Print

[stevie]

How good a captain has he been in the recent odi series against Bangladesh? Also how has his batting been?  Am i right in thinking that he is just standing in for Ponting at the moment?

[Outlaw]

His leadership skills have been impressive, batting wise below par 40 @ 13.33

[Tikolo]

Hes got a good cricket brain though, plus who else is going to do the job. I mean you can;t expect someone like Michael Hussey or Symo to do the job because he is just about the same age as Punter, so thats not looking towards the future. Pups been in the team long enough and his place in the team in all forms of the game is pretty secure, so i guess hes the only player with the right credentials to fill in for Ponting and take over when Punter retires.

[stevie]

Not a good sign with his batting though. Hopefully it's just a blip as when he's batting well he is one of my favourite batsmen to watch. Personally i would like him to be captain after Punter as i as well can't see who else would get the job.

[Sambo]

Brett lee, but his time in the game is in question. I think it could be pre season rust (well im hoping anyway). yet on saying that id like to congratulate the bangers on their bowling performance. i think they try to bowl like other teasm, but they dont have the speed to. if they bowl like that more often i can see some major upsets in their favour soon

[Tikolo]

Yeah but you don't really see many Bowlers being captains though i dunno why, i can only think of Daneil Vettori in international cricket. why though?

[stevie]

I think the idea is that they have enough to worry about with their bowling, Pollock did it but not very well.

[Tikolo]

Yeah but they are able to step up and bowl at the death for their team, take wickets at crucial moments in a game

[stevie]

Shouldn't they be able to do that anyway if there international bowler's?

[Sambo]

against top class batters, thats not always possible

[stevie]

What i'm saying is that international bowler's should always be playing at 100% and that they shouldn't need to raise their game just because their captain the same way a batsmen shouldn't. I understand that they would like to lead by example.
Sambo your saying that raising your  game isn't possible against harder oppisition as that for me is when you would want to be trying harder anyway.

[Class act]

Nobody could bat on those terrible Darwin pitches, he will be a great captain when ricky retires.

[Howzat]

I agree with class act one day he will make a good captain, but will he be able to cope with the pressure?

[Sambo]

mate i meant that sometimes things dont work out and you get tonked. It's a fact of cricket. Everybody has off days. And no it is possible to raise your game for harder opposition, look at the bangladeshi bowlers in the 3rd ODI. I wasn't inferring that at all.