Pollock as a stop-gap bowler

[Arjun]

A few days ago, I read a snippet in a local paper, saying that Shaun Pollock may soon be used as a stop-gap bowler, while a 'more suitable partner' (READ: faster bowler) for Makhaya Ntini will be found. What are your comments on this? I say having Pollock as a stop-gap bowler, given his success as a frontline bowler, is strange. When he and Ntini have done well as a combination, why break it? None of the others look capable of taking the bulk of 10 wickets an innings for the team.

 

[open365]

Well Pollock is fading fast if his recent test form is anything to go by, but remember, he did win man of the series in the ODI matches against AUS.

I don't know why he's not getting as many wickets as he used to, he still has terrirific accuracy-maybe he hasn't got as much nip now?

 

[Jono]

IMO he's eerily gone down a similar path to Sachin lately.

He's still brilliant in ODIs, like Tendulkar, but his ability in tests has fallen immensely. I was one of the few it seems who believed that SA trying out Nel with the new ball was the right move. Probably the timing, considering he wasn't 100% fit, was a problem in him not geting much success, but I think SA need to look at where they are heading. And another bowling taking the new ball is the near future IMO.

Personally I think in the future Pollock may bat one spot higher in the order in place of a batsman, and another specialist bowler will slot in.

Pollock's bowling average in the last 2 test series against Australia is not pretty:

                     Mat  Runs  HS   BatAv 100  50   W    BB  BowlAv 5w  Ct St

unfiltered            99  3372 111   31.51   2  14 389  7/87   23.21 16  67  0
filtered               5   239  67*  34.14   0   1  12  3/67   58.33  0   2  0

 

[Autobahn]

Yeah ever since he had an operation (i think it was his shin) he seems to have lost a lot of the nip that got him his wickets in the past.

Though i can't see anyone else getting the opening job, Nel seemed to spray it around when he was given the new ball and i can't think of anyone who's good enough, maybe Langeveldt if he tightens up his bowling up a bit.

 

[Jamee999]

What happened to Zondeki?

 

[Autobahn]

Lots of injuries and a very poor showing in the VB series where his 3 matches got him 2 wickets at 77.50 and at 6.73 an over

 

[Richard]

What happened to Zondeki?

Perhaps a question should be (as with Steyn, Kruger and several others): how on Earth did he get anywhere near the frame ITFP?

 

[Richard]

IMO he's eerily gone down a similar path to Sachin lately.

He's still brilliant in ODIs, like Tendulkar, but his ability in tests has fallen immensely. I was one of the few it seems who believed that SA trying out Nel with the new ball was the right move. Probably the timing, considering he wasn't 100% fit, was a problem in him not geting much success, but I think SA need to look at where they are heading. And another bowling taking the new ball is the near future IMO.

Personally I think in the future Pollock may bat one spot higher in the order in place of a batsman, and another specialist bowler will slot in.

Pollock's bowling average in the last 2 test series against Australia is not pretty:

                     Mat  Runs  HS   BatAv 100  50   W    BB  BowlAv 5w  Ct St

unfiltered            99  3372 111   31.51   2  14 389  7/87   23.21 16  67  0
filtered               5   239  67*  34.14   0   1  12  3/67   58.33  0   2  0

It actually dates back much, much further than that.
Pollock, for some reason or other, hasn't been that good for quite a long time. That's 13 out of his last 39 where he's got decent figures.
As with Tendulkar, it's not a decline that's easy to explain. In fact, it's one that's pretty much impossible to find a plausible explanation to.
All the same - giving Steyn the new-ball ahead of him was serious folly - especially given that it appeared to be premeditated.
Though not quite as stupid as picking Steyn ahead of Nel ITFP.
As with Tendulkar, I don't believe it impossible that Pollock can recapture his former glory. He's got an easy action, the sort that makes it possible to bowl into your late 30s, he's always been very fit, his bowling doesn't rely on something that's liable to be lost.
It's just a question of the mysterious wrong being righted.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Though not quite as stupid as picking Steyn ahead of Nel ITFP.

http://forum.cricketweb.net/showpost.php?p=777895&postcount=913

 

[Richard]

Rumour on SuperSport (Symcox and Mbangwa) is that Nel passed his fitness-test and simply wasn't picked.
Of course, had Nel played he mightn't have been fit to perform, even if he was fit to play, but even so - on that pitch, I'd prefer a half-fit Nel to any Steyn.

 

[Goughy]

Rumour on SABC (Symcox and Mbangwa) is that Nel passed his fitness-test and simply wasn't picked.

Symcox and Mbangwa are on Supersport not SABC unless something dramatic has changed for this test.

 

[Richard]

Yes, sorry, meant SuperSport.

 

[Jono]

It actually dates back much, much further than that.

Yeah I realise that, I was just pointing out that his last few series have been well below par.

 

[Richard]

And much of his last 39 Tests have been below par.
As I said somewhere else to someone else - I wasn't disputing what you said, merely trying to expand on it.