"Salil" <salilbenegal@gmail.com> wrote in message news:1112656409.179756.127470@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...> Was guilty of getting out to a few inappropriate shots in the series> against Australia, trying to go after the bowling far too early (IMO)> and getting out cheaply several times.
I agree: that has been the hallmark of McCullum's batting career to date, along with a habit of attempting to manufacture scoring opportunities off every ball he faces.
I am yet to be convinced that he can play any other way. Today is the usual fare: plenty of talent, but already dropped twice prior to lunch.
"Salil" <salilbenegal@gmail.com> wrote in message news:1112670077.190929.188570@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com...> 99 for him and he finally goes. Shame he missed out again on a ton -> but not the first time it's happened either, as I recall him getting 96> (and again slowing down towards the end and getting out) against> England at Lord's.
Yes, he did get stuck on that occasion but that was wholly the result of Simon Jones bowling an unplayable spell of reverse swing. McCullum didn't go into his shell as such - he simply couldn't get bat on ball.
Still, the main thing is that he (along with Astle and Marshall) put> the runs on the board here. NZ in an excellent position, and if> Wiseman/Mills/Franklin can add another 30-50 runs (which they're more> than capable of), Sri Lanka will be under a huge amount of pressure.
Not that they batted as if under pressure. As was pointed out on the radio commentary, this Napier pitch is as close to a Sri Lankan deck as one is likely to find in New Zealand.
"Salil" <salilbenegal@gmail.com> wrote in message>news:1112656409.179756.127470@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...>
Was guilty of getting out to a few inappropriate shots in the series>>against Australia, trying to go after the bowling far too early (IMO)>>and getting out cheaply several times.>>
I agree: that has been the hallmark of McCullum's batting career to date,>along with a habit of attempting to manufacture scoring opportunities off>every ball he faces.>
I get the impression that he has at least improved in this respect. Would that be correct? If he continues to bat at about 7 then I don't really have too much of a problem if he wants to play aggresively (but not insanely). If the team is going well then fast scoring is probably what is called for. If they are in trouble then trying to attack their way out of trouble is as reasonable a tactic as any. Maybe his problem is that he thinks he can bat like Klang. I don't think he's good enough to do so and trying would probably lead to his getting out attacking too much.
On an unrelated topic, has the Sri Lankan catching been shite or what? On the overs I have seen on cricinfo there's been several misses as well as a bisect the keeper and slips. Good to see Jayawardene is still as good in slips as ever.
"Michael Seth" <michaelseth@nospam.hotmail.com> wrote in message news:d2ut9p$7i9$1@news.ucalgary.ca...> Andrew Dunford wrote:>
"Salil" <salilbenegal@gmail.com> wrote in message> >news:1112656409.179756.127470@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...> >
Was guilty of getting out to a few inappropriate shots in the series> >>against Australia, trying to go after the bowling far too early (IMO)> >>and getting out cheaply several times.> >>
I agree: that has been the hallmark of McCullum's batting career to date,> >along with a habit of attempting to manufacture scoring opportunities off> >every ball he faces.> >
I get the impression that he has at least improved in this respect.> Would that be correct?
Yes it would, although at times it appears to have made him less sure about how he wants to play.
If he continues to bat at about 7 then I don't really have too much of a> problem> if he wants to play aggresively (but not insanely). If the team is going> well then> fast scoring is probably what is called for. If they are in trouble then> trying to attack> their way out of trouble is as reasonable a tactic as any. Maybe his> problem is that he> thinks he can bat like Klang. I don't think he's good enough to do so> and trying would> probably lead to his getting out attacking too much.
Indeed, especially when surrounded by reliable types such as Oram.
On an unrelated topic, has the Sri Lankan catching been shite or what?> On the> overs I have seen on cricinfo there's been several misses as well as a> bisect> the keeper and slips. Good to see Jayawardene is still as good in slips> as ever.
They took a few smart catches (Jayasuriya snaring Astle in the gully was a sharp effort) but overall too many went down.
IIRC Jayawardene was fielding mainly at short leg on the infamous occasion when he dropped four in a single innings (during Fleming's 274*).
