Philander

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DaveAngel

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Genuine world class bowler, nobody better at what he does.

Got me thinking. Commentators, journalists, even fans constantly write off large parts of county cricket, saying the bowling is not good enough etc.

We only ever pick bowlers if they are considered to bowl "quick enough". But the most important thing is can you do something with the ball

Philander bowls 79/80 mph these days, but hits a length on off stump, some nipping back, some nipping away, and he can also swing it.

I really feel our selectors write off too many players. I don't have anyone particularly in mind who I think should be called up. But why can't we look for someone like this? Rather than just obsessing about pace. Its all we ever pick for the Lions squad for example. We never pick young bowlers who can swing or seam it.

Philander is brilliant, but I have seen him live at county level and he has looked useless, he clearly isn't, but I don't believe our selectors would ever had picked him basically.
 


DaveAngel said:
Genuine world class bowler, nobody better at what he does.

Got me thinking. Commentators, journalists, even fans constantly write off large parts of county cricket, saying the bowling is not good enough etc.

We only ever pick bowlers if they are considered to bowl "quick enough". But the most important thing is can you do something with the ball

Philander bowls 79/80 mph these days, but hits a length on off stump, some nipping back, some nipping away, and he can also swing it.

I really feel our selectors write off too many players. I don't have anyone particularly in mind who I think should be called up. But why can't we look for someone like this? Rather than just obsessing about pace. Its all we ever pick for the Lions squad for example. We never pick young bowlers who can swing or seam it.

Philander is brilliant, but I have seen him live at county level and he has looked useless, he clearly isn't, but I don't believe our selectors would ever had picked him basically.
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the suspicion is that he doesnt put 100% into his county cricket
 
The closest we have to Philander is Chris Rusworth, and we have seen that the selectors are not interested.
Steve Harmison made a particularly poignant quote when he said " I am not the best 80mph bowler in the country but I am the best 90mph bowler".
We need a varied attack in Test Cricket. Remember Hoggard's role in 2005 ?
 
badger55 said:
The closest we have to Philander is Chris Rusworth, and we have seen that the selectors are not interested.
Steve Harmison made a particularly poignant quote when he said " I am not the best 80mph bowler in the country but I am the best 90mph bowler".
We need a varied attack in Test Cricket. Remember Hoggard's role in 2005 ?
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Hoggard is a good shout, barely touched 80mph but was one of our best bowlers in recent times. Martin Bicknell was largely overlooked due to being too slow but I remember him coming back at 34 and helping bowl out a very good South African side in 2003.

Chris Martin of New Zealand is also another who springs to mind. Bowling is as much skill as it is pace, you just need an attack that has variety and ask's the batsmen different questions.
 
The Breen Machine said:
Hoggard is a good shout, barely touched 80mph but was one of our best bowlers in recent times. Martin Bicknell was largely overlooked due to being too slow but I remember him coming back at 34 and helping bowl out a very good South African side in 2003.

Chris Martin of New Zealand is also another who springs to mind. Bowling is as much skill as it is pace, you just need an attack that has variety and ask's the batsmen different questions.
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Hoggard was quicker than that like, often.
 
My type of bowler, big Vern. Waddles in and lobs it down but with so much skill it is a joy to watch. SKY need to do a programme with him to see how he does it. With the naked eye, he just appears to hit the seam but there has to be something more. We all try it on a Saturday but only a couple will pitch and move like that.
 
Ageing trundler said:
My type of bowler, big Vern. Waddles in and lobs it down but with so much skill it is a joy to watch. SKY need to do a programme with him to see how he does it. With the naked eye, he just appears to hit the seam but there has to be something more. We all try it on a Saturday but only a couple will pitch and move like that.
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All in the wrist.
 
The Breen Machine said:
Would have Hoggard more than a touch better but overall I agree with the sentiments ;)
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Hes better and the fact he was picked ahead of Sidebottom as England's swing bowler for so long bares that out. It might surprise some people that Sidebottom has his test wickets at 28 which is a cracking effort and actually better than Hoggard.
 
rentaghost said:
Hes better and the fact he was picked ahead of Sidebottom as England's swing bowler for so long bares that out. It might surprise some people that Sidebottom has his test wickets at 28 which is a cracking effort and actually better than Hoggard.
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It looks good on paper but he was only a test regular for an 18 month period and in that time played NZ home and away, India at home and Windies at home. Hoggard's wickets were a more varied collection and a good chunk against better teams.
 
The Breen Machine said:
It looks good on paper but he was only a test regular for an 18 month period and in that time played NZ home and away, India at home and Windies at home. Hoggard's wickets were a more varied collection and a good chunk against better teams.
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All valid points but I think sometimes Sidebottom gets a raw deal. Really good bowler but around at a time where we had a class bowling attack.
 
In Philander's case it's his unerring accuracy as much as his ability to move the ball, which makes him a quality bowler. McGrath never got much over 82mph IIRC.
 
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