Nathan Bracken

[Bazza]

Alan Mullally and Mark Ealham, as Marc will know, in my opinion are two class ODI performers. Why they were dropped nobody knows.

I remember (probably 3 years back now), thinking we had a one day side well and truly sorted - the bowling was Gough and Caddick, followed by White, Mullally and Ealham.

These guys were all economical, and all taking wickets at the time. Plus White and Ealham are in the AR bracket so we had batting to 8, though admittedly the last 3 weren't up to much.

Still that combined with a top order of Trescothick, Knight, Hussain, Thorpe, Stewart and must have been one other bat - can't remember who - looked very good. Then they dropped Mullally and Ealham, and for a period Knight, with no logical explanation.

Still - looks alright at the moment - Tres, Knight, Vaughan, Hussain, Collingwood, Stewart, Blackwell, Caddick and Anderson look dead certs for the world cup. I would still like to see Flintoff in for Irani (and I think this might happen), and Hoggard maybe to get the last spot. If only Goughie were fit all would be right with the world!

 

[Andre]

I'm digging this thread up now. And I stand by every word I say in it.

 

[Mr. P]

Amen to that Andre. Bracken certainly doesn't deserve his place IMO.

 

[Craig]

Alan Mullally and Mark Ealham, as Marc will know, in my opinion are two class ODI performers. Why they were dropped nobody knows.

I could never quite work out why Croft was dropped as well, he has a good rpo.

 

[Top_Cat]

Something to do with the fact that as a spin bowler, you need to be able to spin the ball.............

 

[age_master]

Something to do with the fact that as a spin bowler, you need to be able to spin the ball.............

i dunno, you dont have to turn it much. Boof seems to get by OK

 

[Top_Cat]

dunno, you dont have to turn it much. Boof seems to get by OK

Boof spins it so little, on the way down, the ball reverses it's spin to go the other way!

I love the wicket he got when he bowled Evans; the ball simply did nothing. It was just a gunbarrel-straight ball which had nothing on it (a 'nude' ball, if you will). What's the money on Boof using that as an example of his new 'arm-ball' and spinning the story that he's been working on it in the nets, etc.??

I'll let you know if he does as I'll be catching up with him soon at the Northern Jets clubrooms. If he does, he'll be laughed at pretty hard, let me tell you!

 

[marc71178]

I could never quite work out why Croft was dropped as well, he has a good rpo.

Probably because he dumped England in it by refusing to tour India.

 

[marc71178]

i dunno, you dont have to turn it much. Boof seems to get by OK

He's not a specialist spin bowler though is he?

He was only really bowling so much because of injury.

 

[Rik]

I could never quite work out why Croft was dropped as well, he has a good rpo.

Because he couldn't take wickets, he bowls too flat and quick to trouble any International players, that's his choice, I've seen him bowl good flighted ones before. The problem with Croft is if you can't take your wickets in Domestic Cricket at a decent average (his FC career average is 36) then why should you be given the chance in International Cricket. With Croft there's a reason and it's not just because in Wales it usually rains which doesn't help the spinners...

 

[Craig]

Then on what justification in picking Ashley Giles who averages around 40 with the ball in Tests and is unthreatening.

Croft - like Giles will however, only be effective on spinner friendly wickets.

 

[marc71178]

If Vaughan weren't captain I could see an argument for picking 4 seamers 6 batsmen and a keeper, but he is, so cannot do all those jobs.

 

[Mr. P]

i dunno, you dont have to turn it much. Boof seems to get by OK

Well, you known who does turn it? Ricky Ponting. (When hes bowling his offies of course)

Did anyone see him bowl against Zimbabwe? Quality stuff there.

 

[age_master]

Well, you known who does turn it? Ricky Ponting. (When hes bowling his offies of course)

Did anyone see him bowl against Zimbabwe? Quality stuff there.

lol, yeah, too bad steve waugh was hogging the ball :

 

[Craig]

This Test match has shown how useless Bracken is. He looked unthreanting and didnt have a plan on how to get him out.

 

[Hero_Don]

I agree with Craig. His average is 30 in first class, so surley theres better bowler than him.

 

[Andre]

Ladies and gentlemen:

I hate to say I told you so, but I told you so

 

[Craig]

Dont boast your ego Mr Maddocks :P :saint:

 

[Eclipse]

I think alot of people though he would do allright because he appeared to have developed the ability to swing the ball into the right hander's in the TVS cup but so far he has hardly swung the ball what so ever.

 

[viewnut]

bracken is pathetic full stop. his action will never be fixed unless he spends a winter with both wasim akram and dklillee, and totally remodles it. his arms need to be higher and moved around more for him to be even able to remotely swing ball back into right-handers. atm, he is in line to develop a stress fracture in back cause his action becomes mixed. as for inness, from what i have seen of him, he is as worse as bracken he doesnt swing it into right handers either. he gets alot of his wickets caught behind wicket by virtue that he bowls ball accross right handers, and the angle annoys the hell out of them. bollinger is a far more threatening bowler than either of them swinging the ball back into right-handers(when he can keep his foot behind the line).

IMO, bracken should go back to balmain 5th grade, bollinger open bowling for nsw, and nsw development squad try and find a decent young left armer and develop him from young age if they want variety. either that or clone bruce reid and wasim akram into some sort of super left armer lol.