Will McGrath AND Pollock still be playing international cricket this time next year?

[a massive zebra]

Will McGrath and Pollock still be playing international cricket this time next year?

The paucity of decent pace bowlers around the world is surely going to reach epidemic levels.

 

[Craig]

Hard to say.

If both are fit, and enjoying themselves, and preforming then yes.

However, outside of Pollock South Africa's quality pace bowling options seem to be thin

 

[Mr. P]

I always have, and still do, rate Ntini very highly. Impressive bowler IMO.

Harmison of course will become quality, not quite McGrath standard, but still good.

Gillespie will still be around. Hes awesome...we all know about Bond etc...

Up and coming...Cleary and Tait I think will become excellent bowlers, I actually think Cleary will be the best of the two. Anderson of England, Sami of Pakistan, (If he matures as a bowler) India have many who could become good, as do West Indes.

Actually I think pace bowling is on the way up. The last two years have been the lowest point in a long time, but I reckon in a couple of years time we could see some really good players.

 

[Deja moo]

Pollock definitely .

McGrath .....?

 

[SJS]

Will McGrath and Pollock still be playing international cricket this time next year?

Extremely doubtful.

 

[marc71178]

Pollock is a lot younger than people seem to think!

Isn't he about 3 or 4 years younger than McGrath?

However what's to say the pair's amazing luck throughout their career won't turn?

 

[Linda]

..I actually think Cleary will be the best of the two.

Agreed!

I dont think McGrath will be playing for too much longer, he just doesnt seem to be his usual consistant self anymore. He'll be fast and accurate in one game, then wayward and angry another. I reckon he'll play on with NSW though, haha.

As for Pollock, I reckon he'll be there. They need someone like him there with such a young and inexperianced captain.

 

[Deja moo]

Pollock is a lot younger than people seem to think!

Isn't he about 3 or 4 years younger than McGrath?

However what's to say the pair's amazing luck throughout their career won't turn?

You talk like Richard

 

[Craig]

Pollock is a lot younger than people seem to think!

Isn't he about 3 or 4 years younger than McGrath?

According to his player page, he is 31 years of age, McGrath is 34.

A very very strong chance of becoming the second South African to get 100 Tests, and at the rate Tests at played, and he is fit, I would not put it past him to get it next year, and get 400 Test wickets pretty soon (towards the end of next year or some time in 2005).

An amazing record, a great bowler, and you wouldn't put it past him to go to 2007 if fit.

 

[Craig]

You talk like Richard

I don't know if he will be too impressed to hear that.

 

[BoyBrumby]

You talk like Richard

I think Marc may've been indulging in a spot of irony at a certain nameless someone's expense!

Or, to call it by its more friendly name, taking the p*ss!

 

[pskov]

I think McGrath will retire after the Ashes. Pollock seems to have plenty still left in the tank though.

 

[Steulen]

Will McGrath make the Ashes? Combining his recent showings with the selectors' ruthlessness, I wouldn't be surprised if he was ordered to do a Waugh following the India series.

 

[Richard]

Yes, McGrath's second-most-recent Test sure was poor wasn't it?!!!
IMO Pollock has at least 4 years left in him, I'd be surprised if McGrath doesn't play for another 3 or 4 years, too, given how extremely poor Australia's next best bowlers are. Added to the fact I haven't noticed anything different about him recently. Wow, he got smacked for 16 off his most recent ODI over - Trescothick can do that, there wasn't a bad ball amongst them.
I really think a lot of people seem to be overestimating McGrath's supposed demise. Just like everyone always seems to have been determined Pollock is about 4 years older than he is!

 

[Sudeep]

I'd say McGrath still has a couple of years left in him.

His return from the ankle injury isn't as bad as people make it to be. He's been decent, not his best, but decent nonetheless.

 

[masterblaster]

Even with McGrath and Pollock gone, there are a lot of young promising fast bowlers in the world, and who knows? With the experience and some super performances we might have a really good new generation of fast bowlers.

Pakistan have Umar Gul, India have Irfan Pathan, West Indies have Tino Best, Australia have Shaun Tait, England ofcourse have Steve Harmison and James Anderson, not to mention guys like Simon Jones, Sri Lanka have Lasith Malinga, so there is really no shortage of exciting upcoming fast bowling talent.

With the right amount of time and experience, im sure most of the bowlers mentioned above will blossom into world class bowlers. (Key word here is most)

 

[Craig]

Yes, McGrath's second-most-recent Test sure was poor wasn't it?!!!
IMO Pollock has at least 4 years left in him, I'd be surprised if McGrath doesn't play for another 3 or 4 years, too, given how extremely poor Australia's next best bowlers are. Added to the fact I haven't noticed anything different about him recently. Wow, he got smacked for 16 off his most recent ODI over - Trescothick can do that, there wasn't a bad ball amongst them.
I really think a lot of people seem to be overestimating McGrath's supposed demise. Just like everyone always seems to have been determined Pollock is about 4 years older than he is!

Assuming we have McGrath, Gillespie, and Kasprowicz as our front liners, Australia's next crop is of Shaun Tait, Brad Williams, Nathan Bracken, Damien Wright, MarK Cleary, Brett Lee, Matt Nicholson (could consider himself unlucky not to win his second Test cap against India, however, the selectors decided to recall Bracken and Lee) and that is the best I can thing of at the moment.

 

[Craig]

Even with McGrath and Pollock gone, there are a lot of young promising fast bowlers in the world, and who knows? With the experience and some super performances we might have a really good new generation of fast bowlers.

Pakistan have Umar Gul, India have Irfan Pathan, West Indies have Tino Best, Australia have Shaun Tait, England ofcourse have Steve Harmison and James Anderson, not to mention guys like Simon Jones, Sri Lanka have Lasith Malinga, so there is really no shortage of exciting upcoming fast bowling talent.

With the right amount of time and experience, im sure most of the bowlers mentioned above will blossom into world class bowlers. (Key word here is most)

I guess the key for up and comers like Malinga and Mahroof is consistentcy, something that doesn't seem to be known of in Sri Lanka's pace bowlers (or even their whole team in general I guess).

 

[luckyeddie]

I guess the key for up and comers like Malinga and Mahroof is consistentcy, something that doesn't seem to be known of in Sri Lanka's pace bowlers (or even their whole team in general I guess).

Vaas is exemplary with respect to consistency, and I would imagine he would have quite a say in the development or mentoring of the 'new generation' of Sri Lankan seamers - if they've any sense, that is.

 

[marc71178]

Assuming we have McGrath, Gillespie, and Kasprowicz as our front liners, Australia's next crop is of Shaun Tait, Brad Williams, Nathan Bracken, Damien Wright, MarK Cleary, Brett Lee, Matt Nicholson

And how many of those names would worry the batsman the night before the game?