, nothing like Watsons send off. Aamer didnt run up to Ponting and get in his face. I saw a KID give a fist pump like what Brett Lee gives when he got an important wicket when bowling.

[Lightning McQueen]

Very insightful High Flyer

[FlyingHigh]

Very insightful High Flyer

Thanks. Glad I could contribute to the conversation

Hopefully fixed now

[Lightning McQueen]

Very insightful High Flyer

Thanks. Glad I could contribute to the conversation

Hopefully fixed now

We all do it, I see what you were getting at.