Richard Johnson

[Craig]

Oh how I hate him being injuried as much as he has, as he has picked up 9 wickets in the Test win over Bangladesh.

At least the good thing he has never failed when called up and picked.

IMO he should of played before he did.

 

[Andre]

Johnson's career record is very good.

It is hard to judge, however, what he is like as an international bowler - he's not had the best of opposition.

 

[Tim]

Johnson is doing all he can to stay in the side with two 5 wicket hauls & a 4 wicket haul..but considering the opposition he's bowling to, nobody is probably taking much notice.

 

[Craig]

I have always rated him and you can ask Richard as I used to call for his selection on the Cricinfo forums and I hope he does well in Sri Lanaka (assuming he goes).

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

I hope he does well in Sri Lanaka (assuming he goes).

Surely the English selectors aren't that cruel that they would drop him after a nine-wicket haul...

 

[luckyeddie]

Surely the English selectors aren't that cruel that they would drop him after a nine-wicket haul...

Be a hell of a test career.
P2, MoM 2

 

[marc71178]

At least the good thing he has never failed when called up and picked.

But for a couple of inopportune injuries, he could easily have played 50+ Tests by now - but until he actaully has a challenge we cannot read much into his performances.

As he said, he's not even contracted to tour SL - and with the other returnees, will he go?

 

[Richard]

How can they possibly pick Anderson ahead of him now? How?
Simple - because Anderson is the golden boy.

 

[luckyeddie]

How can they possibly pick Anderson ahead of him now? How?
Simple - because Anderson is the golden boy.

For 'golden boy' read 'golden touch'

 

[Craig]

I reckon they should leave Anderson back in Lancashire and let him rest and let Johnson have a proper chance. Anderson could use the break.

 

[Richard]

Really, though, Anderson's going to have had a 2-month break from all cricket by the time the First-Class programme in Sri Lanka starts. If he's not rested enough by then, he never will be.
Anyway, a tour of Sri Lanka is probably going to be of more detriment to them than good. Neither can bowl reverse-swing or cut, and Anderson especially is usually very wayward. These combos are a recipe for disaster in Sri Lanka.
Maybe Johnson would be better being "dropped" and waiting until next summer, when once again I hope for proper English conditions. If we get them, he'll be able to exploit them, and hopefully by then his Somerset opening partner will be back, too.
Mind you, if anyone (and this includes Anderson, Harmison, Hoggard and Flintoff with the bat) fails in Sri Lanka, he'll probably be first in-line for West Indies and that's not a great move for a seamer's career either...

 

[Craig]

Of the CURRANT bowlers in the squad going to Sri Lanka, how do you expect to be England's best bowler or have success in the conditions?

 

[Richard]

I would have said Giles, but after Bangladesh...
Bearing in mind I don't think averaging 40 is any real better than averaging 50, I'd say I'd expect all the bowlers in the original squad, and even Saggers and Johnson, to fail badly in the Sri Lanka Tests were they to play.

 

[Craig]

I would think White would of done well in Sri Lanka, if he was fit enough and was a few years younger, would you agree?

 

[marc71178]

Maybe Johnson would be better being "dropped" and waiting until next summer, when once again I hope for proper English conditions. If we get them, he'll be able to exploit them, and hopefully by then his Somerset opening partner will be back, too.

Can you really see Caddick making his way back into the International reckoning?

If so, ahead of who?

 

[marc71178]

Of the CURRANT bowlers in the squad going to Sri Lanka, how do you expect to be England's best bowler or have success in the conditions?

Not entirely sure who is going yet to be honest - Hoggard may be the surprise one though (not been a lot of talk about him recently)

 

[Craig]

As much as I thought Caddick is a good bowler (I said before the Ashes that he and Gough were England's best bowlers), I think his international career is over, purely because of his age and that of cricket he has played since that Test win at the SCG.

 

[Richard]

Can you really see Caddick making his way back into the International reckoning?

If so, ahead of who?

How about:
Hoggard, Anderson, Harmison, Jones (who appears to have mysteriously leapfrogged him in common esteem - 2 Tests, 5 wickets at 32, against a man who took 10 in his last match - I know who I'd prefer), Flintoff, Kabir Ali, Bicknell, Giles, Batty and yes - even Croft.
He's twice the bowler any of these lot are IMO. Even Bicknell's not as good as him.

 

[Richard]

I would think White would of done well in Sri Lanka, if he was fit enough and was a few years younger, would you agree?

As much as I thought Caddick is a good bowler (I said before the Ashes that he and Gough were England's best bowlers), I think his international career is over, purely because of his age and that of cricket he has played since that Test win at the SCG.

I hope age counts against neither - with Gough retired and Cork seemingly beyond the reins of the Test side they are the two best bowlers in the country.
As for White in Sri Lanka - with Gough gone he's the only one who could, I feel, have made a genuine impression in Sri Lanka. If he is fit and bowling well he'll trouble any batsman in any conditions. And he's a better batsman than any of the other bowlers (if you ask me he should be averaging 30 in Test-cricket).

 

[Rik]

How about:
Harmison, Jones (who appears to have mysteriously leapfrogged him in common esteem - 2 Tests, 5 wickets at 32, against a man who took 10 in his last match - I know who I'd prefer)

Harmison took 9 in his last match. Jones showed a lot of spirit and was hindered by an injury in the 2nd innings of his debut against India. He was preferred to Harmison for the 1st Test in Australia, blasted out Langer and then did his knee in. After how he worked over Sachin on his debut, hitting him several times, the way he belted the ball around for his 46 and his bowling in Australia where he took a 5for in a warm-up game and got Langer with a beuty whilst Harmison sprayed the wides around (11 in the 1st warm-up match remember), everyone has been waiting for more. The England selectors want a fast bowler in the team and Harmison has been picked ever since Jones' injury for exactly that reason. Who says Jones won't continue where he left off and push Harmison out of the team when he finally gets his chance? Around the counties he's much more highly rated than Harmison due to his attitude, which is aggressive and extreamly determined, whilst Harmison has mostly been viewed as a player with a hell of a lot of potential but who has never knuckled down and actually performed at county level. So that is why Jones is rated so.

He's twice the bowler any of these lot are IMO. Even Bicknell's not as good as him.

No, Bicknell is slower. Caddick is amazingly hot and cold, and with Hoggard taking up the senior new ball bowler's role with accuracy and not a little success, Caddick's pretty much out of the frame.