David Saker named new England bowling coach

[BoyBrumby]

The ex-Vic assistant coach gets the nod ahead of some bigger names like Allan Donald, Craig McDermott & Dougie Brown. From Cricinfo.

Must admit I'd never heard of him until I read the article, but then the same was true of Troy Cooley when he took over and he went ok. Maybe one or two of our Victorian correspondents could bring us up to speed? Good bloke? Well regarded?

 

[Top_Cat]

Love and hate Saker. Love him because he was a really good quick bowler of the 'you miss, I hit' type. Hate him because he did the job so often against SA.

Only heard good things about him around the traps, hard-worker and expects same. I'm sure Jack can offer more recent experience.

Funny that Craig McDermott was in the running for the job too. Keep him away from the finances.

 

[Craig]

Love and hate Saker. Love him because he was a really good quick bowler of the 'you miss, I hit' type. Hate him because he did the job so often against SA.

Only heard good things about him around the traps, hard-worker and expects same. I'm sure Jack can offer more recent experience.

Funny that Craig McDermott was in the running for the job too. Keep him away from the finances.

I thought that is why Billy was after the gig!

 

[vic_orthdox]

Throughout his tenure, Victoria were pretty damn good with getting reverse swing. Bloke knows a Kookaburra ball as well as anyone, and wouldn't be surprised to see a bit more movement for the English bowlers than what is generally achieved by visiting sides this coming Ashes.

Bloody competitive bloke, got suspended when coaching the Victorian 2nd XI whilst sub-fielding, which saw him demoted from his job as assistant coach to bowling coach.

What he has managed to do is fast-track the development of a number of players who wouldn't appear to be ready when they first hit the scene; James Pattison, Clint McKay. He's also worked hard with players plucked from district cricket for a game or two under trying circumstances and gotten them up to FC standard quicker than expected (Darren Pattison).

 

[four_or_six]

Not heard of him, but if someone said we're getting a domestic bowling coach from somewhere in the world, Victoria would be right at the top of my list. So from that point of view looks like a really good pick.

 

[social]

Happy that McD didnt get it - very ordinary individual

 

[zaremba]

Bloody competitive bloke, got suspended when coaching the Victorian 2nd XI whilst sub-fielding, which saw him demoted from his job as assistant coach to bowling coach.

Can you give us any more detail on this vic?

 

[Aritro]

I'll leave the detailed analysis to people who know more than me but I'd just point out that the depth and quality of the Victorian pace bowling stocks has been obscenely good in the last few years. He must have had a fair hand in that.

 

[Uppercut]

Croatia's best ever player IMO.

 

[zaremba]

Well, either him or Davor Whatmore.

 

[vic_orthdox]

Can you give us any more detail on this vic?

There were a couple of incidents in his time. One was a confrontation with a third umpire, which was the last straw. And I believe that there may have been some unsubstantiated ball tampering accusations made when he was sub-fielding, along with a few other blokes.

All "allegedly" of course.

 

[vic_orthdox]

Good article by Brendan McArdle, ex Victorian cricketer, on the appointment in The Age today. Doesn't have an internet link, unfortunately. It mentions some of what Saker planned on including in his presentation to the ECB:

• Work at tigtening and strengthening Stuart Broad's action.
• Improving Jimmy Anderson's accuracy and body language when the ball doesn't swing.
• Resurrecting Ryan Sidebottom's in-swing.

Generally though, he's more of an approach man and not a "restructuring actions" type of fast bowling coach.

Another one in this article.

''Bowlers are there to get wickets and I don't care if they look good,'' he said.

''As long as they're getting wickets and their process of getting wickets is all right, I'm happy. What goes into their heads is most important in my opinion, not their technical stuff. Obviously you've got to be across the technical stuff … but my major strength is trying to get 20 wickets in a game.''