New PWC ratings

[Raj123]

My God! Could you imagine what the hype would be like if he were Indian?

yes i can. it would be about the same as that would be generated when england finds a batsman who can hold the bat right way round

[SpaceMonkey]

Originally posted by luckyeddie
Angus Fraser and John Snow, both 27 I think. Fraser did it in 5 tests, Snow played in 4.

The ODI point is totally irrelevant as England have the likes of Collingwood, Clarke and the like who give genuine all-rounder options.

They've also got Anthony McGrath (walks away muttering to himself)

Not to mention Pieterson can bowl some fairly good off breaks. I'd be shocked if he wasnt picked the MOMENT he qualifies to.

[luckyeddie]

Originally posted by SpaceMonkey
Well his 6 wickets in the 3rd test (when he bowled probably the worse he has done since last summer) has moved him up to joint 3rd in the rankings now with Aktar.

I'm not sure where the 'bowled probably the worse....' comes in. He always looked likely to take wickets in both innings - as far as I can recall he went for a couple of boundaries now and then - notably when Crystal fired him to the fence three times on the trot, but I'm giving Harmison the credit for setting him up.

I'll grant you his first innings bowling was not up to his usual impeccable standard (stops laughing, wipes the tears from his eyes) of late but his second innings performance was quite superb. He had Lara jumping around like a scalded cat - in the end I reckon one blow too many broke the great man's spirit and Harmison deservedly picked him up for the third time in the series.

[luckyeddie]

Originally posted by Raj123
yes i can. it would be about the same as that would be generated when england finds a batsman who can hold the bat right way round

Thorpe?

Terrible isn't it when someone makes you look silly?

Not difficult, though, in your case. I'm only claiming half a point.

:P

[Craig]

Originally posted by luckyeddie
Angus Fraser and John Snow, both 27 I think. Fraser did it in 5 tests, Snow played in 4.

The ODI point is totally irrelevant as England have the likes of Collingwood, Clarke and the like who give genuine all-rounder options.

They've also got Anthony McGrath (walks away muttering to himself)

If anybody considers Rikki as a geniune all-rounder I'm calling for them to be drug and breath tested considering his bowling is hardly of international standard or even FC.

[luckyeddie]

Originally posted by Craig
If anybody considers Rikki as a geniune all-rounder I'm calling for them to be drug and breath tested considering his bowling is hardly of international standard or even FC.

er.... I think you totally missed the point (although I didn't make it very clear, in all fairness. Hell, I didn't make it at all.)

I see Clarke sharing the fifth bowler slot with Collingwood / Pietersen, certainly not a front-line bowler. He would be in the side primarily as a batsman, coming in around 6. His major asset, though (OK, only asset) is that he is an absolutely magnificent fielder.

Regarding first-class ability, that's never been an essential prerequisite to be a success in one-day internationals. It's a totally different game.

[SpaceMonkey]

Originally posted by luckyeddie
I'm not sure where the 'bowled probably the worse....' comes in. He always looked likely to take wickets in both innings - as far as I can recall he went for a couple of boundaries now and then - notably when Crystal fired him to the fence three times on the trot, but I'm giving Harmison the credit for setting him up.

I'll grant you his first innings bowling was not up to his usual impeccable standard (stops laughing, wipes the tears from his eyes) of late but his second innings performance was quite superb. He had Lara jumping around like a scalded cat - in the end I reckon one blow too many broke the great man's spirit and Harmison deservedly picked him up for the third time in the series.

Hey i wasnt having a go im a big harmi fan (almost as much as Botham...well ok not quite ) Just i felt he was far too short in general this test, and he still managed to get 6 wickets

[luckyeddie]

Originally posted by SpaceMonkey
Hey i wasnt having a go im a big harmi fan (almost as much as Botham...well ok not quite ) Just i felt he was far too short in general this test, and he still managed to get 6 wickets

He was. They all were. It was a sub-standard bowling performance, in exactly the same way that it was at Port of Spain (when the Windies put on 100 for the opening partnership).

They learned quickly - again. Eventually, they will wise up to conditions and adjust when they see what's happening, as opposed to getting back to the pavilion and talking to the coaches.

Well, I hope they do.

[Raj123]

Thorpe?

thorpe: avg-43
ok, first let me lower the bar here. "they dont have to hold it the right way round but its enough if they can hold it". there, now thorpe fits the bill. are you happy now...

[Kenny]

Jeez Eddie, you are in FINE form tonight.

Now Marc, on the other hand, is a pedant-peddler........someone who deals in pedantics (at least with seemingly every point I make)

**Dons cricket helmet**

[mavric41]

Originally posted by luckyeddie
Thorpe?

Terrible isn't it when someone makes you look silly?

Not difficult, though, in your case. I'm only claiming half a point.

:P

Doesn't he hold it left way round?

[luckyeddie]

Originally posted by mavric41
Doesn't he hold it left way round?

Nice one. I'm slow.

[badgerhair]

Originally posted by luckyeddie
Harmison didn't play in Sri Lanka - he was injured. Funnily enough, the Cricinfo (spit) staff produced the following gem on December 10 last year :

Harmison considered history by England

Oh, I love to gloat.

I don't think you should be gloating about that - at least not at CricInfo, because they weren't the only ones who had that story.

The SL tour was a rather depressing affair, hot and uncomfortable and England's backs were against the wall the whole time. And back home, the injury-prone and inconsistent Harmison wasn't at Loughborough with the Academy but whingeing about not being given a central contract. And he's always been known for homesickness, and this was further evidence thereof.

I suspect there were quite a few people in the England camp who were Not Happy, and were quite prepared to say so to any passing journo. Since neither they nor the journos were in any real position to confirm what was or was not happening with Harmison back home, the story grew legs.

What they didn't know was that Harmison was growing up. Neither did we. Those of us with open minds had noticed that he'd bowled very well in his last two matches and were at least prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt, but I don't think any of us had expected the improvement we have witnessed.

Cheers,

Mike

[marc71178]

Originally posted by Kenny
Now Marc, on the other hand, is a pedant-peddler........someone who deals in pedantics (at least with seemingly every point I make)

All I do is comment on posts that I have something to say about.

The fact that a lot of your points lead me to make a comment is irrelevant.

[biased indian]

harmisons rise is a joke. Of his 63 test wickets 31 are aganist really struggling W.I and bangladesh in four matches and his other 11 test has produced only 32 wickets.