AA for Middlesex

[tooextracool]

well he was doin really awful at one stage...

yes he was but there were periods where he bowled well too....notably in the 2nd inning of the 4th test in australia and the 1st inning of the 5th test at sydney

 

[Richard]

another player you would have dropped because you felt that he had no potential.......

And of course he's one of a massive number in that boat...

 

[Richard]

yes he was but there were periods where he bowled well too....notably in the 2nd inning of the 4th test in australia and the 1st inning of the 5th test at sydney

And the periods which sandwiched those were so bad few have approached them. Averaging 100 and 72...

 

[marc71178]

Keep going Richard.

You never know he might not be a successful bowler over his career.

I know where my money is.

The point is that over that whole Ashes series, he impressed several Australian critics, and I can't remember too many Englishmen to gain that accolade.

18 months on, and his record speaks for itself...

 

[Richard]

Where have I ever said his record over the past 5 months is not exceptional?
And it seemed Australians were equally "impressed" with Key, and look where that's come to so far.
Of course, that could so easily all start to change tomorrow...

 

[tooextracool]

And of course he's one of a massive number in that boat...

considerably more than the number in my boat....

 

[Richard]

Yeah, right.

 

[V Reddy]

And it seemed Australians were equally "impressed" with Key, and look where that's come to so far.
Of course, that could so easily all start to change tomorrow...

Hmmm...........

 

[Richard]

Well, didn't you hear it here first?
Didn't you just...

 

[marc71178]

Yes well done.

Doesn't change the fact you were wrong on Harmison though.

 

[Richard]

Right, I'm getting sick of this.
Where, ever, did I say "it is not possible that Stephen Harmison will ever become a prolific wicket-taker in Test-cricket"? (and thus far he has been such for... oh, 6 out of 7 matches)
All I said was that Harmison was very, very poor and had a general pattern of this, being about as bad as it's possible to be (getting an occasional catch at third-man and not much else) then having very short spells of wicket-taking. And of course, having regular spells of weak-team bullying.
I have never said he has not improved - I have said that I still believe most of his wickets are coming through poor batting (just far, far more regularly than previously).
Hence, how have I been "proven wrong"?
A bowler has improved - that is all. I never said that "was not going to happen". Nor has Harmison done - yet - what I always said he hadn't done (ie take wickets consistently through good bowling rather than poor batting).

 

[marc71178]

Nor has Harmison done - yet - what I always said he hadn't done (ie take wickets consistently through good bowling rather than poor batting).

So Harmison hasn't been bowling well this last 6 months then?

Didn't think so...

 

[Richard]

Did I say that? Did I say, either "Harmison will not bowl well in the first 4 months of Test-cricket in 2004"?

 

[marc71178]

Seeing as you've said he isn't take wickets consistently with good bowling, and he's consistently taking wickets, it follows therefore that he's not bowling well.

 

[tooextracool]

of course we all know that the best bowlers are the ones that lack penetration outside of home.....like vaas

 

[Richard]

Seeing as you've said he isn't take wickets consistently with good bowling, and he's consistently taking wickets, it follows therefore that he's not bowling well.

No, it follows that he's not bowling with as much penetration as it might seem.
Not no penetration at all.
And incidentally, it's not as if the most recent game showed him in the finest light. And no, I'm not saying that one game proves that much when it's preceded by 6 of 7 that it has been.

 

[Richard]

of course we all know that the best bowlers are the ones that lack penetration outside of home.....like vaas

And of course that was shown ambiguously in the Darwin Test wasn't it?

 

[tooextracool]

rather it has been shown quite often in england and SA. the conditions in the darwin test were very similar to the ones at home,up and down wicket

 

[Richard]

And Sri Lankan wickets are so often uneven in bounce, aren't they?
I can only comment on the last 4 years, but they certainly haven't been then!

 

[tooextracool]

1)his overall average is still 38 in australia
2) he has consistently failed in seaming and swinging conditions in england and SA....