2004 Team v 2024 Team

[Googly]

It says his net worth is £5m and his annual salary is 65k but that's so far off the mark. An entry level central contract is supposedly 700k and he must be way beyond that. The tax man does a hatchet job of course, but he's worth a lot more than 5.

[Googly]

More Bradman slamming, not me this time-

https://www.thenewdaily.com.au/sport/cr ... adman-myth

[Pat_Bee]

Ya Jimmy will have a few side gigs and a future in commentary lined up perhaps. He talked a good game on last year’s hundred considering he hadn’t played the shortest form in 15 years seems a shrewd guy who has millions stashed away.

[eugene]

More Bradman slamming, not me this time-

https://www.thenewdaily.com.au/sport/cr ... adman-myth

An interesting read. Here is a rebuttal: https://www.thenewdaily.com.au/sport/20 ... alian-hero

[Googly]

Also interesting, it's almost a hagiography as opposed to a rebuttal. I spent a little while reading up on a few things, no doubt he marched to a different drum. I've actually read many cricketing biographies, but confess that I've only gone as far back as the 70's. In fact I cut my teeth on Boycott.
My reasons are what clearly has caused some ire-
1. Before my time
2. Not a lot of film coverage
3. The standard of cricket is so shit that its only worth briefly watching to marvel at how much its improved.
4. The lack of coverage actually enables folk to attach mythical status to the very ordinary by modern standards . I can't think of a sport that this doesn't apply to, Bob Beamon excluded.

I'm not trying to be disrespectful of the best player of his generation. I'm just adamant that he wouldn't be anybody in modern cricket. He's not the best batsman that's ever lived. It's absolutely ridiculous to say he is. He has a stat that won't be broken, no disputing that, and by far better players.
Again an analogy- give Borg a modern racket and a year to get up to speed at the height of his powers and he's not in the top 100.

That original article was bound to get a massive backlash. There were a couple of things that were easy to refute- the most obvious one was Mr Cavalier denying that The Don's house was open to the public. The Aussies get hot under the collar about the term "The Shrine," ...methinks they doth protest a little too much. All power to them, everyone needs a hero.

[Pat_Bee]

In fact I cut my teeth on Boycott.

he’d strike at a better rate than Ervine and Gumbie.

[Pat_Bee]

Pull up Boycott’s test stats and KP’s test stats for a bit of fun and show me the difference

Serious gun player at the top of the order even by today’s standards. Held the highest score in a pom domestic one day cup final for about 50 years too I believe.

He can also have some extra kudos for going on that rebel tour

[Googly]

If you're into autos read Boycott's then read Botham's.
They hated each other and have a full crack at one another, but in that English way, less so Botham, he was more direct.

Boycott was one strange cat. Never doubted himself for a second.
He faced an over from Holding, going out on the 6th delivery and then promptly stated no other batsman would have lasted until the 6th delivery

[Googly]

See below

[Googly]

Here's the over. Shocking batting actually.
Hope there aren't any Boycott fans out there or we go again

https://youtu.be/loYyJllsj68?si=UbU6oMjpoEe9HiYb