Akhtar, Bond or Lee?

[Somerset]

So how come he's only been so against the minnows or on farcical pitches?

I don't know how that can be said considering his record against Australia on fine surfaces to bat. As far as I know the performance against India just the other day doesn't fit into either category either!

 

[tooextracool]

To tell the truth I can't actually remember seeing Bond bowling outswingers pre-injury, but that's probably because I didn't see too much of him since I didn't have Sky back then.

he did bowl outswingers in the vb series in australia early in his career. his main ball was still the inswinger, but he had a stock ball outswinger.

 

[Sir Redman]

he did bowl outswingers in the vb series in australia early in his career. his main ball was still the inswinger, but he had a stock ball outswinger.

Ahhh ok I never saw any of those games live.

Anyway, he bowled a couple of outswingers against Zimbabwe the other day. They were all wides though because they started too far out.

 

[Toecrusher]

his main ball was still the inswinger, but he had a stock ball outswinger.

You just contradicted yourself there mate, hehe. Btw, Shane Bond has ALWAYS been an inswing bowler. His only other variation our balls that hold their line, so they look like they seam away. But he definitely does not bowl outswingers, except if its reverse swinging.

 

[aussie]

are you serious?
bond and akthar would definetly replace hoggard, but they dont have a chance in hell of replacing jones. not at the moment anyways.

thats what i'm saying TEC i'm not looking at current form, so jones would have to go as well

 

[aussie]

he did bowl outswingers in the vb series in australia early in his career. his main ball was still the inswinger, but he had a stock ball outswinger.

you sure he bowled outswingers in that series TEC cause is it my memory because i really dont remembers 007 bowling any outswingers in the VB series that year....

 

[tooextracool]

you sure he bowled outswingers in that series TEC cause is it my memory because i really dont remembers 007 bowling any outswingers in the VB series that year....

from memory,i think the ball that got ponting out in the 5/25 was an outswinger.

 

[tooextracool]

You just contradicted yourself there mate, hehe. Btw, Shane Bond has ALWAYS been an inswing bowler. His only other variation our balls that hold their line, so they look like they seam away. But he definitely does not bowl outswingers, except if its reverse swinging.

that might be the case, there were definetly a few cases early on in his career where he bowled balls that appeared to swing away but may just have been balls that seamed away. wasim akram however did once mention that bond could swing the ball both ways, but again its quite possible for him to be wrong.

 

[vic_orthdox]

that might be the case, there were definetly a few cases early on in his career where he bowled balls that appeared to swing away but may just have been balls that seamed away. wasim akram however did once mention that bond could swing the ball both ways, but again its quite possible for him to be wrong.

In the main, Bond never really did swing it away (maybe a little bit of reverse later in the ODI innings') and the odd one might have, but he was very adept at getting seam movement away from the right hander, due to the seam position at the point of release that helps the "innie".

 

[tooextracool]

In the main, Bond never really did swing it away (maybe a little bit of reverse later in the ODI innings') and the odd one might have, but he was very adept at getting seam movement away from the right hander, due to the seam position at the point of release that helps the "innie".

indeed he never did swing the ball away significantly, so its quite possible for one of the odd balls that should have just held its line to swing away marginally.

 

[mofo123]

me and my friend have been involved in a longgggggggg discussion so i thought id let it lose on here....here it goes:
he says bond is better i say akhtar
the fundamental arguements are that bond averages 20 at tests and 17 in ODIs....i say thats from 12 tests of which 4 were against zim/bangladesh,
then my second arguement is that akhtar altho didnt average that well in 12 matches first up thats because he had to play with waqar wasim and saqi...then i showed him that since 2001 akhtar averaged 21.88 in 2001/2002 season...then continued to average below 20 from 2001 to present, right now im not saying bond is not good or anything and granted akhtar seems to have his priorities wrong but by god he is one awesome bowler!! and i think he is getting on track now he has been left out for a bit, looked awesome in africa vs asia matches, oh and we sort of didnt get on to argue abt one dayers but again waqar and wasim arguebly the best ODI bowlers were playing with him...
wot do u guys think?
anyway thanks

 

[honestbharani]

When mind and body are in sync, Akhtar is a treat to watch as a bowler and is extremely dangerous for any batsman. The point is such days happen rarely.

 

[Jono]

I have never said that at all.

http://forum.cricketweb.net/showpost.php?p=287238&postcount=2815
http://forum.cricketweb.net/showpost.php?p=287278&postcount=2833
http://forum.cricketweb.net/showpost.php?p=287424&postcount=2875

 

[Beleg]

When mind and body are in sync, Akhtar is a treat to watch as a bowler and is extremely dangerous for any batsman. The point is such days happen rarely.

But not as rarely as most people think.

I think Akhtar's actually cricketing abilities are often underestimated due to his injury problems and off-field activities. He has come a LONG WAY since that Calcutta test match. These days, whenever he plays, he generally uses his brain better than all other bowlers (Rana Naveed ODI's excepted) combined.

Trouble is getting him to actually 'play' a game - something at which Bond is hardly exemplary.

 

[social]

Bond's the best of these 3.

Should the Pakistanis even forgive Akhtar for running up the white flag against Aus last season?

Lee's improving but has a long way to go.

 

[Jono]

But not as rarely as most people think.

I think Akhtar's actually cricketing abilities are often underestimated due to his injury problems and off-field activities. He has come a LONG WAY since that Calcutta test match. These days, whenever he plays, he generally uses his brain better than all other bowlers (Rana Naveed ODI's excepted) combined.

Trouble is getting him to actually 'play' a game - something at which Bond is hardly exemplary.

I actually agree with that. A lot of the talk regarding Akhtar's off-field blips, his injuries and his 'injuries' have much truth in it, but other times I think they are overblown and cover up his talent. He is my personal favourite bowler to watch. He is pure excitement and I remember just last year Pakistan's first spell against Australia when they had them 4 or 5 down before Langer brought Australia back. Don't remember where it was played at, but I thought I was in for a summer of some great Akhtar bowling. He let me down, both in the tests and the ODIs unfortunately, but when he was on the ground he was generally great to watch.

Your other point is valid too. Akhtar isn't always on the field, but neither is Bond... and for that matter, ironically Lee until recently (in tests). They've just all been off the field for different reasons. Akhtar for both injuries and his attitude problems, Bond for injuries, and Lee for erratic form along with being in a side that had 3 pacers bowling awesome together for something like 18-24 months. All three have never been consistent bowlers for one reason or another. Unfortunate really, because pace is a beautiful thing to watch. Its great having the McGrath's and Pollock's bowling brilliant patient line-and length spells, but the excitement of raw pace is always great for cricket too.

 

[aussie]

I actually agree with that. A lot of the talk regarding Akhtar's off-field blips, his injuries and his 'injuries' have much truth in it, but other times I think they are overblown and cover up his talent. He is my personal favourite bowler to watch. He is pure excitement and I remember just last year Pakistan's first spell against Australia when they had them 4 or 5 down before Langer brought Australia back. Don't remember where it was played at, but I thought I was in for a summer of some great Akhtar bowling. He let me down, both in the tests and the ODIs unfortunately, but when he was on the ground he was generally great to watch.

Your other point is valid too. Akhtar isn't always on the field, but neither is Bond... and for that matter, ironically Lee until recently (in tests). They've just all been off the field for different reasons. Akhtar for both injuries and his attitude problems, Bond for injuries, and Lee for erratic form along with being in a side that had 3 pacers bowling awesome together for something like 18-24 months. All three have never been consistent bowlers for one reason or another. Unfortunate really, because pace is a beautiful thing to watch. Its great having the McGrath's and Pollock's bowling brilliant patient line-and length spells, but the excitement of raw pace is always great for cricket too.

Top post Jono....