*Official* England v Zimbabwe

[luckyeddie]

No Eddie, it's only certain performances that can be discounted, some of them are allowed to be looked at as if they were against much better sides.

 

[Neil Pickup]

Bowling statistics from the England v Zimbabwe series:

McGrath - 3 @ 5.33
Butcher - 5 @ 15.40
Harmison - 9 @ 16.44
Johnson - 9 @ 16.67
Hoggard - 3 @ 19.67
Anderson - 11 @ 20.27
Giles - 2 @ 33.50 (and 102 runs @ 51)

And still Harmison gets no credit. Yes, he still needs to bowl a bit fuller a bit more often, but he has come a long, long way in a short space of time. And that was one hell of a bouncer.

And I believe Bichel was classed as an all-rounder after batting like Giles is at present

 

[marc71178]

The Mail today suggested that Harmison has grown very nicely into the role of pace spearhead.

Suddenly his "shocking" average is nowhere near as bad, and a half decent series against SA could see him pushing the top 20 in the PwC.

 

[luckyeddie]

The Mail today suggested that Harmison has grown very nicely into the role of pace spearhead.

Suddenly his "shocking" average is nowhere near as bad, and a half decent series against SA could see him pushing the top 20 in the PwC.

Rik goes to newsagent, cancels subscription to Mail on Sunday.

Seriously, he is beginning to look the part. You know me and pace - I still worship the ground Devon Malcolm used to walk on.

 

[Andre]

Vermeulen sent packing from the tour for 'constant misconduct'.

The duck will have fun with this one....

 

[luckyeddie]

Ha. Too obvious

 

[Langeveldt]

Seriously, he is beginning to look the part. You know me and pace - I still worship the ground Devon Malcolm used to walk on.

Hmm, do you have a thing for clumsy fast bowlers with radar problems eddie? You ought to discover McGrath and Pollock... and Anderson

 

[marc71178]

I feel for Harmison - even when he does well and outperforms every other specialist bowler, he still gets stick for it!

 

[luckyeddie]

Hmm, do you have a thing for clumsy fast bowlers with radar problems eddie? You ought to discover McGrath and Pollock... and Anderson

I know it's a friendly dig, and I propose to leave Pollock and Anderson out of my reply for reasons which will become apparent.

Tell you what Dev's problem was (apart from the obvious occasional, nay frequent, radar malfunctions) - he was just too nice a guy at the best of times. One occasion he got jabbed with a pointed stick - and he made them PAY.

Malcolm and McGrath are two extremes of the fast bowling spectrum.

Apart from the obvious destruction by Devon of SA at The Oval ("You guys is history"), there was the time everyone forgets - 10 wickets in the game at Kingston. Forgotten because it was a draw.

I reckon it was that which got Courtney riled the next time England toured - the barrage which got Walsh an official warning for intimidation. I prefer to remember the 18 scored by my man in the face of three quarters of an hour of the worst cricket-related violence I'd witnessed on the pitch - because that's what it was. It was the only time I can remember Walsh ever being booed off the field - and that in the West Indies of all places.

Anyway, I'm happy to report that the pair are now actually the best of mates off the field - so much so that they both played in Walsh's testimonial game (and Dev won the 'fastest bowler' title).

Glenn McGrath is a truly great bowler and I respect him for that - but I wouldn't give him the time of day because with his immense talent is what appears to be a spiteful arrogance. I may be wrong, but that is the impression he gives.

I would give Dev my last beer money if he asked for it, but if he said "Ed, how did you rate me as a bowler?" I'd have to change the subject.

 

[marc71178]

I still remember his classic 29 in the New Year Test - heaving Warnie into the stands!

 

[Top_Cat]

I still remember his classic 29 in the New Year Test - heaving Warnie into the stands!

That was a classic, no doubt. He hit a few big sixers that series. I should know; Ive got them on tape.

I love Dev too. He was just super quick and didnt really bother about bowling well as much blindingly quick. The ball he got Steve Waugh with in the Adelaide Test was beyond unplayable. Nasty. Steve Waugh was in awesome form at the time and he didnt even lay a bat on it. Most lethal ball Ive seen bowled and surely the stuff of nightmares if youre thinking about what ball youd least like to face first up!

 

[Richard]

Apart from the obvious destruction by Devon of SA at The Oval ("You guys is history"), there was the time everyone forgets - 10 wickets in the game at Kingston. Forgotten because it was a draw.

This match here, in fact
At Queen's Park Oval, Port-Of-Spain, not Sabina Park, Kingston, Jamaica.