Jimmy Anderson -Finally World Class?

[Janki_Jasoos]

Anderson is good bowler but he needs to average in mid 20s like Asif & Steyn to be considered world class.

 

[Furball]

Ask me in four weeks' time. His 2010 figures are stellar, but four games in really helpful conditions against a fragile Pakistan lineup plus another 2 or 3 against Bangladesh could make a lot of bowlers look world class. Some of us remember that he wasn't all that great in SA last winter and that he struggled for much of the 2009 Ashes series.

However, if he keeps bowling like he has done in thge first two tests in this series, then fair enough.

I'm going to take issue with that. Yes, in the final 2 Ashes Tests and in the final Test in South Africa, Anderson disappeared, but in the other 6 Tests he took 28 wickets @ 29, which isn't a bad performance for the majority of both series.

There's no doubting he's world class now. Since his recall, only Mitchell Johnson has taken more Test wickets, and no quick bowler has taken more 5fors than Jimmy. At the moment, he's easily one of the best quicks in the world - I'd say only Dale Steyn is unarguably better - which makes him world class.

 

[Zinzan]

Been world class for the last 2 years IMO,

Agree, is the 2nd best out-swinger in the world after Steyn for mine.

 

[srkven]

Yes. And always thought so.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Anderson is good bowler but he needs to average in mid 20s like Asif & Steyn to be considered world class.

Nah, disagree. Cricket is played in the here and now and not over the length of a career.

Best two of the best three swing bowlers in the world right now are Zaheer and Anderson (Steyn the other; Asif more of a seamer) both average over 30 RPW over their careers, but both currently world class in my book.

 

[tooextracool]

A couple of thoughts about Anderson

1) When the ball is swinging, he is up there with Wasim Akram as one of the best I've ever seen.
2) Hes still only 28! Most bowlers hit their prime and regardless of how ordinary hes been for the majority of his career he still has a good 5-6 years to go

 

[flibbertyjibber]

He is getting there now.

Glad to say i was wrong about him, never expected him to develop to be as good as he has become.

 

[NUFAN]

I just realised I could actually name a World XI containing Anderson, Bollinger and Swann without it being ridiculed as completely ridiculous or biased. Hell, I could even make some sort of case for including Watson as a batting allrounder. Good times. The cricket world is just coming up Cribbage at the moment.

Watson doesn't really deserve it nor does Bollinger. No Australians would make my World XI.

 

[Xuhaib]

yeah Bollinger is a odd pick his best performances have come against 3 of the 4 weakest batting line ups in test cricket.

 

[NUFAN]

I would rate Anderson second in the world at the moment, behind only Steyn. Zaheer would rank third and Morkel fourth. I can understand if people rank Zaheer ahead of Jimmy though.

 

[Xuhaib]

I would rate Anderson second in the world at the moment, behind only Steyn. Zaheer would rank third and Morkel fourth. I can understand if people rank Zaheer ahead of Jimmy though.

I was really disappointed with Morkel last two series in sub cont esxpected better from him atm he is part of the pack that includes Gul,Sree,Broad and Ishant.

 

[morgieb]

Yeah, he probably is. Feel like an idiot for being sniffy about him (mainly because I thought he was only effective when it was overcast), but he's done very good so far.

 

[Blaze 18]

Only Dale Steyn is comfortably better than James Anderson, so yes, he is world-class.

 

[honestbharani]

Yes.. Agree on the pecking order being Steyn, Jimmy A and Zak.

 

[Blaze 18]

I would have daylight after Dale Steyn, to be honest. The dude is just a couple of classes above the Zaheer Khans and James Andersons.

 

[Teja.]

Jury still out for me. He was ****ing amazing against Pak in swinging conditions but in 2010:-

He played 3 series' and is playing one.

He averaged 34 in SA, 24.77 vs B'desh in England, 13.73 vs Pakistan in England.

So, He was average against an awesome team in good bowling conditions, murderous against a **** team in good bowling conditions, and very good against a **** team in good bowling conditions up to this point.

Zaheer on the other hand(in 2010) averaged 19.53 against B'desh in B'desh, 31.14 against SA in India, 21.8 against Australia in India, 23.8 against NZ in India.

So, He was awesome against a **** team in **** bowling conditions, average against an awesome team in **** bowling conditions, awesome against an awesome team in **** bowling conditions, awesome against a decent batting lineup in **** bowling conditions.

So, Zaheer is still definitely ahead for me, atm.

I'll rate Anderson if he finishes the Ashes with a sub-27 average.

Oh, I don't intend to offend the fans of the BD,Pak batting lineups with this. Just was lazy to think of an adjective.

 

[Xuhaib]

don't think Zaheer was awesome in **** bowling conditions the conditions were ideal for reverse swing which is his strength.Its like if I start arguing that Wasim,Waqar and imran were better then Marshal,Walsh and Curtly just based on the facts they bowled more in sub cont.

 

[Teja.]

don't think Zaheer was awesome in **** bowling conditions the conditions were ideal for reverse swing which is his strength.Its like if I start arguing that Wasim,Waqar and imran were better then Marshal,Walsh and Curtly just based on the facts they bowled more in sub cont.

Okay even leaving alone that:-

Anderson in 2010 faced Pakistan, B'desh and SA. Against SA, which is the only 'good' team he faced, he was pretty average. Pak and B'desh, He killed it.

Zaheer faced SA and B'desh too. He was similarly average against SA and killed it against BZ. However he also averaged 21 and 23 against one very good batting lineup and one pretty decent one (Oz and NZ) in the same period. That added to the fact that no bowler in his team other than him who played in the tests he played in averages below 35 in them and It's pretty clear for me who the better bowler is.

 

[Xuhaib]

Okay even leaving alone that:-

Anderson in 2010 faced Pakistan, B'desh and SA. Against SA, which is the only 'good' team he faced, he was pretty average. Pak and B'desh, He killed it.

Zaheer faced SA and B'desh too. He was similarly average against SA and killed it against BZ. However he also averaged 21 and 23 against one very good batting lineup and one pretty decent one (Oz and NZ) in the same period. That added to the fact that no bowler in his team other than him who played in the tests he played in averages below 35 in them and It's pretty clear for me who the better bowler is.

yeah thats a more reasonable argument though if Anderson can average under 30 in Australia then the argument should clearly be in Anderson's favor.

 

[Blaze 18]

I would have Zaheer Khan just over James Anderson.

On a sidenote, it is a real pity that Mohammad Asif screwed his own career. If there is one bowler who could have possibly given Dale Steyn a run for his money, it is him.