tooextracool
International Coach
not really, i think he has the cover driveBoyBrumby said:
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*Official* England in South Africa Thread
- Thread starter Richard
- Start date
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Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
SA have actually bowled quite well, particularly when you consider that Pollock looked to be in decline, Ntini's inconsistent, they had no back-up paceman before the series, and Boje's not the greatest.
England's big concern is the SA batting and their own bowling .
Gibbs, Smith, and Rudolph (lots of starts without getting a big one) have all under-achieved. Kallis has been great and he's the type of player that will continue piling on the runs. Boucher's back and he's useful.
England's bowling, aside from Flintoff and Harmison (bowled OK but seems to have lost the knack of taking wickets), is ordinary. Hoggard is OK with the new ball (particularly whilst Gibbs and Smith are playing so poorly) but hardly a threat after that whilst Jones and Giles are average at best.
The fact that England also seem tired does not bode well for the rest of the series. From this point, I think it'll be a top achievement to win the series.
England's big concern is the SA batting and their own bowling .
Gibbs, Smith, and Rudolph (lots of starts without getting a big one) have all under-achieved. Kallis has been great and he's the type of player that will continue piling on the runs. Boucher's back and he's useful.
England's bowling, aside from Flintoff and Harmison (bowled OK but seems to have lost the knack of taking wickets), is ordinary. Hoggard is OK with the new ball (particularly whilst Gibbs and Smith are playing so poorly) but hardly a threat after that whilst Jones and Giles are average at best.
The fact that England also seem tired does not bode well for the rest of the series. From this point, I think it'll be a top achievement to win the series.
Mister Wright
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
tooextracool said:
I think Pollock can bowl better than he is at the moment. He is as tight as always, but he is lacking that strike power he is capable of, he hasn't really had it since about a year after he took the captaincy, it is starting to come back, I really think he can get it back this year, if the bowling side is consistent.
Langeveldt
Soutie
Conveniently forgetting the four consecutive fours off Harmison which stimulated a huge amount of quite pointless discussion here 
tooextracool
International Coach
yes thats precisely the point i was making to richard in another thread. hes lost an extra yard of pace since 2001 and really has struggled on every flat wicket. but IMO its highly unlikely that anyone can increase his pace after 30, in fact he will only get slower.Mister Wright said:
Mister Wright
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
He doesn't have to get quicker to be a greater striker. He just has to do what McGrath, Akram and many other bowlers in their post 30 years and develop that zip off the pitch.tooextracool said:
tooextracool
International Coach
that zip only comes in 3 possible ways:Mister Wright said:
off the pitch- in which case he usually bowls well anyways
with pace- which hes lost
andwith height- which is what mcgrath uses to good effect. pollock isnt quite as tall. akram on the other hand was still bowling over 80mph towards the end of his career.
Scaly piscine
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
I reckon if Harmison could figure out how to stop the ball smashing into the stumps in the first 5 or so deliveries he faces I'd have him out there...
SpaceMonkey
International Debutant
that wasnt good battingLangeveldt said:Conveniently forgetting the four consecutive fours off Harmison which stimulated a huge amount of quite pointless discussion here
if he had got out trying to do that he would have looked a fool
tooextracool
International Coach
read the post i quoted. someone suggested that he had no scoring shot. no one said that he was a brilliant batsman because he could play the cover drive.Mr Casson said:McGrath has the cover drive. Your point?
tooextracool
International Coach
ok i missed the smiley, looks a lot less like a joke without that.
Tom Halsey
International Coach
Anderson in for Jones. Lets see what he does...
