The absence of speed

[Midwinter]

Has this test seen the "slowest" opening bowling attacks of recent years ?

Particularly with the Australian's "fast man" Johnson being out.

So when was the last time there was a slower opening attack for both sides ?

(barring spinfests or injury of course)

[chalky]

Vaugely remember Mark Waugh opening the bowling in 1993 I think when Mcdermott got injured. Probably would have been with big Merv who wasn't the quickest at that stage of his career.

[Spark]

Harris was 145 or thereabouts at stages, that's reasonably quick.

[outbreak]

Harris pushed 150 in his first spell didn't he? I remember the commentators talking about how he was alot quicker then everyone expects. Slower bowling attacks would happen all the time too. Look at the bangladesh v zimbabwe game that just finished, slower attacks there. Look at NZ vs alot of other nations?

[Howe_zat]

The Aussie attack has been quicker than England's this series, it isn't helping them much.

[zaremba]

Australia have 2 bowlers (Harris, Siddle) who've bowled at over 90mph (144kph) in this match and England have 2 or 3 (Broad, Finn, and possibly Jimmy) who are capable of doing so

[tooextracool]

If this is the slowest bowling attack Australia has produced in ages, I'd hate to go back to those trundlers McGrath, Gillespie and Kasprowicz

[Blaze 18]

Speed tends to get ever so slightly over-rated; seam movement and swing are far more important. Like Howzat mentioned, the Australian bowlers have bowled faster than their English counterparts on this tour, but that has not helped them too much.

[flibbertyjibber]

Being quick isn't everything, you need to have the ability to control it. So far in this series we have seen Johnson and Bollinger spray it everywhere and get punished for it with boundary after boundary. Of bowlers from Australia who can be regarded as quick only Harris has been anything like decent and shown control as well as being able to bowl to a plan.

The England attack may be slower but it has been so much better as it has been able to keep the Aussie bats under control for much of the time and has looked far more dangerous.

[tooextracool]

Dont think the Australian bowlers have sprayed it around, they have just bowled intelligently and without a plan in mind. The pitches are flat and if you try to bowl magic balls or vary line and lengths too much you are only really going to be spanked.

[Athlai]

Since when has breakneck speed been all that important to Australia's attack?

[outbreak]

I agree it's being overrated. I've got the feeling alot since Lee and Tait now australia seems to put too much just on being quick. Other countries don't seem to do this as much. We even have people pressing for Tait to play tests even though they accept and acknowledge he can barely get through a 5 over spell, has no interest in playing tests, admits himself he can't handle it and sprays the ball all over the place.

[Blaze 18]

Originally Posted by outbreak

I agree it's being overrated. I've got the feeling alot since Lee and Tait now australia seems to put too much just on being quick. Other countries don't seem to do this as much. We even have people pressing for Tait to play tests even though they accept and acknowledge he can barely get through a 5 over spell, has no interest in playing tests, admits himself he can't handle it and sprays the ball all over the place.

Yeah, exactly. Australia would do well to keep in mind that their most successful fast bowler (in terms of wickets taken) was hardly express.

[Midwinter]

there is usually someone touted as a tearaway fast bowler even if it is just prematch hype.

But Siddle and Bollinger have been on average below 140 while Johnson didn't aveage much above that.

Admittedly you don't need to be quick to get wickets but it helps if someone is throwing firebolts from the other end.

[thierry henry]

Have they changed the radars this season (to go with the changed graphics?)

In the past the likes of Johnson, Harris, and Siddle when the mood takes have been 140s, pushing in to the 150s.

Anderson has been in the 140s and Broad is a bit like Siddle- sometimes 130s/140s, occasionally borderline express and pushing 150.

Throughout this series EVERYONE seems to be fully 10kph down on pace. Must be the radars.