Do todays cricketers worry about records a little too much ?

[MIG]

Inzi in Lahore and his chase to get 100 in the last innings
Inzi in Lahore in the 2nd ODI raising his bat in the middle of his innings to celebrate 11000 runs - like he was waiting for this moment ..

SRT and his 100s

on and on.....( and ariston )

Have todays cricketers become too record crazy ?

[zaf1986]

Its seems an Asian thing. Though some of the others cricketers do it.

[kasoo10]

I remember old days when cricketers used to say that we were not aware that we were so close to the record. I just found out when I retured form the ground to the pavallion!

This is information age, no wonder!

[Geordie Ahmed]

not an asian thing! all cricketers want their little milestones, its when they place their milestone ahead of the team when one should be concerned

[MIG]

Originally Posted by kasoo10 I remember old days when cricketers used to say that we were not aware that we were so close to the record. I just found out when I retured form the ground to the pavallion! This is information age, no wonder!

I think thats the point - nowadays, they are reminded by media so many times that it puts undue pressure on them...

[Officer Barbrady]

You've got to have goals to keep up.

[Fessal]

Originally Posted by MenInGreen Inzi in Lahore and his chase to get 100 in the last innings Inzi in Lahore in the 2nd ODI raising his bat in the middle of his innings to celebrate 11000 runs - like he was waiting for this moment .. SRT and his 100s on and on.....( and ariston ) Have todays cricketers become too record crazy ?

I think they have gone crazy. Too much obsession with records than thinking of the team. Migsy u missed BC Lara who instead of talking about how windies can win cricket games just has been rumbling on about all the records hes broken and how he is now after Bradman's double century record.

[mulan]

Yes. Cricketers do worry too much about records nowadays.

If you play in an era where there are many "good" players, but only a handful of "great" ones, it is the only way you can distinguish yourself from the rest. It's the only way they can leave a mark when they go. The only way they will be remembered as an INDIVIDUAL, instead of as just another player in a good TEAM. They need to break records to achieve that distinction.

But saying that, it is not always a good thing for the team. What if Inzi becomes obsessed with breaking records...Or Lara...or Tendulkar...What affect will that have on their teams? Will the record books say:

"BC Lara, a great batsman of the 1990-2000's. But NOT a team player. He played for his own glory, in a team sport. His team lost more matches with him playing than they did with him not playing" (please: hypothetically speaking, I am a Lara fan)

In the end, I think all of us want to leave a mark when we go...We want people to remember us. We all thrive on praise and acknowledgent. Sportsmen perhaps want it a little more? That's why nominations, awards, accolades and records mean so much to them?

[Bailan]

the amount of picking which happens towards Asim Kamal for not having a 100 and YK to not having any (ok, 1 against HK) 100 in ODIs .... it will only be fair that to prove their critiques wrong they will go to any extent to get that 100 in the next game they get close to that milestone.

Most of the fault goes to the fans ... i mean look at Tendulkar, he has been a complete joke for last couple of seasons .... but any Indian fan will come and show you his Stats (which are mostly built against Minows anyways) and prove how he is great ... so if Tendulkar keeps going for those 'Bonus points' you can't blame him.

[nafajafam]

It's an achievement also. It wouldnt mean much if every batsman had 10,000 runs in both onedays and tests, but it does because very few have achieved that. Shows longitude and stamina of the player to withstand international cricket all these years to get to a certain mark.
Majority of the players are continuously made aware of their batting/bowling stats nowadays, so they know when they get a record.

[Invictus]

Its not just this era players. I can name players like (Rameez Raja, Shoaib Mohammad, Gavaskar) and a whole lot more who used to chase their individual 50's or 100's. Just the fact that most players( from any era) slow down when they get to their 40's or 90's pretty much validates the point. Even when we talk about players its always their "stats" rather then their contribution to the teams success thats discussed.

[KB]

Cricket does appear a game obsessed to an unhealthy degree by statistics and records.

[Invictus]

Cricket does appear a game obsessed to an unhealthy degree by statistics and records.

Not really. It depends on the perspective. You can look at the game on paper and see what everyone did and you can watch the game and see how much "contribution" was made. I for one dont pay much attention to the stats. To me they dont mean much. Its more to do with what the guy does on the field that matters.

[KB]

If you compare cricket to most other sports - perhaps except Baseball - the game does appear obsessed by statistics.

I am not a statistics person, myself. Judging players only by their average, will often miss the point, in respect of the importance of a cricketer's contribution.

To use a well known phrase, and twist it to suit my own ends, some people know the average of everyone and the value of no one.

[MIG]

but where does this end ? Does a bowler celebrate his 10th 5 wicket haul where he has conceded only 30 runs !

There seem to be too many land marks to worry about , IMO

[Titanium]

If I could put the blame its stats man in Cricinfo and his tribe, who analyses every player in numers and numbers only. These stats people don't, yes don't read much into the nature of the play or the situation a 40 runs came to the 90 or hunders score. No differentaition just cold number are thrown into you, if you ask who is best. Tendulkar scored 35 centuries ...he is the greatest !....my foot. How many times he was there for his team when needed?

[mulan]

Warne aiming to shoot his 100th duck

CRICKET lovers know that Shane Warne needs two wickets in the Perth Test starting on Friday to go past Dennis Lillee's record of 85 Test scalps in a calendar year.

But how many are aware that he has to dismiss seven batsmen for nought to reach a rare landmark? That will mean he has been able to "shoot" 100 batsmen for ducks in his illustrious career.

Has any bowler achieved this feat? Only one; Warne's mate Glenn McGrath. In the Sydney Test on October 16, McGrath became the first bowler to dismiss 100 batsmen for ducks when he bowled World XI skipper Graeme Smith. After the Adelaide Test against the West Indies, he has 101 batsmen for ducks in 116 Tests.

Sri Lankan off spinner Muttiah Muralitharan has dismissed 82 batsmen for ducks in 96 Tests. West Indian Courtney Walsh and Pakistan's Wasim Akram claimed 79 ducksters each in 132 and 104 Tests respectively.
As Walsh made a record number of Test ducks (43) as a batsman, followed by McGrath, Warne (33 each) and Muralitharan (26), it shows you can shoot ducks and score them, too.

DUCKS: THE ISSUE

Bowler Country Tests Wickets Duck tally
Glenn McGrath Aus. 116 534 101
Shane Warne Aus. 132 645 93
Muttiah Muralitharan 96 568 82
Courtney Walsh WI 132 519 79
Wasim Akram Pak. 104 414 79

(as at November 29, 2005)
Duck tally = Number of batsmen dismissed for duck.

[Farhad]

It's not a new phenomenon in Asian cricket sphere. Zaheer was as infamous as is Tendulkar now for his concern for average-building without regard to team cause. And Gavaskar was another one too. I remember he insisted that Pak bowl the remaining ten or so overs on the last day of a dead Test match in India so that he can complete his century...he was in the 70s. The Pak skipper had to lead the team out again even though play had been stopped earlier by umpires as there was no chance of a result realistically.

[Oxy]

Inzi appreciating his 10000th run was something special....the 11000th was not really a notable milestone IMO.

But when big screens are relaying this info to the players/crowd, what else do you expect.

[Monsee]

Originally Posted by Oxy™ Inzi appreciating his 10000th run was something special....the 11000th was not really a notable milestone IMO. But when big screens are relaying this info to the players/crowd, what else do you expect.

I was just about to say the same thing (crazy that we agree again ); when these huge screens are thirsted in to your face, with your pic on it and "Congrats Player X on reaching so and so milestone", what else can you do but raise your bat or take a bow!

Although I agree some players seem more obsessed then others (we all know whom those are ) about their records, BUT at the same time it is unfair to label all players in the same category!

I mean when you see a sign on the board, or the crowd claps for you, or something similar...do you just turn your back on to everyone and not acknowledge the applause.

Then the next day, papers like Sauce man Inc. will murder you for being disrespectful and rude

[MIG]

But what if ( and I dont know if Inzi will do this ), he slows down in the middle of the innings as he approached his 12000th run - just as he would when approaching a hundred or 50 ? I think thats where these records are being thrown about by fans a little too much ( and I do blame the fans for this obsession as well )

[MIG]

To tell u the truth , I dont think Inzi scored a run, then looked up and saw his name with 11000 runs next to it , and then raised his bat!

He was well aware before he started that innings....just a small point but one that does show that this unhealthy obsession with records is at the back of the minds of all players!

[Monsee]

Originally Posted by MenInGreen To tell u the truth , I dont think Inzi scored a run, then looked up and saw his name with 11000 runs next to it , and then raised his bat! He was well aware before he started that innings....just a small point but one that does show that this unhealthy obsession with records is at the back of the minds of all players!

Playing devil's advocate, one can argue that 'Records can be the final motivation one needs', especially for someone like Inzi who has been around for over 13 years!

Everyone wants to be the best they can be and one always tries to compete with others...it is evident in all walks of life.

[Rickz]

Originally Posted by overlord the amount of picking which happens towards Asim Kamal for not having a 100 and YK to not having any (ok, 1 against HK) 100 in ODIs .... it will only be fair that to prove their critiques wrong they will go to any extent to get that 100 in the next game they get close to that milestone. Most of the fault goes to the fans ... i mean look at Tendulkar, he has been a complete joke for last couple of seasons .... but any Indian fan will come and show you his Stats (which are mostly built against Minows anyways) and prove how he is great ... so if Tendulkar keeps going for those 'Bonus points' you can't blame him.

Mate you're a joke you havent got the proof to show Tendulkar only gets runs agaisnt the minows and plays for his records, after all Warne, Donald, Mcgrath and other greats bowlers fear Sachin the most out of all other batsmen and rate him very highly the best.

In tests vs the weaker countries which is vs Zim and Bang Sachin has played 12 tests made only 1220 runs with only 4 100s and 3 50s. at an Ave of 51 with 2 200s.

Vs the top contries Sachin has played 115 tests and made 9039 runs with 31 100s and 31 50s at an ave of over 50, with 2 200s

No excuses thier he has been out in the 190s twice agaisnt the top countries and been not out once in the 190s agaisnt top countries.

In Odi agaisnt top countires in 325 matches Sachin has made 10571 runs with 28 100s and 61 50s.

Lara agaisn does not play for his records look at his 400 the windies attack had enough time left to bowl out england but the windies attack was weak.

Vs Aus/M21/100s7/50s7/runs1859/best241*/ave53.14
Vs Eng/M16/100s6/50s8/runs1683/best193/ave76.50
Vs NZ/M16/100s3/50s5/runs1062/best217/ave48.27
Vs Pak/M13/100s2/50s5/runs855/best194*/ave42.75
vs SriL/M13/100s6/50s3/runs1124/best148/ave80.29
VS Sa/M16/100s3/50s3/runs1003/best169/ave37.15
VS Wi/M16/100s3/50s7/runs1328/best179/57.74
In totel/M124/Inns198/No21/100s34/50s21/BeST248/RUNS10134/AVE57.35.

[Rickz]

Originally Posted by Titanium If I could put the blame its stats man in Cricinfo and his tribe, who analyses every player in numers and numbers only. These stats people don't, yes don't read much into the nature of the play or the situation a 40 runs came to the 90 or hunders score. No differentaition just cold number are thrown into you, if you ask who is best. Tendulkar scored 35 centuries ...he is the greatest !....my foot. How many times he was there for his team when needed?

He bats up the order mate and the taileneders dont really hand around too much, Tendulkar opens in odis obviously Tendulkar wont be thier untill the 50th over. Another thing to include why has Tendulkar got the most man of the match and man of the tournemnts awards?.

Tendulkar got India to world cup 96 semi's and world cup 03 final.

Tendulkar has got evrey shot in the book and most bowlers would like to see the back off him early otherwise thier in trouble the greatest batsmen in this era are Sachin and Lara by a long way.

[Fawad]

Originally Posted by Playa He bats up the order mate and the taileneders dont really hand around too much, Tendulkar opens in odis obviously Tendulkar wont be thier untill the 50th over. Another thing to include why has Tendulkar got the most man of the match and man of the tournemnts awards?. Tendulkar got India to world cup 96 semi's and world cup 03 final. Tendulkar has got evrey shot in the book and most bowlers would like to see the back off him early otherwise thier in trouble the greatest batsmen in this era are Sachin and Lara by a long way.

It's just unfortunate that he choked when the team needed him the most- in the world cup final

[Rickz]

Originally Posted by Fawad It's just unfortunate that he choked when the team needed him the most- in the world cup final

True...but it was 360 to win.......you cant blame him for not going after it.....if it was something like 300 to win then he wouldent have played that shot and would have made over 4 runs.

[Fawad]

Originally Posted by Playa True...but it was 360 to win.......you cant blame him for not going after it.....if it was something like 300 to win then he wouldent have played that shot and would have made over 4 runs.

I'm not saying that sachin had to win the match single-handedly but the least he could have done was get India off to a decent start and with Sehwag at the other end he had a good enough partner to do it.

[Rickz]

Originally Posted by Fawad I'm not saying that sachin had to win the match single-handedly but the least he could have done was get India off to a decent start and with Sehwag at the other end he had a good enough partner to do it.

I know..........Sachin is a complete batsmen........but all he needs one good match-winning innings under-prussre. The last time he played a good innings under-pressure were them 2 knocks agaisnt Australia in Sharjah 98.

[Monsee]

Originally Posted by Playa I know..........Sachin is a complete batsmen........but all he needs one good match-winning innings under-prussre. The last time he played a good innings under-pressure were them 2 knocks agaisnt Australia in Sharjah 98.

Don't tell this to RR, Googly, and Tupac...you will be in lot of trouble then

As a matter of fact, I think I see them coming...just duck

[floatingslip]

I don't think it is necessarily bad that some cricketers today worry about records because for the most part the better they perform the better it is for the team. In situations where the quest for better statistics comes in the way of team goals then it is the captain's job to check that player.

And with stats like the one's being attached to Inzi (where 17 or so centuries of his have resulted in victories for Pakistan) start getting attention it will do more to help align the team goals with that of the individual's.

[kablooee87]

I think it has to do with the massive media coverage.

Since there is so much more media coverage the rcords are talked about a lot more. I think this leads to the players caring more too becuase after all they watch TV too.