Underrated test cricketers

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smoker said:
Nice use of stats. He's only played three tests in 2014. Using 2014 as your qualifying period also conveniently excludes his good form against us in December 2013. As for dominant attack, Watson's career has coincided with Australia's lowest ebb c. 2009-2013.

Watto has been chucked in the number three slot because its a problem position for them and he 'should be grateful for a game'. He then gets lambasted for not scoring runs like a number three and being too nackered to bowl effectively. IIRC this was Border's (etc) line of attack. IMO he should be their regular number six, but the slot is earmarked for the chairman of selectors' son.

You have to feel for the bloke, he's damned if he does, damned if he doesn't. Gets shit loads of abuse from the booboys for not converting it into a ton. If he'd hit a ton, then it would be because the bowling was shit.

And yes, he does totally divide opinion in Australia, if he was universally rated then he wouldn't make a very interesting nomination for 'most underrated test player' would he?;)
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5 tests and 9 innings and that was his first 50 and he then got out as he often does sweeping a straight innocuous ball. Its a fair use of stats.

I think using his career bowling test average is 'a nice use of stats' when judging him on the player he is today. These days he only seems to bowl half a dozen overs a day as a fifth seamer and you are comparing him to say Flintoff who was bowling 20 over a day leading the attack. These days Watson bowls so little and so ineffectively he is a batsman or nowt and he has never scored enough runs for a front line Australian batsman.
 
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rentaghost said:
5 tests an 9 innings and that was his first 50. Its a fair use of stats.

I think using his career bowling test average is 'a nice use of stats' when judging him on the player he is today. These days he only seems to bowl half a dozen overs a day as a fifth seamer and you are comparing him to say Flintoff who was bowling 20 over a day leading the attack. These days Watson bowls so little and so ineffectively he is a batsman or nowt and he has never scored enough runs for a front line Australian batsman.
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1. He isn't fit enough to bat three and bowl 20 overs a day.
2. Doesn't score enough runs for a frontline batsman cos he isnt one. He's an all rounder.

Already set out the case a couple of pages back.

He is considered worse than shit by a large percentage of the cricket following public. He isn't. He is a useful all rounder who is doing a decent job plugging the gaps in the team at a lean time for Australian batting. Ergo most underrated test player, not seen any suggestions on this thread that come anywhere close to Watto in this regard.
 
smoker said:
1. He isn't fit enough to bat three and bowl 20 overs a day.
2. Doesn't score enough runs for a frontline batsman cos he isnt one. He's an all rounder.

Already set out the case a couple of pages back.

He is considered worse than shit by a large percentage of the cricket following public. He isn't. He is a useful all rounder who is doing a decent job plugging the gaps in the team at a lean time for Australian batting. Ergo most underrated test player, not seen any suggestions on this thread that come anywhere close to Watto in this regard.
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If an all rounder is someone who bowls 6 overs a day and hasn't taken more than 1 wicket in an innings in test cricket in more than 3 years then he is barely worthy of the name. He could bowl well in the past but these days he's barely more of an all rounder than Collingwood or Jonathan Trott were he doesn't take wickets, hes not a threat he just gives other bowlers a rest if needed. that's not enough to compensate for a batting average in the mid 30s.
 
rentaghost said:
If an all rounder is someone who bowls 6 overs a day and hasn't taken more than 1 wicket in an innings in test cricket in more than 3 years then he is barely worthy of the name. He could bowl well in the past but these days he's barely more of an all rounder than Collingwood or Jonathan Trott were he doesn't take wickets, hes not a threat he just gives other bowlers a rest if needed. that's not enough to compensate for a batting average in the mid 30s.
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See #1 above.

On the subject of Trott, now there's a player I fancy to make a comeback.
 
smoker said:
See #1 above.

On the subject of Trott, now there's a player I fancy to make a comeback.
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Cook, Trott, Ballance, bell, Root, Ali, Stokes, Buttler, Woakes, Broad, Anderson
That would be a pretty decent team with, Taylor, Finn, Plunkett, Lyth/lees, Jordan as reserves
 
Rip Van Fish said:
He is just not talked about in the same vein as an Amla or a Steyn for example.
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Cos hes no where near as good.........

Problem with shane watson is his temperament/ commitment

Hes really talented but almost always throws his wicket away. Compared to the player he could have been hes been a bit shit
 
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Ill say chanderpaul as my underrated player.

One of the best batting displays ive seen against us a few year back.

He didnt get out for about 3 month

His records class but he never gets mentioned in the same breath as people like clarke, de villiers etc

Hes carried the windies on his own for years
 
Murali Vijay for me. Given all the attention on Kholi and Pujara, Vijay seems a better, more technical player than both to me. Proper cricketer
 
SAFC 2012 said:
And aMla


Kohli will go down as one of the greats imo. I could watch him play all day. Pure class
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I love watching him but I'm mystified as to why he can't do well in England, wonder if he's got a mental block against the swinging ball. Seems to get runs in South Africa and Australia alright so it's not a problem with pace and bounce.
 
mikemanc said:
I love watching him but I'm mystified as to why he can't do well in England, wonder if he's got a mental block against the swinging ball. Seems to get runs in South Africa and Australia alright so it's not a problem with pace and bounce.
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He matured a lot. A ball outside off stump was like giving a plonky a pint. He couldnt help but driving at it.
 
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