***Official*** New Zealand in Australia 2011

[benchmark00]

While we're on lookalikes, what about new Demons coach Mark Neeld, and Scotty Styris.

Yeah, can see it.

 

[Teja.]

Harris and Steyn have almost identical figures over the period of Harris' test career. Both are slightly ahead of Anderson in this time.

You can slice and dice the stats any way you like, but it's clear that these 3 bowlers are all ahead of the pack at the moment.

Since we're talking of 'if fit' scenarios anyway, Zaheer Khan too has 31 wickets in 7 games @ 22.3 over the period of Harris'career.

 

[TT Boy]

Harris has played only 7 test matches more than Mitchell Starc (and only 8 test matches more than me) and half against poor test sides. Averages 25 a piece mind against decent oppo but you can’t be the best if you can’t play for more than 5 minutes and Harris can’t.

 

[stephen]

Harris has played only 7 test matches more than Mitchell Starc (and only 8 test matches more than me) and half against poor test sides. Averages 25 a piece mind against decent oppo but you can’t be the best if you can’t play for more than 5 minutes and Harris can’t.

Steyn's only played 2 more tests than Harris in the same time period. And it's not like Sri Lankan pitches favour fast bowlers. And it's not like Sri Lanka have a terrible batting lineup either.

 

[NasserFan207]

Harris and Steyn have almost identical figures over the period of Harris' test career. Both are slightly ahead of Anderson in this time.

You can slice and dice the stats any way you like, but it's clear that these 3 bowlers are all ahead of the pack at the moment.

Lol no way.

Suffers from Zaheer syndrome, except even worse.

 

[benchmark00]

No way can you call Harris in the top three bowlers in the world. Crazy.

 

[morgieb]

Think Harris is the 4th best bowler in the world.

 

[uvelocity]

Would be just beyond painful if Harris hobbles off on day 1 of the MCG test, i'd probably rather Siddle be there.

yo, harris is a tough nugget. If the game is still on, he will play like it's his last game. And mean it. Won't be no hobbling off for him unless he is half dead.

Would pick him when any chance if cummo is out. Would pick him when he says he's fit when patto and patty are both in.

And Dan Christian is no chance of playing. Like that they are getting him in and around the team though. Good option to replace Watto if he breaks down more seriously - good cover. Mitch Marsh is probably the better prospect, but DC is more ready now.

 

[stephen]

No way can you call Harris in the top three bowlers in the world. Crazy.

Who, currently, is better than him other than perhaps Steyn and Anderson?

 

[Flem274*]

Who, currently, is better than him other than perhaps Steyn and Anderson?

Zaheer, Tremlett, Bresnan, Broad, Morkel...

 

[benchmark00]

Who, currently, is better than him other than perhaps Steyn and Anderson?

He's played less than 10 matches. He hasn't shown an ability to back up. It's ludicrous to be saying he's up in the top three.

 

[Ruckus]

I reckon if you don't include the up and coming promising bowlers like Philander etc., then the top 4 (obviously injury concerns being ignored) are Steyn, Anderson, Zaheer and Harris.

Broad is probably next in line, then Bresnan, Tremlett and Morkel for mine.

 

[Ruckus]

He's played less than 10 matches. He hasn't shown an ability to back up. It's ludicrous to be saying he's up in the top three.

I think the whole conversation is under the assumption of him being fit and using players current form.

 

[benchmark00]

I think the whole conversation is under the assumption of him being fit and using players current form.

But we don't know Harris' current form! That's the point.

He plays like one test match at a time, so it's impossible to know what form he is in.

Adding to that, players with limited international experience can often experience a honeymoon period where teams don't know what they bowl and how they bowl it.

Harris enjoys the best of both worlds. He's played alot of cricket so he's experienced, but he hasn't played much test cricket, so he hasn't been found out. Stuart Clark enjoyed the same thing.

He might have the ability to be in the top three in the world, but that's for him to prove.

 

[Ruckus]

Yeah that's true, and the same kind of points can apply to people like Bresnan and Tremlett etc...

But, really, even though Harris hasn't been able to string together matches, in all the matches he has played in his bowling has stayed remarkably consistent - so I guess that is provides some gauge of his 'current form'. If he continues to bowl the way he has been, I'm not sure he'll be found out either. His method of success so far has relied on a pretty standard approach.

 

[Son Of Coco]

You can enjoy seeing Bangladesh (or Zimbabwe) win against NZ. But taking pleasure in the fact that NZ are losing is a whole different matter.

I doubt Scaly took joy in Australia winning yesterday. His delight was solely in NZ losing.

Its almost psychotic

Has it got anything to do with the piss poor effort Paul Collingwood put in against them a few years ago, with his stunning display of sportsmanship?

I remember Scaly having a very interesting view of that incident.

 

[Woodster]

I like what I've seen of Harris so far, but to call him one of the top three/four bowlers in the world right now is a far reach, imo. He has been impressive but surely he has to do it over a longer period of time to be considered as one of the world's finest. Pat Cummins will presumably be in the top five after his performance in Jo'burg.

 

[Jarquis]

I'm a huge Harris fan but there's no way I'd say he's better than either Zaheer or Morkel yet.

 

[Pup Clarke]

Bloody hell, if you watch the guy bowl you realise he's a top bowler, irrespective of how many games he's played. And the idea that you won't know his 'form' when he's in and out of the side is not true imo, he's just a very consistent bowler who knows what he's doing.

And the idea that batsman can 'work out' someone who bowls consistent line and length at 140kph is again not true. This isn't just a golden patch for him, if you watched him in ODI's you can tell what a well-rounded bowler he is.

 

[Scaly piscine]

Has it got anything to do with the piss poor effort Paul Collingwood put in against them a few years ago, with his stunning display of sportsmanship?

I remember Scaly having a very interesting view of that incident.

The one where the Kiwi obstructed the field you mean?

No way should the batsman concerned gotten away with through 'good sportsmanship' because it was a very good chance of a run out anyway. The only truly fair way to have settled it would have been to re-run the run out opportunity. Anything else was unfair to one side or the other, but since it was the Kiwi's fault the only realistic options erred on England's side.