Should we be patient with Michael Beer?

[social]

Looking beyond all the selection theories, does anyone on this forum rate Beer as a chance to become a Test class bowler?

I have watched Beer live in a Shield match at the MCG, watched him bowl in a couple of club games and viewed on TV his Test debut. I believe he has most of the basics right (half the spinners in this country can hardly land a leg/off break) but he lacks any real spark in his bowling. He will take wickets through probing accuracy over 20-30 overs, but never looks likely to run through a lineup. Australian wickets are so tough for a bowler like Beer to impress on, and he has a large challenge to prove a decent bowler.

I'm not sold yet, but I would like to see him given a chance.

This because his follow-through is almost non-existent

I reckon he has the talent and most of the basics but test cricket is a tough place to learn how to bowl

 

[Debris]

Whilst I accept benchy's argument, the simple facts are this.

- Hauritz knows how to bowl in Test matches, and knows how to pick up Test match wickets
- Hauritz is hardly too old
- Hauritz is also quite a reasonable batsman to boot
- Hauritz is simply a better bowler

I see very little reason Hauritz should not be our specialist spinner tbh. Aside from O'Keefe's superior FC record. Beer has nice flight and reasonably accuracy but very little drift or turn, and not that much dip. I honestly think Michael Clarke and Simon Katich would be more threatening at Test level.

If we are going to go back the future like this, I think Krezja is a better bet than Hauritz. He at least turns the ball.

 

[Nate]

"It is alright to be patient but the spinner has to show signs of potential"

Isn't this view very subjective though?

 

[Spark]

If we are going to go back the future like this, I think Krezja is a better bet than Hauritz. He at least turns the ball.

I don't see that as being very useful on all but dusty subcontinental decks where sharply turning the ball can result in genuinely unplayable balls if he keeps bowling a four ball every over or so. Builds zero pressure which is exactly what we don't need from our spinner.

Hauritz can spin an off break nowadays, too.

 

[Nate]

Surely the better spinners beat the batsman in the air.

 

[Spikey]

If we are going to go back the future like this, I think Krezja is a better bet than Hauritz. He at least turns the ball.

we should ask tait to come out of retirement because he bowls the fastest

 

[TumTum]

If we are going to go back the future like this, I think Krezja is a better bet than Hauritz. He at least turns the ball.

But he bowls a lot of crap. Both bowlers have big negative sides to them and if we are going to move forward I think we need to start fresh.

 

[Noble One]

If we were to back a spinner, Nathan Lyon would be my pick. I'm happy not to be a selector though TBH.

 

[Spark]

Surely the better spinners beat the batsman in the air.

At his best Hauritz was getting more drift than any offspinner in the world, IMO.

On that matter I'm fairly convinced that the most promising spin talent we have is Steve Smith, given his age and the improvement that he's shown already - he was getting balls to drop appreciably on the batsmen in the Bangladesh series which whilst it didn't turn into wickets, is a very good sign IMO.

In the meantime what we need is an accurate, probing spinner who can tie up and end and pick up some useful wickets every now and then. Not someone who can try and match Swann/Harbhajan. In that sense Beer is not a bad choice but he's going to have to really improve if he's to convince me that he's a Test-standard bowler.

EDIT: Lyon not a bad shout - not seen him in Shield cricket myself but I have listened on Grandstand and he at least sounded impressive.

 

[Debris]

Just to be clear, Krezja would not be my option. I just think he is a better bet than Hauritz. Accuracy can be taught a lot easier than turning the ball.

I think Steven Smith is worth persevering with and from a prospective talent point of view, I do like Cameron Boyce. O'Keefe might be the pick of the finger spinners for me but his ability with the bat might be swaying me there.

 

[Furball]

At his best Hauritz was getting more drift than any offspinner in the world, IMO.

On that matter I'm fairly convinced that the most promising spin talent we have is Steve Smith, given his age and the improvement that he's shown already - he was getting balls to drop appreciably on the batsmen in the Bangladesh series which whilst it didn't turn into wickets, is a very good sign IMO.

In the meantime what we need is an accurate, probing spinner who can tie up and end and pick up some useful wickets every now and then. Not someone who can try and match Swann/Harbhajan. In that sense Beer is not a bad choice but he's going to have to really improve if he's to convince me that he's a Test-standard bowler.

EDIT: Lyon not a bad shout - not seen him in Shield cricket myself but I have listened on Grandstand and he at least sounded impressive.

Give yourself a slap for mentioning Swann and Harbhajan in the same breath.

 

[Spark]

Give yourself a slap for mentioning Swann and Harbhajan in the same breath.

Haha was just mentioning Test spinners commonly seen as at least "good" tbf. I'm in the "Swann > Harbhajan" camp myself.

 

[Nate]

From the comments section in the above article -

Steven Smith is the one I would be working with. This young guy looks to have everything and is also a dynamic batsman and a brilliant fielder. He will soon go past Kallis as the No 1 allrounder in world cricket.

People commenting on a matter they have no education in makes me rage.

 

[Spark]

Lol. Usually the negative comments are the ones that make me sigh but that one is just so OTT that it's well into the ridiculous. Started out OK too.

 

[Debris]

I have drawn a complete blank on Nathan Lyon. Can't remember seeing him bowl at all/

 

[benchmark00]

Yeah Hauritz's drift is his best asset for sure.

 

[vcs]

Give yourself a slap for mentioning Swann and Harbhajan in the same breath.

lol

It's like Harbhajan Singh's taken 40 wickets and not close to 400.

This summer should be fun.

 

[Cevno]

Give yourself a slap for mentioning Swann and Harbhajan in the same breath.

What's wrong in mentioning them in the same breath?

You may rate one higher than the other but at the moment they are the best 2 spinners in the world over a period.
It's not like there is a huge gap between them either way.

You either seem to rate Indian players really low time and again or rate English players too highly or most likely both.
Last time you were calling Indian bowling Bangladesh Standard and now this.

 

[Nate]

I have drawn a complete blank on Nathan Lyon. Can't remember seeing him bowl at all/

Then you sir, are missing out. Classical action.

 

[Noble One]

I have drawn a complete blank on Nathan Lyon. Can't remember seeing him bowl at all/

The best find of the 2010/2011 season IMO. South Australia look keen to give him a good opportunity to play in all games. This can only be a good thing for his development.