Who will overtake Murali's test wicket record?

[Uppercut]

Umar Gul easily the most skilfull of those bowlers for mine and if he gets a fair crack of the whip (ie, people don't continually refuse to play Pakistan and he doesn't get more of those horrific injuries he had early in his career) he should do better than Taylor, Morne Morkel or Siddle easily, though Siddle has looked pretty useful in his last couple of Tests, infinitely better than the joke selection who played in his first couple.

Hmm. They're all kinda even for me. Morkel has the most potential, but he's also the most unrefined. I'll back him to outdo the other three.

 

[G.I.Joe]

Must be a different one.

Funny last I heard of Abdul Qadir's youngest son he had a different name.

Well, cricinfo lists him as one of Abdul Qadir's 4 cricketing sons in that profile, and none of his brothers share his name.

 

[Richard]

Maybe our friend Xuhaib picked the wrong name of son then. As I say, the youngest one has elicited excitement since a good while back, posting the link to that post from 2004. And the ages (9 in 2004, 15 in 2009) nearly match-up.

 

[Richard]

Hmm. They're all kinda even for me. Morkel has the most potential, but he's also the most unrefined. I'll back him to outdo the other three.

Really not sure Morkel has more potential than Gul TBH. He may have more of the two natural assets (speed of arm and height\arm-length) that bowlers require, but Gul's action is far better, he (not surprisingly) gets the ball to do far more, and he also seems far more naturally accurate to me.

Both are poor ODI bowlers to date but Gul has actually done decently in the Test cricket he's played. He's handicapped, though, by the fact that he's an outswing bowler, and Pakistanis generally need to be principally inswing bowlers to have a chance of real success, due to the almost invariable poor standard of fielding present in Pakistan.

 

[Manee]

Maybe our friend Xuhaib picked the wrong name of son then. As I say, the youngest one has elicited excitement since a good while back, posting the link to that post from 2004. And the ages (9 in 2004, 15 in 2009) nearly match-up.

Indeed that is him - Usman Qadir is the hyped son of Abdul. Took a look of some scorecards on Cricket Archive, seems to be doing quite well at U15 international cricket.

 

[zaremba]

Of course, Test cricket could have been destroyed by Twenty20 in 10 years' time so it might be a redundant question.

This is the point, sadly

 

[thierry henry]

Even at ripe age of 35

Actually, he's 37 in 50 days.

Anyone else reckon Murali might've already had 1000 wickets if SL had Australia or England's test schedule throughout his career?

 

[Top_Cat]

Actually, he's 37 in 50 days.

Anyone else reckon Murali might've already had 1000 wickets if SL had Australia or England's test schedule throughout his career?

Burnt-out, tbh. Considering the number of overs he bowls per match, gotta take it's toll.

 

[Richard]

Anyone else reckon Murali might've already had 1000 wickets if SL had Australia or England's test schedule throughout his career?

Burnt-out, tbh. Considering the number of overs he bowls per match, gotta take it's toll.

Either are possible, IMO.

I just wish he'd played serious sides more and Bangladesh less. It's such a shame that so many of his wickets have come against substandard opposition when he'd be every bit as likely to take precious few fewer against up-to-standard ones.

 

[Uppercut]

Really not sure Morkel has more potential than Gul TBH. He may have more of the two natural assets (speed of arm and height\arm-length) that bowlers require, but Gul's action is far better, he (not surprisingly) gets the ball to do far more, and he also seems far more naturally accurate to me.

Both are poor ODI bowlers to date but Gul has actually done decently in the Test cricket he's played. He's handicapped, though, by the fact that he's an outswing bowler, and Pakistanis generally need to be principally inswing bowlers to have a chance of real success, due to the almost invariable poor standard of fielding present in Pakistan.

I think Morkel has the potential to trouble batsmen on any pitch. I've went into the reasons why before- his release point is higher than any bowler I've ever seen, picking length must be a nightmare. It'd be like facing a dive-bomber. IMO Umar Gul will always struggle when the ball doesn't swing, which in Pakistan is often.

Morkel has accuracy issues, but only in some spells. It's not like he's consistently wayward-but-threatening, he'll bowl one pinpoint spell then another one all over the show. That's what makes me think he can improve that area of his game- it's all about getting the rhythm right, settling into test cricket, and making sure there's more of the good spells and less of the bad ones. He's learnt quite a bit of lateral movement too- all of the Saffers have in the past year in fact, I've noticed (players like Steyn and Ntini are now moving the ball both ways instead of just one). Playing a lot more cricket than Gul will, with much better coaching and as many natural assets as any bowler can possibly hope to have, I think he's an absolutely fantastic prospect. I can really see him averaging <25 by the end of his career.

 

[Jigga988]

I think Morkel has the potential to trouble batsmen on any pitch. I've went into the reasons why before- his release point is higher than any bowler I've ever seen, picking length must be a nightmare. It'd be like facing a dive-bomber. IMO Umar Gul will always struggle when the ball doesn't swing, which in Pakistan is often.

Morkel has accuracy issues, but only in some spells. It's not like he's consistently wayward-but-threatening, he'll bowl one pinpoint spell then another one all over the show. That's what makes me think he can improve that area of his game- it's all about getting the rhythm right, settling into test cricket, and making sure there's more of the good spells and less of the bad ones. He's learnt quite a bit of lateral movement too- all of the Saffers have in the past year in fact, I've noticed (players like Steyn and Ntini are now moving the ball both ways instead of just one). Playing a lot more cricket than Gul will, with much better coaching and as many natural assets as any bowler can possibly hope to have, I think he's an absolutely fantastic prospect. I can really see him averaging <25 by the end of his career.

Yup, good shout, inclined to agree with you, plus Allan Donald touted MM to do better than himself in the test arena, as soon as he gets his accuracy issues sorted, he'd be quality...

 

[Top_Cat]

I think Morkel has the potential to trouble batsmen on any pitch. I've went into the reasons why before- his release point is higher than any bowler I've ever seen, picking length must be a nightmare. It'd be like facing a dive-bomber. IMO Umar Gul will always struggle when the ball doesn't swing, which in Pakistan is often.

Morkel has accuracy issues, but only in some spells. It's not like he's consistently wayward-but-threatening, he'll bowl one pinpoint spell then another one all over the show. That's what makes me think he can improve that area of his game- it's all about getting the rhythm right, settling into test cricket, and making sure there's more of the good spells and less of the bad ones. He's learnt quite a bit of lateral movement too- all of the Saffers have in the past year in fact, I've noticed (players like Steyn and Ntini are now moving the ball both ways instead of just one). Playing a lot more cricket than Gul will, with much better coaching and as many natural assets as any bowler can possibly hope to have, I think he's an absolutely fantastic prospect. I can really see him averaging <25 by the end of his career.

Personally, Morkel's not too far off. His length is the big problem, either too full or too short to trouble top players. Once he gets that awkward back of a length spot happening regularly, will be a bloody tough bowler to face.

 

[Richard]

I think Morkel has the potential to trouble batsmen on any pitch. I've went into the reasons why before- his release point is higher than any bowler I've ever seen, picking length must be a nightmare. It'd be like facing a dive-bomber. IMO Umar Gul will always struggle when the ball doesn't swing, which in Pakistan is often.

Morkel has accuracy issues, but only in some spells. It's not like he's consistently wayward-but-threatening, he'll bowl one pinpoint spell then another one all over the show. That's what makes me think he can improve that area of his game- it's all about getting the rhythm right, settling into test cricket, and making sure there's more of the good spells and less of the bad ones. He's learnt quite a bit of lateral movement too- all of the Saffers have in the past year in fact, I've noticed (players like Steyn and Ntini are now moving the ball both ways instead of just one). Playing a lot more cricket than Gul will, with much better coaching and as many natural assets as any bowler can possibly hope to have, I think he's an absolutely fantastic prospect. I can really see him averaging <25 by the end of his career.

Well I'd not dispute much of what you say there, but I don't think getting the ball to swing in Pakistan is much of a problem TBH. Some of the most famous, best and deadliest swing-bowlers in history have originated there! (Think Imran, Wasim, Waqar, Shoaib)

 

[Richard]

Yup, good shout, inclined to agree with you, plus Allan Donald touted MM to do better than himself in the test arena, as soon as he gets his accuracy issues sorted, he'd be quality...

That's if. It's not an absolute given. Anyway, there's absolutely no way he'll be as good as AAD IMO, and former players saying "he could do better than me" isn't particularly unusual, it's down to a mixture of self-depreciation and wanting things to be (even) better than they were in their day.

Plus everyone has remarked on what a nice lad Morne Morkel is - it's only natural that those who are acquainted with such guys would be that bit more enthusiastic about them than those who're rank ****s.

 

[Uppercut]

Well I'd not dispute much of what you say there, but I don't think getting the ball to swing in Pakistan is much of a problem TBH. Some of the most famous, best and deadliest swing-bowlers in history have originated there! (Think Imran, Wasim, Waqar, Shoaib)

Think how deadly they could have been if they'd played somewhere where conditions suited them!

I'm yet to see Gul master reversing the ball, but if he does then that particular point will be null and void. Reverse swing doesn't seem as deadly of late as it once did, currently everyone can do it but noone can do it well.

 

[Uppercut]

Personally, Morkel's not too far off. His length is the big problem, either too full or too short to trouble top players. Once he gets that awkward back of a length spot happening regularly, will be a bloody tough bowler to face.

Hmm I'm actually inclined to disagree. If he can get his line right he'll be much more difficult to face when he varies his length. Ideally I'd be looking for the pitch map Shoaib tends to get when he's having a good day- a dead-straight line of balls on off stump running down the batsman's half of the pitch. The issue with his length at the moment is more to do with him going for runs than failing to trouble batsmen (which he rarely fails to do, itbt).

 

[JBH001]

Murali won't take 1000. His shoulder has started to give away. Spin has lessned, snaking off breaks are far apart. He'll more and more rely on the old method of flight and variations of spin. Even at ripe age of 35, he's trying out a back spinner and a flipper these days. (Have seen him practicing something like that few months back in SL,). Don't know whether it will suceed or not, but 900 wickets would be a more realistic target for him.

IIRC, Murali is older than that. 36? 37?

But it cool that he is still trying up new deliveries for use in test matches. Shows that the hunger is still there. Frankly, I think 900 wickets and the next WC beyond him. 800 wickets and the boots come off for good, imo, especially if he keeps getting served roads (like the one in Pakistan) to bowl on.

Edit/ Thierry Henry has already said it.

 

[JBH001]

I just wish he'd played serious sides more and Bangladesh less. It's such a shame that so many of his wickets have come against substandard opposition when he'd be every bit as likely to take precious few fewer against up-to-standard ones.

Agreed. Although, I dont think you can blame the man for the schedule he is given.

Oh, and as to the thread question, the answer is no, imo.

 

[Xuhaib]

Maybe our friend Xuhaib picked the wrong name of son then. As I say, the youngest one has elicited excitement since a good while back, posting the link to that post from 2004. And the ages (9 in 2004, 15 in 2009) nearly match-up.

Yeah its Usman, he has had so many hyped up sons (mostly by himself) apart from the youngest where every one agrees he's really good thats its difficult to keep track off.

 

[SJS]

No one. This is one record that will stand.

Not just because these are just too many wickets (he will be near a 1000 by the time he stops) but also because people will be playing fewer Tests in future.