James Anderson

[Johnners]

From what we saw in the Ashes, I'd take Onions over Anderson tbh.

 

[Richard]

Was only last season Onions begun to look a county-standard bowler; Anderson has looked Test-class (albeit not that good, but Test-class undoubtedly) for a year and a bit now.

Onions has far more to prove than Anderson. That isn't, of course, to say that Onions will neccessarily turn-out lesser than Anderson, just that Anderson has far more to recommend him at present.

 

[Son Of Coco]

We didn't hear anything of the sort. As was the case with Bopara back in June where Australians were trying to refute claims no England fans had ever remotely made, people are replying to what they'd like to have been said rather than what has been.

Thanks for clearing that up Richard. Next time I want to know what I heard about something or someone you'll be the first person I ask. So no-one ever said Anderson was a dangerman coming into The Ashes and Australian fans felt compelled to talk down someone most had never thought much of in the first place? Interesting situation.

Think you'll find you're wrong, but we both know there's no chance you'll admit it so, back to business as usual.

Good to see there's a voice on here for what every English fan's comments were as well as what I've heard. Makes me feel strangely calm knowing it's you.

 

[social]

I dont trust Anderson based on his action. I know Ive been saying it for years but he just cant be consistent. Onions has a far steadier action and I was really impressed from the first time I saw him. Not a glamour boy but not a 'daisy' either.

That is not to say Anderson cant be very dangerous when he gets it right (and yes, I have seen him reverse the ball in on many occasions) and it doesnt mean Onions and Anderson cant coexist in the same team.

I do worry with Broad and Anderson leading the attack though.

Agreed as both are all over the shop from a technical standpoint and neither have a readily "repeatable" motion

 

[Richard]

Thanks for clearing that up Richard. Next time I want to know what I heard about something or someone you'll be the first person I ask. So no-one ever said Anderson was a dangerman coming into The Ashes and Australian fans felt compelled to talk down someone most had never thought much of in the first place? Interesting situation.

Think you'll find you're wrong, but we both know there's no chance you'll admit it so, back to business as usual.

Good to see there's a voice on here for what every English fan's comments were as well as what I've heard. Makes me feel strangely calm knowing it's you.

So go on then, find us some comments by educated England fans on CW (I don't speak for the everyday non-CW rabble and wouldn't want to) that claimed he was a World-beater.

Plenty of people said Anderson was potentially dangerous and if Australians talked him down saying no-one had ever thought much of him and that he'd never amount to anything they were wrong. However, no educated England fans on CW that I've seen have ever, at any point, claimed that Anderson was a World-beater, far from it. All that was said was that he was someone who there were justifiably some hopes that he'd be useful. And sure enough, he was.

 

[zaremba]

From all we'd heard about the world-beater he'd become before The Ashes this year

I'm with Richard on this one, SOC. I don't think you'll be able to dig up many posts from serious England fans to this effect pre-Ashes. One or two from GIMH maybe, but that's just a *** thing. And some comments that we hoped he had improved and become more consistent based on a couple of pretty good series, but that was about it really.

Is very, very good when the conditions are conducive to his style of bowling, but tends to disappear when they're not.

Yep spot-on. Except that he's more inconsistent than that. Sometimes even in helpful conditions he's completely toothless.

He's one of the most frustrating bowlers that England has produced in recent decades, and that really is saying something.

 

[Richard]

Hmm, personally I got more frustrated at Gough, Fraser and Headley's inability to stay fit, and Caddick's inability to be picked, and Cork's inability to keep his life in a fit enough state to concentrate fully on cricket during his peak years, and White's... well, inability to not be a Yorkshireman and thus get picked before he should have been so thus not get picked when he should have been being...

... than any Anderson problem TBH. But that's just me.

 

[zaremba]

I can't deny it's a pretty strong field.

Chris Lewis probably wins by a, er, long stretch

 

[GIMH]

Was only last season Onions begun to look a county-standard bowler

I believe your words upon his making his Test debut were, "barely a decent club bowler" or something to that effect

I'm with Richard on this one, SOC. I don't think you'll be able to dig up many posts from serious England fans to this effect pre-Ashes. One or two from GIMH maybe, but that's just a *** thing. And some comments that we hoped he had improved and become more consistent based on a couple of pretty good series, but that was about it really.

I'm seriously offended z.

Seriously.

Gonna blow up.



One or ****ing two? About thirty-five mate, and I stand by them.

Anyway, say what you want about Jimmeh, but he bowled the best ball of this year (Manou) and I'm hoping that I'll soon be able to declare him having hit the best shot of the year too; just watching the highlights.

 

[Richard]

I believe your words upon his making his Test debut were, "barely a decent club bowler" or something to that effect

Think you're being a little harsh on both him and me with the "barely" in there, but up until the start of 2009 a club bowler was all Onions was.

 

[Richard]

I can't deny it's a pretty strong field.

Chris Lewis probably wins by a, er, long stretch

Meh. I can see why some people got frustrated with him but to my mind he possessed notably less basic bowling talent than those I mentioned above.

 

[Son Of Coco]

So go on then, find us some comments by educated England fans on CW (I don't speak for the everyday non-CW rabble and wouldn't want to) that claimed he was a World-beater.

Plenty of people said Anderson was potentially dangerous and if Australians talked him down saying no-one had ever thought much of him and that he'd never amount to anything they were wrong. However, no educated England fans on CW that I've seen have ever, at any point, claimed that Anderson was a World-beater, far from it. All that was said was that he was someone who there were justifiably some hopes that he'd be useful. And sure enough, he was.

Ahhh, so it's gone from 'no England fan' to 'educated English fans'...I can assure you there were people on here making big statements about Anderson before The Ashes, but I'm also pretty sure they weren't regular posters (apart from GIMH, but he's prone to that sort of thing ). I seem to recall optimism slightly above 'I hope he'll be useful'.

I'm not going to troll back through The Ashes thread to find the comments though, I can't be bothered. You seem to know exactly what was said though Richard, so I assume you're referencing the posts as you type. Stick them up here for us all to have a look.

 

[Pratters]

Love Jimmeh.

 

[Richard]

Ahhh, so it's gone from 'no England fan' to 'educated English fans'...I can assure you there were people on here making big statements about Anderson before The Ashes, but I'm also pretty sure they weren't regular posters (apart from GIMH, but he's prone to that sort of thing ). I seem to recall optimism slightly above 'I hope he'll be useful'.

I'm not going to troll back through The Ashes thread to find the comments though, I can't be bothered. You seem to know exactly what was said though Richard, so I assume you're referencing the posts as you type. Stick them up here for us all to have a look.

By nature I'm saying "there weren't such comments" so I'm saying there is no reference. I'd say it takes a fair bit of brass neck TBH to say that there were people saying <such-and-such> then claim it's someone else's responsibility to show otherwise.

Generally when I say "England fans" I tend to mean "England fans who actually know a decent bit about the game". I don't really care greatly about the everyday rabble - you can find someone claiming almost anything among that lot. If some random guy\girl comes on here and makes 20\30 posts then disappears they might very easily be counted among said everyday rabble.

Pretty much none of the England-fan CW regulars, GIMH included, has seriously called Anderson a World-beater at any point. That is all. I dislike it when people make-out as if such a thing has happened.

 

[Uppercut]

Was only last season Onions begun to look a county-standard bowler

I guess you didn't actually ever see him bowl.

 

[Son Of Coco]

By nature I'm saying "there weren't such comments" so I'm saying there is no reference. I'd say it takes a fair bit of brass neck TBH to say that there were people saying <such-and-such> then claim it's someone else's responsibility to show otherwise.

I'd say it takes a fair bit of brass neck TBH to say that there weren't people saying <such and such> then claim it's someone else's responsibility to show otherwise.

It's fun talking to you Richard, the obnoxious way you address people will stand you in good stead for years to come. Although I have to take someone who has actually met you's word on this and take it as fact that you're actually not like this in person.

 

[Prince EWS]

I think I actually picked Anderson for leading wicket-taker in the Ashes. Sue me.

 

[BoyBrumby]

It's fun talking to you Richard

DWTA. To the point of violence.

I think I actually picked Anderson for leading wicket-taker in the Ashes. Sue me.

Fair enough shout, tbh. I think I went for Johnson, but always thought the English wickets would be more shared around the Oz attack and Jimmy was our form bowler going in with the rest of our attack either unproven (Onions, Broad & Swann), crippled (Fred) or pea-hearted (no comment).

 

[Lillian Thomson]

I

It's fun talking to you Richard, the obnoxious way you address people will stand you in good stead for years to come.

Future Chairman of the Arts Council I reckon.

 

[Jarquis]

I think I actually picked Anderson for leading wicket-taker in the Ashes. Sue me.

I know I made posts saying if we were going to win the Ashes that Anderson would play a considerable part in it.