Bevos Crib

[bevo]

Bevo , use this thread to have your say about bevo i wouyld like to see what you guys think

Does anyone think that Bevan could get a recall to the test team? There is no planning for a world cup, and hence no major reason why age should be a barrier. He has been brilliant this summer, and on form should be in contention for a spot (if one opens up due to injury or loss of form).

People might state that Bevan has a vulnerability to the short ball which is the reason why he shouldnt be selected. From what I have seen of Bevan in the last couple of seasons, I dont think that the short ball is an issue anymore. Also, world cricket doesnt have many good fast bowlers which would trouble him - (Walsh, Ambrose and Donald have all retired).


i recon one of his greatest inings was when Bevo scored 185 runs off only 132 balls including 19 fours and 5 sixes and remained not out at the end of the match. Despite his heroics, the Asian XI still won by the closest of margins , but i dont remember what year it was.

this one was good in bevos 100th One-Day International Michael Bevan had one ball in hand with Australia needing four runs for victory. He straight drove West Indies' Roger Harper for four runs to clinch an historic victory.

This is why i am stating this claim bevo is the best one day player ever , please stay on the topic of bevo or if you dont think bevo was the best at least name the player you recon

[Maranello]

Best one-day player ever? Of course not.

He was certainly one of the better one-day batsmen from Australia, and probably the best finisher from Australia. However, there were others, eg Javed Miandad who were much better at holding the whole ODI innings together over 50 overs, and finishing it as well, so Bevan was by no means the best finisher. Best ODI batsman ever? Give me a break... what about Sachin Tendulkar? or Desmond Haynes? let alone the best of them all, Viv Richards!

And we haven't even started on the bowlers... Joel Garner, Wasim Akram to name just two who were both in my view better one-day players than Bevan. The guy had poor technique and a limited array of shots. However, what he lacked in talent or skill, he made up with temperament and improvisation, hence his value as a ODI utility player.

The exploits you quote are meaningless; sporadic bursts of brilliance are ten-a-penny in ODIs. Bevan scored a fast knock in an exhibition match..so what? Afridi scored a 100 off 31 balls in a real international, does not make the best ODI player ever, or even close to it.

Bevan hit a four off the last ball..good. So did the relatively unknown Asif Mujtaba, in fact he went one better. Pakistan needed 5 to win off the last ball of an ODI against Australia in Hobart, Mujtaba pulled one for six and Pakistan had the most incredible victory... the expression on Waugh's face was priceless. :-) Much better than Bevan's four. But even Mujtaba's efforts do not come close to Miandad's epic knock in the Sharjah Final against India in 1986. A very high-pressure environment, in a match which was the final of an important tournament, against India. He not only scored an unbeaten 100 and guided the whole batting line-up through most of the 50 overs... he hit the most famous six in the history of the game off the very last ball, when four runs were required for Pakistan to win.

These are just a couple of quick examples, but as a I said, such feats are certainly not infrequent in ODIs.

[Richie Benauds Love Child]

If he was recalled to the test side any genuine quick bowler would have him back in the hutch in double quick time.

[Maranello]

That is right RBLC, there really is no question of recalling him to the Test side. A recall to the ODI side, maybe, depending on how the current lot do.

In the Test arena, Bevan played 18 matches and averaged the princely total of 29 runs (and this with 3 not outs). In 30 innings, he failed to score a single hundred. Does not really inspire a lot of confidence.

[Milo]

Not the best way of trying to state Bevan's case. You miss out many of his really true performances and go for meaningless exhibition matches and some insiginificant one day game (which was definitely not his 100th as they lost that by 5 wickets).

It would have been better to mention his role in the 1996 world cup semi, his two knocks in the last world cup against England and New Zealand. He was a very good exponent of the run chase (as shown in a world series game against NZ in 2001/2 I think).

As for best ever, I think not. Viv was the best - for which there really cannot be any doubt. Would have been very interesting to see how Bevan would have got on in the 1980s one day arean when bouncers were allowed and the field restrictions were not always applied. Many of his not outs in the first innings were played without him tyring to maximise the total. Very rarely did he throw his wicket away fot the team. Very good player, nonetheless.

[Leafy Seadragon]

Agree RBLC regarding the test format and think that he would probably do increasingly less well in the ODI format given the way Australia is looking to play the game and with the game is being played internationally now - bowlers getting smarter in delivering the rising ball within the current rules.

Also agree with the comments made by Milo regarding the way Bevan made his runs, with the bulk coming during the 'dead' period of the game with 2nd rate bowlers and a need to keep the score ticking over - a skill that Bevan was possibly one of the best at. He could finish well, but didn't have the array of strokes to necessarily drag a game back if it started slipping (or possibly the desire to take the risks).

Although he was no more than a mediocre test player (and I think still wouldn't be, let alone even be considered at 34), he was a great ODI player for Australia for several years. I agree with Maranello that he wasn't the world's (or even Australia's) best ODI player, but he was one of the best around for quite some time.

[vvvrulz]

He is not a test match player, however he is one of those few that can be termed as a 'one day specialist'. He was the master of the craft, and stole countless victories for the Aussies. Why he got sacked I will never know. It is a bit of an exaggeration to name him as the single number one player of all time in ODI's, but he certaintly was up there.

[Beny]

Those who say Beven was'nt a test match player need only look at his domestic stats in the four day game in which he averages over 50. I can't comment weather or not he was the best ever but what I will say is that his lack of prescence over the last few months have proven how important he was, as Australia collapses again and again.

[Leafy Seadragon]

Beny, I don't think that you can necessarily correlate Sheffield Shield success with Test match success (just ask Lehman). Granted its probably the 1st class comp closest to test level, but how often do you come up against attacks with a couple of test class quicks (not just quicks who have played test cricket)? Bevan was found out to be susceptable to the rising fast ball. This wasn't just a fanciful theory, but was obvious in many of the tests he did play. He was obviously in discomfort facing them, played poor shots and more often than not, got out to them.

As for the ODI front, he was dropped on the back of two ordinary series, at a time when the selectors stated that they were looking towards the next world cup and he's now 34. Whilst this might have been a simple out for the selectors, it was forced a little bit by corresponding form dips by others (Gillie, Hayden & Lehman spring to mind). As for the Aussies form since then, we have lost a couple of matches (no more than before) & the ICC trophy is the only trophy that we have competed for & not won. The dropping of Hayden & Lehman was also indicative of the selector's desires to refresh the team over the next few years (and convenient form slumps).

I rated Bevan highly (at least in ODIs), but think he was dropped at the right time (although as with most Aussie selection choices, in an almost executionary manner)

[Beny]

He figured the hook shot out allmost streight away though!...