Time for changes

[luckyeddie]

Who said that.......... oh and i never suggested that Hick will get picked i random picked players

That's been the ECB's problem for a number of years - random selections. The trouble with the last 12-18 months is that, even if they've tried to be consistent, the injuries have meant that there's been little continuity.

Still, at least we have seen a few good prospects who in the past would never have got near the team at their age.

 

[marc71178]

Hick is 37 but still one of the best

Oh yes, I remember his superb batting for England in the last 12 months as being some of his best efforts!

 

[Anil]

You quite clearly said "Test Team" and put forward Hick as a fringe player.

He's failed more times than Tim Henman. Period.

Hey, Henman reaches the Wimbledon semis regularly and has been a top ten player for quite sometime. Hick doesn't merit any comparison with Tim on the big stage.

 

[krkode]

Well Graeme Hick is kind of a legend in English county cricket today...I mean, you don't have to succeed at the international level to be considered successful.

 

[marc71178]

I'd disagree there - CC is too easy.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

IMO, Hick is talent-wise one of the best players in the world and has been for more than a decade now but he hasn't fulfilled his potential at Test level. He has been a very good ODI player though. I definitely wouldn't give him a spot in my team at this point though.

 

[chris.hinton]

Oh yes, I remember his superb batting for England in the last 12 months as being some of his best efforts!

He never really did it at test level, but Butcher apart from his great innings against Aussies in 2001 would have a lower Average

31.32 is not that bad

 

[Rik]

He never really did it at test level, but Butcher apart from his great innings against Aussies in 2001 would have a lower Average

31.32 is not that bad

It's not very good either. Considering Hick is 37 and he's said he's planning to retire after next season I would think his time has passed. Butcher has won a match for his country in Tests, Hick never got close.

 

[krkode]

I'd disagree there - CC is too easy.

Well I don't see too many other current English players averaging over 50 in CC with over 100 centuries...what could that be telling?

 

[Anil]

He never really did it at test level, but Butcher apart from his great innings against Aussies in 2001 would have a lower Average

31.32 is not that bad

Come on, that man was hailed as the second coming of Bradman for God's sake. He doesn't even compare to average international players.

 

[Rik]

Well I don't see too many other current English players averaging over 50 in CC with over 100 centuries...what could that be telling?

He's got an inferiority complex and he's played a long time?

 

[luckyeddie]

If you took pace bowlers out of test cricket, I would agree with the inclusion of Hick even at this late stage of his career.

Unfortunately, he has never come to terms with top-quality pace (and there isn't a lot of that in county cricket).

He's probably the best player in the English county game against trundlers, but that's not enough.

 

[chris.hinton]

If you took pace bowlers out of test cricket, I would agree with the inclusion of Hick even at this late stage of his career.

Unfortunately, he has never come to terms with top-quality pace (and there isn't a lot of that in county cricket).

He's probably the best player in the English county game against trundlers, but that's not enough.

I agree The smae could be said for a lot of players

 

[Anil]

If you took pace bowlers out of test cricket, I would agree with the inclusion of Hick even at this late stage of his career.

Unfortunately, he has never come to terms with top-quality pace (and there isn't a lot of that in county cricket).

He's probably the best player in the English county game against trundlers, but that's not enough.

Has he come to terms with quality spin then?

 

[Rik]

Has he come to terms with quality spin then?

Yes, he does play spin well. But he's been bowled or LBW quite often to fast bowlers, even though he copes with overseas pacers pretty well in the CC which makes me feel it's a confidence and inferiority problem that came in after his early failures. He has also got out many a time to a careless shot like a miscued drive.

 

[krkode]

He's got an inferiority complex and he's played a long time?

Lots of people play for a long time but they don't always get 100 centuries.

All I'm saying is International success isn't all that's there to cricket :P

 

[Rik]

Lots of people play for a long time but they don't always get 100 centuries.

All I'm saying is International success isn't all that's there to cricket :P

True, it isn't, but he has played for over 20 years and he's played 440 FC games...could someone work out the average number of games per 100? He's scored 121...

 

[krkode]

Well isn't it an admirable thing having kept fit for over 20 years and keeping the selector's faith for over 400 games?!

Oh, and that's 3.63 matches per 100. It's better than Vaughan's.:rolleyes:

 

[Rik]

Well isn't it an admirable thing having kept fit for over 20 years and keeping the selector's faith for over 400 games?!

Oh, and that's 3.63 matches per 100. It's better than Vaughan's.:rolleyes:

Yes cause Vaughan has a poor FC record and plays on the dodgy pitch at Headingly.

 

[Bazza]

....as opposed to the batting paradise that is New Road?

Yes he never achieved success at the highest level, especially considering how much was expected of him. That was probably the problem - expectations were too high.

I definitely agree though that 121 FC tons is a phenomonal achievement.

Did you know Rik he is 34th on the all time list of first class run scorers, and that he has played less games/innings than everyone above him, and in fact everyone in the top 59?

He is 13th on the list of century makers, and could well move into the top 10 if he gest 4 more, passing Graveney, Compton and Grace - not a bad trio. Again he's played less matches/innings than everyone above him.

Only a certain GA Gooch has scored more List-A runs, albeit by some margin. Again he has a nack of reaching three figures, with 36 tons to his name - 3rd behind Gooch and SRT. He's 10th on the averages list (5000+ runs).

OK so he isn't the most successful test match batsman the world's ever seen, but he has achieved some unique things in his time, and has an outstanding track record in domestic cricket, which he deserves credit for.