Thought of the Day: The Cricket Names World Cup

With the Cricket World Cup less than 3 months away, interest is starting to pique in Australia with the current ODI series against South Africa underway & another series against India and England in the mix as a warm-up in January.

Heightened interest is leading fans to discover the teams involved (all 14) of them, and the star players of each.

With teams coming from such diverse locations as Ireland, the UAE, Zimbabwe and the West Indies (who could be replaced by Hong Kong if their players can’t be arsed committing to a tournament lasting more than a week), the names on offer are equally exotic.

So with that in mind I have looked into which teams have the best, or World Cup winning, names here:

Zimbabwe

Best Performers:

·      Shingi Masakadza: A truly electric-sounding African name, Shingi ensures that an authentic African flavour will be present at the cup.

·      Regis Chakabva: Regis brings a regal touch with his first name and some African (and potentially hard to pronounce) flavour with his last name.  This should ensure plenty of hilarity to TV watchers while the likes of James Brayshaw struggle with pronunciation.

Overall

A traditionally strong team in the naming department (e.g Heath “Hot” Streak and Henry “How” Olonga), the Zimbabweans seem to have actually stepped up for this World Cup.  They are bringing a really diverse and interesting mix and are sure to be there for the last match.

2/14

England

Best Performers:

·      Eoin Morgan: I challenge any player in this World Cup to have as many vowels making up their first name as Eoin.  A true stand out.

·      Ravi Bopara: This blokes name sounds like a party I want to be invited to.  It jumps around off the tongue and ensures that the 3 Lions have some real diversity in the team.

Overall

A team that has lifted out of the Australian-level doldrums through an aggressive immigration policy, they bring a lot of interest to the competition with the diversity of their names, though a bad taste remains when you consider that many of the players have just been stolen from other countries.

8/14

Australia

Best Performers:

·      Mitchell Starc: Though no guarantee to play, this Mitchell (not Marsh or Johnson) at least brings some slavic representation through his last name.  Also has good eye brows.

·      Xavier Doherty: No guarantee to play, though has somehow managed to play 57 ODIs despite averaging about 40 with the ball. Brings some interest with his first name that starts with an ‘X’. Also, is Tasmanian, which is a bit weird.

Overall

Traditionally under-achievers in the Cricket Names World Cup with very few names raising more than the single eye brow.  I can’t see these guys doing much better.  They are basically making up the numbers.

14/14

Ireland

Best Performers:

·      Niall O’Brien: About as stereotypical Irish name as you could get, with weird Gaelic spelling turning a dull name like “Neil” into something more interesting.  O’Brien just makes you think of leprachauns and Guinness.  Don’t pretend it doesn’t.

·      Kevin O’Brien: See Niall.

Overall

Having blokes with really Irish names gives one hope that, if an English game like cricket can make it in Ireland, it can make it anywhere.  Their presence gives the Cup some excitement and promise.  Definitely finalists.

4/14

Scotland

Best Performers:

·      Craig Wallace: Perhaps a descendent of William Wallace who brandishes his bat like a broadsword, or perhaps just a bloke named Craig.

·      Gordon Goudie: I’m not sure if Goudie is a traditional Scottish name, but it does remind me of Tim Brook-Taylor, and that makes me happy.

Overall

A disappointing result from a team with so much potential.  Similar to Ireland, Scotland has the potential for stirring national names, but also benefit from the immigration policies that England has benefited from.  Unfortunately neither of these is well represented with this squad, who have some serious introspection ahead of them.

11/14

New Zealand

Best Performers:

·      Brendon McCullum: Not really that good a name on face value, but becomes pretty entertaining once pronounced with a New Zealand accent. I’m hoping he doesn’t find out about this blog, he terrifies me.

·      Inderbir (Ish) Sodhi: Lifts the team from a naming cesspool including “Ross”, “Kane” and “Neil”. Having a first name that is so hard for team mates to pronounce that his official name is his nickname shows how good this bloke is.

Overall

The Black Caps always win a few points simply through the entertainment created by pronouncing their names in a Kiwi accent, but that trick is starting to get a little tired and predictable, particularly in a competition as strong as this.

12/14

Bangladesh

Best Performers:

·      Mahmudullah: I’ve posted already about my admiration for the man with one name, but his unique defiance of naming conventions makes him a stand-out attraction & brings the team up the ranks

·      Shakib Al Hassan: Possibly the only player in the Tournament who is as flashy as his name suggests.  Follows on from Mahmudullahs lead by dismissing the 2 name format for 3.  One to watch.

Overall

Good performers if a little predictable, who unfortunately suffer from the precedent set by long-time World Cup participants & neighbour, Pakistan, for Muslim names.  Still, a delightful addition & will finish just short of the semi finals.

5/14

South Africa

Best Performers:

·      Morne Morkel: What can I say? Tuna Morne?

·      Quentin De Kock: OK, this is a little bit obvious, but it only gets worse when you consider that his name sounds like “Cutey Cock” when pronounced differently.

Overall

I really would like to put these guys up the ladder for creativity alone, but you can’t reward creativity for creativities sake alone. They are just weird and uncomfortable names.  Only the dull Australian names keep them from the cellar. Kick them out.

13/14

India & Pakistan

I am never going to preference one of these on-line over another.

Tied for 6^th and 7^th.

Sri Lanka

Best Performers:

·      Harder to pick than a broken nose.  Could be any of Lokuge Dinesh Chandimal, Herath Mudiyanselage Rangana Keerthi Bandara Herath, Uda Walawwe Mahim Bandaralage Chanaka Asanga Welegedara or Ranaweera Mudiyanselage Shaminda Eranga

Overall

Traditionally strong performers in the Cricket Names World Cup, the Sri Lankans have only improved in the last 4 years and will take out the main prize again this year.  With cricketing talent to match their names, they will be playing more games than most & giving fans the longest enjoyment. First place by a furlong.

1/14

Afghanistan

Best Performers:

·      Mohibullah Oryakhel:  One of the things I like best about this bloke, is that his CricInfo profile says you can alternatively spell his last name with an “I”, rather than an “e”.  Genius.

·      Shafiqulluh: See Mahmudullah (Bangladesh)

Overall

With the potential to suffer from the issue of similar names as that of Bangladesh and Pakistan, Afghanistan break the mould with an influx of the letter “Z” and other exotic pronunciations.  A welcome addition to the competition & certain contenders for the “Super Sixes” stage.

6/10

West Indies

Best Performers:

·      Narsingh Deonarine: Adds a real flair to a team that is otherwise filled with “Dwayne”, “Darren” and “Chris”. 

·      Sulieman Benn: There is so much about this bloke that represents the plight of modern WI Cricket; he is 6 foot 7 but bowls off spin.  That being said, I can’t help but think of Neil Diamond whenever I hear his name.  Also an issue.

Overall

Have never really set a good standard since their heydays of the 70s and 80s with the likes of Colin Cowdrey and Malcolm Marshall.  In many ways the tournament would be a lot better if this lot didn’t show up & were replaced by Hong Kong.

10/14

United Arab Emirates

Best Performers:

·      Krishna Karate: With a first name invoking a peaceful deity and a last name invoking Daniel-San, this bloke has an attractive and juxtaposed mix.  Look for some very David Carradine style play.

·      Andri Berenger: In a team of very Islam-inspired names, Berenger is a stand-out & gives the team some real diversity

Overall

Last seen at the 1996 World Cup after qualifying for the Group Stages, the UAE have brought some real fire, creativity and diversity in the naming department.  Definitely Quarter finalists, I see them finishing third.

3/14

Sign of the Times: Australia aren't too committed

A glance at the recent Australia A v Pakistan scorecard reveals a few interesting insights:

And not the Esclusive on-the-go games!

If Australia is resting its players so that it is relying on Pakistan providing fill-in fielders, they probably aren't taking preparation too seriously.

Sign of the Times: Australia not very sportsmanlike

Taken from Cricinfo on October 13, 2014.

Australia celebrating the last ball victory over Pakistan

A picture tells a thousand stories.

Mitchell Starc obviously enjoying himself

Or sometimes just one.

Top 5: Lessons from Australian Cricket Debuts

The recent publication by Cricket Australia of the 49 cricketers to have debuted for Australia since 2004 caused little stir in the media or amongst cricket fans, apart from perhaps a few chuckles over some selections and a few wistful reminiscese about performances and what may have been.

There was one, though, dissenting voice from former fast-bowler Rodney Hogg who slammed the list as a travesty and an example of the dire state of Australian cricket, the end of the world and other histrionics.

With this in mind, I decided to take a closer look at the list to see if it really was time to pack a bug-out-bag and head for a bomb shelter, or whether things are ok.

Here is what I found….

The Method:

When looking at the players, I looked at the role they were selected to play, the number of games they played and whether they were successful, unsuccessful or moderately successful.

I also took into account whether their careers were curtailed by injury or the Stuart Law rule (where they are dropped for an existing member of the team, despite good performances).

I also took into account the year in which they made their debut, and whether it was possibly 'too early to tell' whether they had been successful.

Now, much of these categories are subjective, but its my blog and no-one reads it, so I’ll do as I please.   With this in mind, I present my summary.

Please keep in mind that I was a little lax on accurate performance statistics, often rounding total runs scored up or down.  Also, Ashton Agar is highlighted as the first debutante since Darren Lehmann took over as Coach.

The findings:

5. The majority weren’t failures

While 49 players making their debut in ten years may indicate a change-over of nearly half the team every year, the reality is far from true.

42% of the players were classified as ‘Unsuccessful’, meaning 58% (the majority, for those of you not familiar with forks and traffic lights) were acceptable cricketers. 

This takes extra precedence when you take into account that of the ‘Unsuccessful’ players, 2 had their careers curtailed by injury (Shaun Tait and Beau Casson), while 3 are defined as being “Too early to tell” (the resurgent Phillip Hughes, Usman Khawaja and George Bailey) and 1 falls under the Stuart Law rule (Graham Manou).

Graham Manou, right, his Cricinfo profile omits the phrase he may be heard muttering to himself “what might have been”

Taking these 6 players out of the overall count means that the overall Unsuccessful percentage of players moves down to 33%.

4. You can’t Spin bad Spin

The obvious area where selection could be criticised is in the Spin bowling department. Of the players defined as Unsuccessful, 45% are Spin Bowlers. Of these, the average number of matches played is only 2.1, indicating that they either weren’t given much of a go, or shouldn’t have been there at all.

Not naming names

The ineptitude of these players is reinforced when compared with the records of batsmen who were adjudged as Unsuccessful, who averaged 12 matches each.  This figure (12 matches) could also have been higher if not for the inclusion of Rob Quiney (2 matches).

3. I may be being a bit harsh

Using “Moderate” to define a players record is a bit of a cop-out, they either are or they aren’t, but it does allow me to add an element of success in determining how well the selectors performed in the period.

Looking at the players adjudged as moderate is quite telling.  Batsmen and Quick bowlers make up 33% of the total each, contributing over 3,500 runs (from 5 players) and over 200 wickets (also 5 players).  Interestingly, the “Moderate” batsmen played an average of 11.8 Tests, almost identical to the 11.4 played by the Quicks.

Its also important to take into consideration that 4 of the Moderately performed players were unable to take the next step due to injury (Andrew McDonald, Ben Hilfenhaus, Tim Paine and Shaun Marsh), 4 were adjudged “Too early to tell” (Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, James Faulkner and Alex Doolan) and 1 suffered from the Stuart Law Rule (Brad Hodge).

2. May the lessons of the past not be forgotten

Only 15 players that made their debut for Australia before 2009, leaving 34 to debut since then. Of the 15 that made their debut before 2009; 5 were spinners, 4 were Quicks and Batsmen, while there was 1 All-Rounder and 1 ‘Keeper.

More tellingly though, was that only 33% of these were judged Unsuccessful and that 2 of those were Cullen and Tait.  The others were Spinners (Cameron White, Jason Krejza and Dan Cullen).

The consistent trend here?   Unsurprisingly, that selecting players to perform in the Spinnning role that aren’t up to it will not succeed and will not last.  Equally unsurprising is that this applies to all other roles too, though poor spinners seem to get found out sooner rather than later.

Not naming names.

Given the comparably poor level of success experienced by the Australian cricket team in the period of 2004 – 2014, or in particular 2009 – 2013, one could mount an argument for selecting the best team & not simply picking a Spinner to make up the numbers.

Further to this, it is worth noting that continued success appears to be more prevalent where there are fewer debuts.  This is particularly telling when taking into account that only 4 players have made their debut since Darren Lehmann became coach in mid-2013, while others have had their careers resurrected (e.g. Dave Warner, Chris Rogers).

1. Hogg isn’t that bright

Of the players that Cricket Australia has selected in the past 10 years, more than half of them were not Unsuccessful (sorry for the double negative). 

This figure jumps to 66% not being Unsuccessful when the poor Spinners are removed and jumps higher still when players impacted by injury, the Stuart Law rule or who are “Too early to tell” are taken into account.

For the selection years since 2009, 2011 is a real stand-out with 10 debutants in that year alone, or 21% of the total debutants in the 2004-2014 period.  Of these, 4 were adjudged Successful, 3 Not Successful (including Khawaja and Starc) and 3 Moderate. 

The average number of matches for players that made their debut in this year is 13, indicating that many of these players are still going around 3 years later.

In Graham Yallops excellent book “A lamb to the slaughter”, recalling the dreaded 78/79 Ashes series, Hogg is seen as a bit of a mystery.  He takes a record number of wickets for the series, but simply gives up bowling when the mood seems to take him and is generally the stereotype fast bowler (aggressive, short-tempered and a little thick).

Given the accuracy of his comments on team selection, I for one advocate that we listen to the likes of Yallop in future.

Top 5: Thoughts from the ODI series in Zimbabwe

While the recent ODI series held in Harare between Zimbabwe, Australia and South Africa finished with few surprises, South Africa playing Australia in the final, there was still a lot to be learned from it.  Here are my top 5:

5. ODI Cricket isn’t dead

There are many out there tipping that the impending ODI World Cup to be the last given the increasing popularity of T20 cricket & the lack of interest in, as well as the lack of availability for, the original short form of the game.

With uniforms like these people will have to watch!

Support for this opinion has grown in recent years through poor scheduling of ODI tournaments, in Australia the traditional Summer tri-series has now been scrapped after years of excess games being played, as well as the increase in popularity in T20 games.

However, this recent series in Zimbabwe showed that an interesting series will draw attention.  Indeed the series had everything a cricket fan, and promoter, wants.

There were fireworks (Mitchell Johnson breaking commentarybox windows and sending stumps cartwheeling), upsets (Zimbabwe beating Australia) and plenty to pique interest in future games (e.g. the emergence of Mitchel Marsh, Zimbabwes possible resurgence, and the infinite possibilities for Dale Steyn).

4. The spectacle is in the contest

A striking consistency becomes obvious when looking over the score cards of all the games: the comparatively low scores.

While the first Australia v Zimbabwe match was decidedly one-sided & ended with Australia posting a score of over 300, the majority of scores were under 250, or less than 5 runs per over.

Some fans may lament that this would be boring, but what it actually did was provide a contest between bat and ball that made every delivery interesting, rather than just a 6-hitting fest which distorts talent and the point of a contest.

So while T20 does gain in popularity, this series did show that a game game (or contest) is best provided where there is competition between the batsman and the bowler, not the batsman and the boundary.

3. Form is temporary, class is permanent

Faf du Plessis was easily the man of the series, scoring (seemingly) a bazillion runs and never really looking like getting out.  Even AB © De Villiers claimed that “Faf” was in the form of his life.

The problem is, what’s the point of being in the form of your life in a tri-series ahead of the World Cup?  Wouldn’t it be better to be in that form DURING a World Cup?

On the subject of form, Glenn Maxwell did little to suggest that he is anything more than a T20 slogger.  While he was asked to open the bowling and got wickets on a couple of occasions, he looks like less of a part-timer than Steve Smith, which is saying something.

Sorry, I can't help myself

  

You may be able to get wickets in T20 cricket by having batsmen caught on the midwicket boundary, but it won’t work reliably against good sides in ODI or Tests.

As for Maxwells batting, his 60-ball 90 was impressive, but his subsequent efforts through the tournament showed he has a long way to go in terms of mindset and approach before he becomes a 50-over cricketer.

2. Australia has a limited concentration span

The modern-day nadir of Australian cricket was arguably after the “homework gate” saga where the Test side was comprehensively smashed by the Indian side, leading to the dismissal of Mickey Arthur as Coach.

The recovery from that point has been monumental, with Darren Lehmann guiding the Test side to a 5-0 win over England in the Australian summer. This was capped by a Test victory over South Africa in South Africa in an excellent series that handed the number one Test ranking to Australia.

This victory undoubtedly boosted public support of the team (and the sport), but the investment in the success of the Test team looks like it has drained resources from the short-form teams.

"Think about what now?"

 While Australia has never been any good at T20 cricket, which no-one seems to mind, the ODI team is clearly suffering with little insight into what its best team is, or even who the best players are.

Team selection clearly reflected this, with Steve Smith (one of the best players of spin in the team) being omitted on a spinning wicket and several odd berths being given.

I’ve already reflected on Glann Maxwells seeming lack of ability to concentrate on anything for more than 20 overs, but George Baileys struggles were equally revealing.  His recent retirement from the T20 team may indicate that his mind was elsewhere, we can only hope that his form was on holidays with it.

The inclusion of Mitchell Starc and Ben Cutting was equally puzzling, neither seemed to have any penetration or provide a threat with the ball.  In their defence it was a slow wicket and they did score a lot of runs with the bat, but they are in the team to take wickets; something they plainly couldn’t do.

Also, the whole team can’t play spin.

1.     Zimbabwe’s presence makes international cricket more interesting

Being an Australian cricket fan, or a cricket fan living in Australia, means that you get to watch Australia play India at least once per year in either a Test, ODI or T20 series, if not all three.

The rest of the schedule is made up of games against (usually) South Africa and England, with a series against Sri Lanka or Pakistan occasionally squeezed in.  While this may make for more level contests (in theory), watching the same teams play each other repeatedly does get a bit dull.

The Harlem Globe Trotters v The Generals are the obvious exception

Seeing the Australian team play in Harare allowed fans to see how cricket is played and watched in Zimbabwe, as well as the differences to how the game is enjoyed, giving insight into how it could be grown here in Australia as well as globally.

Seeing the Zimbabwe fans celebrate when their team won as truly elating.  Here were people that live in a country with ridiculously high inflation and unemployment that had turned up to watch a bit of cricket and walked away with a win.  It reminded you why people play sport in the first place.

There were also idiosyncrasies involved in the way Zimbabwe hosts cricket, including:

·      The Man of the Match awards (Mitchell Marsh was presented a novelty cheque for $250; well less than the cost of one of this many bats & his IPL contract);

·      Tinashe Panyangara was suspended for sharing a YouTube video with team-mates (though I suspect he wasn’t in the team to start with; he was wearing a club team helmet, not a branded one); and

·      The Zimbabweans wore red uniforms, possibly not the coolest colour in the African sun and one slightly reminiscent of another