Stuart Broad

[dontcloseyoureyes]

It doesn't justify Harmison's either though. At least Broad's a test number eight.

I don't think for a second that Harmison's a better bowler than Broad either. Look at how they bowled when they were playing together in the West Indies. It's all very well to say he's "not test class" or "just being picked on potential" or "not up to scratch". I'm not hearing any decent alternatives to picking him.

Perhaps aiming the "he's better than Harmison" argument at someone saying Harmison should be brought in for him would be a better course of action.

 

[Uppercut]

Perhaps aiming the "he's better than Harmison" argument at someone saying Harmison should be brought in for him would be a better course of action.

I'm not aiming it at you. But you're not able to find me an alternative, and neither is anyone else.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Then perhaps not quoting me is a good idea.

I don't profess to know much about English Cricket, but there's 18 teams in county cricket, right? How on Earth is there "no other alternatives"?

If you said "pick a bowler from outside the Australian squad who's next in line" I could give you any of ten, so personally I think you're talking rubbish unless county cricket is in seriously in the doldrums.

 

[Uppercut]

Australia's backup is indeed much more impressive than England's. That's why I'm in favour of leaving out Siddle even though he's a far better bowler than Broad. Australia can bring in any one of Clark, Lee, Hilfenhaus, Bollinger, McDonald- whoever- and they'll do a decent enough job. And a lot more of them are competent with the bat.

It's a lot trickier for England. How many English bowlers have stepped in and performed from the word go? Chris Tremlett is the last one I remember doing decently, and he has fitness issues. In between you have Mahmood, Plunkett, Pattinson, Anderson, Broad, Amjad... it's a step up not many of them can adjust to.

 

[Pigeon]

Then perhaps not quoting me is a good idea.

I don't profess to know much about English Cricket, but there's 18 teams in county cricket, right? How on Earth is there "no other alternatives"?

If you said "pick a bowler from outside the Australian squad who's next in line" I could give you any of ten, so personally I think you're talking rubbish unless county cricket is in seriously in the doldrums.

This.

Why not Sidebottom?

 

[Richard]

Until now because there wasn't enough evidence of him being fit and firing. However, evidence is mounting-up by the weeks and I'd not be at all averse to him replacing Broad for the next Test - doubly so as it's at Headingley.

 

[GIMH]

Well that obviously justifies his terrible statistics.

That's not what I was doing, though

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

That's not what I was doing, though

I'm sure you were going somewhere insightful with your point.

 

[GIMH]

Would have thought it was fairly obvious and didn't need spelling out tbh

 

[luckyeddie]

Bump

Also, hi guys.

 

[honestbharani]

Hi luckyeddie, how are you? Hope you are doing well.

 

[quincywagstaff]

Heck of a career. Most impressive aspect about his career is that he's always seemed to relish the big moments and pressure situations and delivered so often.

As much an error as it was, can see why the selectors were 'looking ahead' with not picking him for the 1st Test. Having Broad and Anderson leading an attack on another Ashes tour seems a recipe for disaster.

 

[Starfighter]

I think having Mark Wood leading might be a bigger disaster.

 

[Howe_zat]

He's just ****. There's nothing more to it.

I unliked this and then liked it again just so as Uppercut got pinged for it.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Bump

Also, hi guys.

Welcome back, sir. Hope you're in rude health?

Strange a proud son of Derby should excavate a thread on a Leicestershire/Notts stalwart, but his splendour clearly transcends parochial east midlands concerns.

Seriously, some of the opinions haven't aged too well, have they?

Sorry to pick on Goughy, but the trenchant nature of his criticism caught my eye:

As Ive been explaining for a long time (though not the only one) he shouldnt be close to selection. Simply he isnt a very good bowler. It has nothing to do with form. He isnt capable of being much better.

He will be an ordinary bowler for the forseeable future.

Pro
Tall

Cons
Medium pace
Lacks accuracy
Doesnt move the ball

People are hoping for him to get a lot more accurate and add a yard of pace. That is wishful thinking.

He needs to earn a spot rather than being gifted a spot. Not close to being in the top 10 bowlers in England

 

[Uppercut]

I unliked this and then liked it again just so as Uppercut got pinged for it.

this is especially annoying because I was one of the first to realise he was good.

A month or so after I posted this, they toured the West Indies, went 1-0 down, then played three drawn tests on what might literally have been the deadest pitches ever made. Broad was clearly the best of the England bowlers, but it didn't show up in his figures, largely because the conditions made actually taking wickets almost impossible. Since the cricket was so painfully dull that nobody was actually watching the games, it went completely unnoticed.

Except by me and GIMH. I can't speak for GIMH, but 2009 was my peak cricket obsession and I was at a complete loose end in life, so I had nothing better to do than watch every ball. We thus became the only two people on CW defending him through the 2009 Ashes.

Strangely, what stood out about him was that he kept persisting when other bowlers had clearly lost interest. I say strangely because in mid-career he began to very obviously pick and choose when to put the effort in. They all do it a bit, with very few exceptions, but Broad was especially blatant about it. A mortal sin according to the average sports fan, but it probably explains why he's still so good at 34.

 

[Howe_zat]

I wasn't here to be wrong about him on paper to be fair.

Before I went to uni that autumn I was a filthy casual who only watched summer Tests, so for most of the 09 Ashes my opinion on him was probably 'who is this guy and where's Ryan Sidebottom?'

 

[vcs]

That WI series was gloriously funny haha

WI saved two Tests by the skin of their teeth and won the series 1-0.

 

[StephenZA]

Congrats on the 500.


Still don't rate him.

 

[GIMH]

this is especially annoying because I was one of the first to realise he was good.

A month or so after I posted this, they toured the West Indies, went 1-0 down, then played three drawn tests on what might literally have been the deadest pitches ever made. Broad was clearly the best of the England bowlers, but it didn't show up in his figures, largely because the conditions made actually taking wickets almost impossible. Since the cricket was so painfully dull that nobody was actually watching the games, it went completely unnoticed.

Except by me and GIMH. I can't speak for GIMH, but 2009 was my peak cricket obsession and I was at a complete loose end in life, so I had nothing better to do than watch every ball. We thus became the only two people on CW defending him through the 2009 Ashes.

Strangely, what stood out about him was that he kept persisting when other bowlers had clearly lost interest. I say strangely because in mid-career he began to very obviously pick and choose when to put the effort in. They all do it a bit, with very few exceptions, but Broad was especially blatant about it. A mortal sin according to the average sports fan, but it probably explains why he's still so good at 34.

Aye very much this. 09 was a strange time for me and cricket was very much my escape from real life. One of the reasons I recall the 09 Ashes so fondly. Spot on about that Windies series though. I had an interesting chat with PEWS on MSN about him around then too where I basically argued that learning his trade in Tests had basically accelerated his development.