James Anderson vs Ryan Harris

[GIMH]

It was definitely the best series he ever had in Australia, I will concede that.

But "best bowler by a mile" is a massive exaggeration, just like every single other comment I have ever seen you or 95% of other English fans make about him

EDIT: probably came across a little personal there, unfair of me. It's more of a widespread English delusion

By a mile may be excessive but he was the best bowler across the series as a whole. This was the common view at the time and I think it only changes by taking a statistical lens.

Anderson in The Ashes has certainly been inconsistent, though to read some Aussies (e.g Burgey’s post earlier) you’d think he’d never had a good game whereas there are plenty of standout performances you can point to, games like Edgbaston 09/15, the whole of the 10-11 series, Adelaide 16-17 (granted circumstances fell in his favour). Equally 06-07 he shouldn’t have been there, 13-14 he was largely poor (though I do think the lack of scoreboard pressure left him and Broad on a hiding to nothing second up each game) and obviously this summer he was massively disappointing. I don’t think it’s true to say we’ve never seen the best of Anderson in The Ashes, we just haven’t seen it consistently like we have with him against plenty of others.

If you think we overrate him, that’s fair enough it’s an opinion. But equally it’s always seemed a lot of Aussies on here massively underrate him. His record is excellent, and you take pretty much any period since about 2008 and it gets better and better. He’s had a career the length of about three or four average quicks in terms of games and peak, and to pull out the numbers he does is unreal. I mean he averaged 18 in Pakistan last year, these on decks where the world record for runs in a day was broken.

 

[Coronis]

By a mile may be excessive but he was the best bowler across the series as a whole. This was the common view at the time and I think it only changes by taking a statistical lens.

Anderson in The Ashes has certainly been inconsistent, though to read some Aussies (e.g Burgey’s post earlier) you’d think he’d never had a good game whereas there are plenty of standout performances you can point to, games like Edgbaston 09/15, the whole of the 10-11 series, Adelaide 16-17 (granted circumstances fell in his favour). Equally 06-07 he shouldn’t have been there, 13-14 he was largely poor (though I do think the lack of scoreboard pressure left him and Broad on a hiding to nothing second up each game) and obviously this summer he was massively disappointing. I don’t think it’s true to say we’ve never seen the best of Anderson in The Ashes, we just haven’t seen it consistently like we have with him against plenty of others.

If you think we overrate him, that’s fair enough it’s an opinion. But equally it’s always seemed a lot of Aussies on here massively underrate him. His record is excellent, and you take pretty much any period since about 2008 and it gets better and better. He’s had a career the length of about three or four average quicks in terms of games and peak, and to pull out the numbers he does is unreal. I mean he averaged 18 in Pakistan last year, these on decks where the world record for runs in a day was broken.

You take plenty of players records and ignore 5 years and they look better and better.

 

[GIMH]

You take lots of players records and ignore 5 years and they look good.

Yes. But when a player has another 15 years after that 5 years (during which they were in and out of the team) it's not quite the same as doing it for one who played for a total of 10, is it.

 

[Burgey]

It's quite remarkable that that bug appeared just twice in the first three paragraphs, but both times following the exact same word. It's your mistake, mate

It's a product of hurried proof reading unfortunately. Try to catch them all but invariably missed some. Used to be a pain in the arse, especially when we tried to upload match reports asap at the end of a day way back when we did them.

 

[RossTaylorsBox]

I'm the related article at the bottom.

 

[Coronis]

Yes. But when a player has another 15 years after that 5 years (during which they were in and out of the team) it's not quite the same as doing it for one who played for a total of 10, is it.

Nah its not.

 

[GIMH]

Nah its not.

Then I’m glad we agree

 

[GoodAreasShane]

By a mile may be excessive but he was the best bowler across the series as a whole. This was the common view at the time and I think it only changes by taking a statistical lens.

Anderson in The Ashes has certainly been inconsistent, though to read some Aussies (e.g Burgey’s post earlier) you’d think he’d never had a good game whereas there are plenty of standout performances you can point to, games like Edgbaston 09/15, the whole of the 10-11 series, Adelaide 16-17 (granted circumstances fell in his favour). Equally 06-07 he shouldn’t have been there, 13-14 he was largely poor (though I do think the lack of scoreboard pressure left him and Broad on a hiding to nothing second up each game) and obviously this summer he was massively disappointing. I don’t think it’s true to say we’ve never seen the best of Anderson in The Ashes, we just haven’t seen it consistently like we have with him against plenty of others.

If you think we overrate him, that’s fair enough it’s an opinion. But equally it’s always seemed a lot of Aussies on here massively underrate him. His record is excellent, and you take pretty much any period since about 2008 and it gets better and better. He’s had a career the length of about three or four average quicks in terms of games and peak, and to pull out the numbers he does is unreal. I mean he averaged 18 in Pakistan last year, these on decks where the world record for runs in a day was broken.

Genuinely appreciate this response, you really do make some fair points. Can't speak for anyone else, but my comments about how lowly I rate Anderson are a bit exaggerated in of itself. Even in the Ashes even though his overall record is middling to poor there have been the strong performances you speak of along the way. (Although on that Adelaide Test, that still just makes me more annoyed at Smith's awful captaincy than anything else)

I 100% genuinely believe he is overrated, hearing people like Alec Stewart saying he is the greatest fast bowler ever only reinforces that. But with that being said, he has been able to continue to operate at a high level for such a long time is undoubtedly a good acheivement. Have to give Anderson at least some credit for that, even if I will likely never particularly rate him

 

[Adders]

Nah its not.

That's BS mate and its a very dumb stance. It really shits me to no end this whole JA talk.....I mean you've got your side that thinks he's overrated (GAS seems to think all POMS do........but is that here on CW or is he reading twitter feeds or Youtube comments?) All I'm interested in and talking about is what is said here on CW.......despite the **** that some times gets spoken here, I still like to think this is a knowledgeable forum. And all the time you've got folks like Burgey et al, calling him whatever the **** he was earlier (and I know that old **** is a better judge of a cricketer than that too ftr ) it just become a thing of us overrating V's you underrating .......and it's ****ing dire!!

I'm too wired right now so cbf checking stats guru, but you can take JA's **** 5 years away and you've still got a Michael Holding, Dennis Lillee type career......possibly twice over. Can you really not just get that?

 

[Adders]

I 100% genuinely believe he is overrated, hearing people like Alec Stewart saying he is the greatest fast bowler ever only reinforces that. But with that being said, he has been able to continue to operate at a high level for such a long time is undoubtedly a good acheivement. Have to give Anderson at least some credit for that, even if I will likely never particularly rate him

Overrated where mate? I mean I have seen some English pundits call him the GOAT as youve said.....but ffs these ***** are paid to say this ****. Tell me seriously is he overrated as a mean here on CW?

 

[Silver Silva]

Better Test bowler - James Anderson
Better Ashes bowler - Ryan Harris

 

[Adders]

Better Test bowler - James Anderson
Better Ashes bowler - Ryan Harris

How many Ashes series win did Ryan Harris play in?

 

[Coronis]

That's BS mate and its a very dumb stance. It really ****s me to no end this whole JA talk.....I mean you've got your side that thinks he's overrated (GAS seems to think all POMS do........but is that here on CW or is he reading twitter feeds or Youtube comments?) All I'm interested in and talking about is what is said here on CW.......despite the **** that some times gets spoken here, I still like to think this is a knowledgeable forum. And all the time you've got folks like Burgey et al, calling him whatever the **** he was earlier (and I know that old **** is a better judge of a cricketer than that too ftr ) it just become a thing of us overrating V's you underrating .......and it's ****ing dire!!

I'm too wired right now so cbf checking stats guru, but you can take JA's **** 5 years away and you've still got a Michael Holding, Dennis Lillee type career......possibly twice over. Can you really not just get that?

Um. You misread the posts there. I literally agreed with @GIMH that taking 5 years away from a player’s 20 year career was not the same as taking 5 years away from a player’s 10 year career.

But that’s a good Jimmeh post nonetheless.

 

[Burgey]

Overrated where mate? I mean I have seen some English pundits call him the GOAT as youve said.....but ffs these ****s are paid to say this ****. Tell me seriously is he overrated as a mean here on CW?

Yes. Yes he is.

 

[loterry1994]

lol was an actual joke how many people retired or international careers ended during that series. And Kohli was batting like a god the summer after. That’s why I still rate his test career highly even after a few years of struggle. His had some test series overseas where his looked great while his team has struggled

 

[Adders]

Um. You misread the posts there. I literally agreed with @GIMH that taking 5 years away from a player’s 20 year career was not the same as taking 5 years away from a player’s 10 year career.

But that’s a good Jimmeh post nonetheless.

Haha my bad mate......2 things in life on CW I learnt a long time ago..don't post drunk and don't get sucked into Jimmy Anderson discussions. Some how I can't seem to avoid either!

 

[Adders]

Yes. Yes he is.

No. No he's not.......he is absolutely the most underrated cricketer on this forum and you well know it ****.

 

[PlayerComparisons]

Anderson is a good bowler IMO

 

[Burgey]

Anderson is a good bowler IMO

Yeah but Harris is better

 

[PlayerComparisons]

Yeah but Harris is better

I think Anderson vs Brett Lee might be a good comparison. Two bowlers who underperformed for a long time but improved later in their careers.