**Official** Sri Lanka in England / Scotland - 2011

[tooextracool]

Heres an interesting bit of news: Rashid isn't selected because he isn't good enough yet. I know that the idea of not selecting someone who hasn't had a sub 30 averaging season in 5 years may sound like one of sheer lunacy, but to put things in better perspective, here is a guy who most recently just got out-bowled by a teenage left arm spin bowler on a Lions tour to the West Indies.

That is not to say that I don't believe that Rashid has plenty of potential. However, as Ive said a million times before, he consistently bowls the wrong lengths to be successful in the longer formats of the game and from the brief clips I've seen off him lately, that has not changed. The bottom line for me is that Im not likely to be convinced that he deserves selection unless hes taking wickets cheaply for the Lions team, otherwise at the moment there are at least half a dozen bowlers in county cricket who deserve a place in the side ahead of him. He's only 23, his time will come so lets not rush it.

 

[hang on]

that makes sense. but the thing is that he has been spoken of as an exceptional talent for yonks. perhaps he needs to be tested at the highest level....some players really step up and perform in such cases. vaughan and (perhaps even trescothick) would be a case in point. he was distinctly mediocre in cc when he was chosen by fletcher, who had seen something in him that would flower on the grand stage.

 

[keeper]

he consistently bowls the wrong lengths to be successful in the longer formats of the game

Interesting - generally too short, too long or just the wrong mixture..?

 

[tooextracool]

that makes sense. but the thing is that he has been spoken of as an exceptional talent for yonks. perhaps he needs to be tested at the highest level....some players really step up and perform in such cases. vaughan and (perhaps even trescothick) would be a case in point. he was distinctly mediocre in cc when he was chosen by fletcher, who had seen something in him that would flower on the grand stage.

Trescothick and Vaughan were picked at a time when there weren't particularly very many better options going around in domestic cricket and their selections were based on their character. There is absolutely no reason to pick Rashid when we have a far superior spinner in the side and we have about half a dozen pace options who are all likely to take wickets at a cheaper rate than Rashid.

I dont think we need to rush him. Spinners tend to ripen with age and have long careers. Graeme Swann didnt learn how to bowl in test match cricket, he was ready to play test cricket when he was picked. When Rashid is ready, he will be making an irrefutable case for selection.

 

[tooextracool]

Interesting - generally too short, too long or just the wrong mixture..?

Too short. Spinners need to be able to invite the batsmen to drive and yet try to ensure that they dont get to the pitch of the ball.

 

[Isura]

I see no problems him in unleashing against a side which are not known or play spin well or in a spin friendly condition. But on plumb wickets, unleashing him against a set MJ and Sam or set SRT and Sehwag is too much for a young bowler.

It worked OK for that Shane Warne guy though

 

[keeper]

Too short. Spinners need to be able to invite the batsmen to drive and yet try to ensure that they dont get to the pitch of the ball.

Thanks, have seen little of his bowling.

I tend to disagree with the notion that bowlers have a 'natural length' so it would be interesting to know if his coaches agree with this and are working on it.

Agree there's no rush but we've been so brutalised by Shane Warne that it natural that there will be enthusiasm for him to play. But I agree he can bide his time and, as I said before, master his art.

 

[Furball]

Rashid's strike rate is exceptional for a spinner - low 50s IIRC.

If he can work out a way to bowl more economically without losing his wicket taking prowess, he'll be a good un.

 

[tooextracool]

It worked OK for that Shane Warne guy though

Did it? Granted he bowled he took some pretty significant tail end SL wickets in one of the games, but he got spanked around by both of the sides top order players during both of his first 2 series. He was fortunate to get a game after that to be honest.

 

[Isura]

Did it? Granted he bowled he took some pretty significant tail end SL wickets in one of the games, but he got spanked around by both of the sides top order players during both of his first 2 series. He was fortunate to get a game after that to be honest.

I mean, he got spanked but came back to have a great career. Sometimes you just have to test players against tough opposition.

 

[tooextracool]

I mean, he got spanked but came back to have a great career. Sometimes you just have to test players against tough opposition.

To be honest, in terms of mental fortitude and character, Warne is a once in a generation player and we wont see another one quite like him in a very long time. To expect every random Joe and Rashid to turn out like Warne is asking for a miracle. As I said earlier, most other players would not have got a game after, so credit to the selectors for sticking with him.

 

[Analyst1]

tendulkar does have a habit of getting out to debuting bowlers, though! might be worth a shout in the first test.

Tendulkar has played Rashid before and he destroyed him back in the 2007 tour. The bowling attack was similar to England's current attack-Tremlett, Broad, Onions, Bresnan and Rashid.

India were 10/3 or something before Tendulkar scored 171.

 

[Jacknife]

Heres an interesting bit of news: Rashid isn't selected because he isn't good enough yet. I know that the idea of not selecting someone who hasn't had a sub 30 averaging season in 5 years may sound like one of sheer lunacy, but to put things in better perspective, here is a guy who most recently just got out-bowled by a teenage left arm spin bowler on a Lions tour to the West Indies.

That is not to say that I don't believe that Rashid has plenty of potential. However, as Ive said a million times before, he consistently bowls the wrong lengths to be successful in the longer formats of the game and from the brief clips I've seen off him lately, that has not changed. The bottom line for me is that Im not likely to be convinced that he deserves selection unless hes taking wickets cheaply for the Lions team, otherwise at the moment there are at least half a dozen bowlers in county cricket who deserve a place in the side ahead of him. He's only 23, his time will come so lets not rush it.

What you say about him, was right a couple of years ago, but I think he has improved a fair bit, especially during last season. He's become a lot more consistent and gives the ball more air than he used to and has learned where to land the ball to be more successful.
I do agree, in as far as, he is best left where he is and let him continue to learn his game and see where he is at the end of the season.

 

[FBU]

Well Rashid will just have to play 20/20s and ODIs for England. He did well in the Big Bash. The best time to have played him was in the West Indies in 2009 as second spinner to Swann.

Here are some of his f/c wickets (40% of his wickets bowled or lbw compared to Swann and Warne 37%)

Trott, Knight, DBravo, Styris, SFleming, Benkenstein, Prior, Jayasuriya, Hodge, Law, Yardy, Goodwin, Kaif, Pujara, Ross Taylor, Ramprakash, Afzaal, Blackwell, Collingwood, Key, Kemp, Read, Pothas, Langer, Kieswetter, Hildreth, LWright, di Venuto, Chanderpaul, LSimmons, Nash, Katich, DHussey, Laxman, Trescothick, van Jaarsveld, Carberry, Bopara, SPatel, Morton.

 

[Analyst1]

He isn't ready IMO. I'd give him some more time in county cricket. Besides, we're not going to play two spinners at home. England's next tour where where a second spinner might be required is a long way off (vs Pakistan in the UAE I think).

 

[vcs]

Tendulkar has played Rashid before and he destroyed him back in the 2007 tour. The bowling attack was similar to England's current attack-Tremlett, Broad, Onions, Bresnan and Rashid.

India were 10/3 or something before Tendulkar scored 171.

It was in a warmup game, wasn't it? Wonder if there is any footage/highlights of that knock..

 

[Migara]

It worked OK for that Shane Warne guy though

It worked Ok because in his second test Lankans had collective brain fart in the 1st test in Asgiriya. If they hammered Warne as they did in the 1st innings, might gave gone out of the picture.

But still Warne, is Warne, who was a legend. It's stretching a bit to compare Rashid to him.

 

[Kylez]

Migara, looking back at the record of pace bowler Nuwan Zoysa ( 32 years old ), I was suprised that he didn't get more of a look in in the last couple of years. Certainly has an acceptable test record and his FC record is very impressive for a SC pacer.

Thoughts?

 

[Migara]

Migara, looking back at the record of pace bowler Nuwan Zoysa ( 32 years old ), I was suprised that he didn't get more of a look in in the last couple of years. Certainly has an acceptable test record and his FC record is very impressive for a SC pacer.

Thoughts?

He is as brittle as a Chinese porcelain ornament. Repeated injuries has had toll on him. Now reduced to a 120k trundler who bowls with a bit of bounce. Under no circumstances test match material unless you are Zim or Ban.

 

[Analyst1]

It was in a warmup game, wasn't it? Wonder if there is any footage/highlights of that knock..

There was a good one on YouTube (8 min video) but the account was deleted. Now there isn't a proper one. This video shows you a couple of shots and the first few wickets that fell.

YouTube - Sachin Tendulkar 171 Indians v England Lions Highlights