Wisden Cricketers of the Year

[Kirsty Harris]

So I just read on dear old Ceefax (am I the only one still using it in these high-tech days?!) that for the first time all five of Wisden's Cricketers of the Year are English, and are as follows:

Ashley Giles
Marcus Trescothick
Robert Key
Stephen Harmison
Andrew Strauss

These players have been chosen due to their influence on the previous season' and players can only be selected for this accolade once.

Doubtless this will cause some controversey, but personally I think it's a pretty nice list, though I might have substituted Strauss for Hoggard, as I think the best of Strauss is yet to come.

[Zainub]

I'm pleasantly surprised with the list too Kirsty. I just saw the report on BBC. I'm particularly pleased to see Rob Key and Giles in there, although I admit Mathew Hoggard probably was unlucky. I'm satisfied though. The guys who pick this list, at Wisden, are a hell of a lot smarter then us, and observe the English season much more closely than I ever will, so they must be right. May be Hoggard can get his award next year, after a brilliant Ashes series where he finishes man of the series, I'm sure he'd preffer that more.

[Ernest]

I started a thread kirsty, not knowing about yours, I have deleted mine, and will post my threadstart here as a post.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/4415439.stm
From the BBC.
http://msn.foxsports.com/cricket/story/3518654
From Fox Sports.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/li...in_page_id=1849
From the Daily Mail.
http://www.businessday.co.za/articl...px?ID=BD4A33819
From businessday,south Africa.
http://uk.cricinfo.com/link_to_data..._06APR2005.html
From cricinfo/Wisden Anglo-Australia edition.
http://sport.guardian.co.uk/cricket....html?gusrc=rss
From Guardian unlimited.
So from london to south Africa to Australia, England are the in team it would seem.
Wisden tribute to England Stars.
Quote:
All five of cricket bible Wisden's cricketers of the year are English, for the first time in 45 years.


Ashley Giles, Steve Harmison, Robert Key, Andrew Strauss and Marcus Trescothick have received the honour. The awards recognise that England won all seven of their home Tests in 2004, against New Zealand and West Indies.
Flintoff and Vaughan were not eligable because they have been previous winners.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Unknown
Trescothick and Strauss are one of the worlds leading opening duo


England seem a good outfit to me, 5 plyers sweeping the Wisden awards, plus Flintoff and Vaughan, England need fear no one.
A bit of cheer for Australia, The best cricketer in the world, Not Glen McGrath, nor any of their batting, no the best cricketer in the world according to Wisden is Shane Warne, and I wont argue with that.
Quote:
However, Australia's Shane Warne was named the leading cricketer in the world after a dramatic return from a 12-month ban for failing a drugs test.
And some people are predicting an easy series win for Australia.
__________________

[Zainub]

Pictures of the launch of Wisden Almanack 2005, here. Aaaah.. Good old fashioned Bow Ties. If only I could make a few others realise that

[Beny]

And some people are predicting an easy series win for Australia.

When you say 'some people' Ern I take it you mean everybody other than you'reslef....

They won it because there was nobody else avalible. Virtualy all of the Aussie players have won it before...

Rob Key, Ashely Giles, Tresco...

The other two I can live with but come on...

[Zainub]

Considering the basis for the awards, they're thoroughly well deserved. All these players made in impact on the last English season. Can you name any other eligible players who've had bigger impacts on the last English season then these? I can only think of Mathew Hoggard. But I guess they probably had a soft spot for Key like my self, and decided to go for him instead. Surely a bit of good old fashioned sentiment here and there can't be totally un-bearable, or is it?

ps: I'm also not predicting easy win for Australia

[Ernest]

Originally Posted by Beny

When you say 'some people' Ern I take it you mean everybody other than you'reslef....

No I cant see at least three members agreeing that Australia will win 5-0. I will give you the initials "t" "Z"and "f"

Originally Posted by Beny

They won it because there was nobody else avalible. Virtualy all of the Aussie players have won it before...

Just what I have been saying in almost every Ashes thread, England have just arrived, I suspect some of the Aussies won it a long - long time ago.

Originally Posted by Beny

Rob Key, Ashely Giles, Tresco..

The other two I can live with but come on...

Rob key who I wanted in the side, has been dissapointing in parts, so I take your point there, Tresco is capable of matching any batsman Australia have, on his day.
Giles, well he has improved, not fair to mention him really, he just happens to be playing at the same time as Murali, and Warne, he keeps getting compared.

[Beny]

Just what I have been saying in almost every Ashes thread, England have just arrived, I suspect some of the Aussies won it a long - long time ago.

Ern, are you saying that, had the likes of A. Gilchrist, G. McGrath, S. Warne, D. Martyn, J.Langer and M. Hayden been eligable for the award, the likes of Key and Giles would have trumped them??

Tresco is capable of matching any batsman Australia have, on his day.

That's a bold statement... I take it when you say 'on his day', you mean that, Every once in a while he manages to make a decent show of himslef?? Fact is that he is not as good a batsmen as any in the Aussie team? Who would you take out of our current team to be replaced by Tresco?

Giles, well he has improved, not fair to mention him really, he just happens to be playing at the same time as Murali, and Warne, he keeps getting compared.

He's the worst spinner out of all the national team's spinners (exc. the minnows). Vettori, Kaneria, Harbijan and whatshisanme, Warne and McGill, boje e.c.t

[Zainub]

Giles is the best in England. That is what matters. He is also better than Boje.

And just because Tresco can't displace any of the Australian batsmen in the Aussie team doesn't mean he's not a good player. He's a very fine player. Tends to underperform a bit against Australia, but on home soil, this is going to be his best chance to set that record straight.

[Beny]

Giles is the best in England. That is what matters. He is also better than Boje.

I'd say he's about as good a spinner as Boje but Boje is a better batsmen. Anyway, I'm sure he is the best in England. That doesnt make him the best in the world though.