Stuart Clark - World's Best BOWLER

[MattO]

Congrats to Stuart Clark on becoming the World's Best BOWLER in the latest ratings.

Only last year Shane Warne referred to him as the Best Pace Bowler in the World and now he's the best legal bowler going around in the official rankings.

Justifies his selection in the Australian side and performs the little basics that makes him such an asset to the Australian side.

 

[Perm]

Congrats to Stuart Clark on becoming the World's Best BOWLER in the latest ratings.

Only last year Shane Warne referred to him as the Best Pace Bowler in the World and now he's the best legal bowler going around in the official rankings.

Troll.

Good to see Lee at #5 though. Get the feeling Zaheer Khan should be higher though.

 

[Laurrz]

on ya fraz

 

[33/3from3.3]

 

[Smudge]

MattO greeted with the news that a non-Australian is still technically top of the rankings:

 

[Prince EWS]

Congrats to Stuart Clark on becoming the World's Best BOWLER in the latest ratings.

Only last year Shane Warne referred to him as the Best Pace Bowler in the World and now he's the best legal bowler going around in the official rankings.

Justifies his selection in the Australian side and performs the little basics that makes him such an asset to the Australian side.

Warne didn't say that. I have to tell you this every time, but he said "one of the best bowlers in the world" or something similar, then said something about his form being second to none. That doesn't mean he's the best bowler in the world, or even that Warne thought he was. You can just ignore this point again if you like but don't expect me to stop bringing it up all the time. Oh, and I'm just going to ignore the dig at Murali's action and I suggest the rest of you do the same...

Anyway, I still had serious doubts over Clark before this summer. I thought he'd struggle (well, at least comparatively) when he wasn't still viewed as the inexperienced, lesser man in the attack given his first few tests, although successful, consisted of over after over of balls short of the length outside off moving away - all of which would not only go over but wide of the stumps. He's certainly removed any doubts I had though; he has a lot more variety (and well controlled, at that) than I originally gave him credit for. Whether he's worked on that or he's simply showing it more now his role has changed I don't know, but he's certainly the real deal for me now, and I was one of his biggest critics.

Unquestionably Australia's best test bowler now for mine, even given Lee's recent improvement.

 

[Perm]

MattO greeted with the news that a non-Australian is still technically top of the rankings:

Matthew Hayden anybody?

 

[Laurrz]

Anyway, I still had serious doubts over Clark before this summer. I thought he'd struggle (well, at least comparatively) when he wasn't still viewed as the inexperienced, lesser man in the attack given his first few tests, although successful, consisted of over after over of balls short of the length outside off moving - all of which would not only go over but wide of the stumps. He's certainly removed any doubts I had though; he has a lot more variety (and well controlled, at that) than I originally gave him credit for. Whether he's worked on that or he's simply showing it more now his role has changed I don't know, but he's certainly the real deal for me now, and I was one of his biggest critics.

Unquestionably Australia's best test bowler now for mine, even given Lee's recent improvement.

good stuff to admitting ur mistake and agreed definately..

id prolly rank Lee a tad higher, as his accuracy for his pace is very good nowadays..he sets it up for us as so far this summer he's gotten the first wicket a lot of the times

I think Clark was spot on when he said he felt he was bowling well in the Lankan tests but the rewards just werent coming.. then when Malinga started to rub things in through slogging ppl just went.. oh he's back on ground level now..

 

[Richard]

good stuff to admitting ur mistake and agreed definately..

Not sure it qualifies as a "mistake" as such TBH, more a reservation of judgement where others had already formed one.

I can quite see why Rob would reserve his judgement on Clark, and the reasons for it. I myself had never really considered the situation in any great detail and had almost taken for granted that Clark was probably going to continue to be successful, but some of his posts on the matter made me think a bit more about the issue.

Either way, I'm happy enough for him to be successful, very much so.

 

[Josh]

Good on him.

Still dunno how, Stuart; but well done lol

 

[Richard]

Get the feeling Zaheer Khan should be higher though.

Why? Zaheer Khan hasn't been anywhere near as good as many people seem to think of late.

 

[sideshowtim]

On Clark, I just think it's amazing how a bloke with a pretty average FC record, nothing too special can just come onto the Test scene and own world class batsmen from his very first Test (He's got some big scalps). He's certainly an interesting case like that.

One of the commentators said something of the sort during the match against India...like he was hiding something just for Test cricket and when he was finally selected he unleashed everything.

 

[Prince EWS]

Why? Zaheer Khan hasn't been anywhere near as good as many people seem to think of late.

Statistically, no. The visual improvement in his bowling since the tour of South Africa has been very evident to all who have watched him over that period, though, and I'm sure it'll reflect on his stats when we get a larger sample size.

 

[Laurrz]

Not sure it qualifies as a "mistake" as such TBH, more a reservation of judgement where others had already formed one.

.

yea i thought i was harsh writing that too
well, a reasonable/understandable mistake if that makes sense

 

[Laurrz]

On Clark, I just think it's amazing how a bloke with a pretty average FC record, nothing too special can just come onto the Test scene and own world class batsmen from his very first Test (He's got some big scalps). He's certainly an interesting case like that.

One of the commentators said something of the sort during the match against India...like he was hiding something just for Test cricket and when he was finally selected he unleashed everything.

bit like Warney? in a way

must rise to the occasion when he sees big names
still think he'll dominate 10 this series, been saying it for a while

 

[sideshowtim]

bit like Warney? in a way

must rise to the occasion when he sees big names
still think he'll dominate 10 this series, been saying it for a while

Warne is a different story though, he was picked on potential and had only played a handful of FC games. Clark had played something like 60 or 70 and his average of around 30 was already solidly established.

 

[Richard]

Clark's First-Class record needs proper analysis to see the true story. Discount his first 2 seasons (1997\98 and 1998\99) where he was absolutely horribly ineffective (averaged over or close to 100 in both IIRR) and his First-Class record, while not outstanding, is certainly good - good enough to get him picked for Australia A as far back as 2002\03.

He's a bit of a Michael Vaughan case.

 

[Richard]

Statistically, no. The visual improvement in his bowling since the tour of South Africa has been very evident to all who have watched him over that period, though, and I'm sure it'll reflect on his stats when we get a larger sample size.

The improvement has been that he's gone from a thoroughly typical mediocre-Indian-seamer to something a bit better than that. IMO, people have gone totally OTT and started hailing him as a World-class strike force who's somehow now one of the best seamers going around - witness the ridiculous ascertations he's better than Vaas.

Zaheer has bowled no better than those match-figures suggest - he had one brilliant game (Trent Bridge), has had several semi-decent ones, and a few bad ones to boot. And people talk as if he'd taken 10-fors every match.

 

[Laurrz]

Warne is a different story though, he was picked on potential and had only played a handful of FC games. Clark had played something like 60 or 70 and his average of around 30 was already solidly established.

yep,

Warne always did get some stick in domestic tho

 

[Laurrz]

who's somehow now one of the best seamers going around - witness the ridiculous ascertations he's better than Vaas.

at this point of time you'd have Vaas in your team ahead of Clark?