James Anderson vs Glenn McGrath - Similarities and differences

[Adders]

It all started with Flibbertyjabber's comment imagining how Anderson would go against the current English lineup...

Yeah so how did it end up all about Australia?......How would Anderson go if he was Australian, How would Warne go if he were Indian. Ben Hilfenhaus.

 

[Adders]

many aspects of Anderson's record have more holes than a crumpet.

Your face has more holes than a crumpet.

 

[TheJediBrah]

No. It's because you are idiots and incapable of having a rationale discussion surrounding the English bowler that has just knocked off OooAah's record for a fast bowler. I mean how the **** did Ben ****ing Hifenhorse get in this conversation.

Pretty sure the discussion has been pretty rational if you take of your overly-sensitive-pom filter

Yeah so how did it end up all about Australia?.

Thread title is a pretty decent clue m8

 

[_00_deathscar]

It's not really that hard of a discussion is it? At least, it shouldn't be.

It's like when Kapil set the record for most wickets - good bowler, not close to the best all time, and setting the record does nothing to change that.
Then again with Courtney Walsh, except he was far more devastating a bowler than Kapil ever was and a bit closer to the ATG list, but still not really there (no one would pick Walsh first, second, third, fourth etc - in fact, not even for his generation).
Now it's Anderson (after a period of a rightful ATG - McGrath). Again, good bowler, and given the right conditions, arguably one of the best ever. So congratulations on setting the record, but other than a 'most wickets' stats, it doesn't mean anything more. There's no denying he's been one of the best of his generation though - but unlike with Steyn who is legitimately one of the best of all time, Anderson's record has far more holes.

For starters, his bowling average away from home (34.15). He's been absolutely sensational since 2014 (averaging 21.12 in 52 matches), and perhaps as far back as 2010. And yet, his away record is still a relative stain on his record (18.84 in 32 home, 28.69 in 17 away, but 15.61 in 3 neutral).

He's played 23 tests more at home than he has away from home which is quite a fair amount which is reflected in his ever reducing average of late.

There are caveats - he was probably brought in too early (but so was Sachin as a batsman and perhaps others as bowlers and batsmen - he's not unique in this) and his first five years hurt his average.

But even then, the 'away' average factor is always there.

This is a bit like if Cook had been the highest scoring batsman of all time I suppose in that he's a good player, one of his generation's greats, especially in his position etc. Cook, however, does have an excellent record (relatively) against almost every team, and away from home as well.

In conclusion, Anderson isn't as good a bowler as Walsh, nevermind anywhere near the best of all time. Another 100 wickets, mostly at home, isn't going to change that.

 

[Days of Grace]

I can't wait for the reaction when Jimmy comes up in my countdown.

 

[TheJediBrah]

We're the ones having the rational conversation by pointing out that said record isn't a be-all-and-end-all and that many aspects of Anderson's record have more holes than a crumpet. It's you being the snivelers.

It's a bit of both tbh. Still been a pretty rational conversation in general though. Funny though that in a thread like this I expected it to be full of Aussies whinging but if anything it's been more the other way.

 

[Adders]

I can't wait for the reaction when Jimmy comes up in my countdown.

Hahaha, I have been thinking about just that since you started that thread. His very name is just so volatile on here that no matter where he comes it will cause a **** storm.

 

[morgieb]

I can't wait for the reaction when Jimmy comes up in my countdown.

What happens if he doesn't?

 

[Days of Grace]

What happens if he doesn't?

True. I kinda gave it away there!

I'll tell you one thing. If he doesn't come up by no.30 some people on here are going to get antsy as ****.

 

[Borges]

Why are we talking about Hilfenhaus, Starc and Harris in this thread anyway.

All of them belong to the same family: quick bowlers. If Anderson is a wolf; Hilfenhaus, Starc and Harris would be dingos.

 

[Brian Lara]

Yeah so how did it end up all about Australia?......How would Anderson go if he was Australian, How would Warne go if he were Indian. Ben Hilfenhaus.

Doesn’t it always?

 

[Days of Grace]

How did New Zealand react when Kapil took the record from Hadlee?

As far as I can remember it was like “meh, we all know Hadlee was the superior bowler but Kapil played a billion matches so fair play”.

 

[Burgey]

No. It's because you are idiots and incapable of having a rationale discussion surrounding the English bowler that has just knocked off OooAah's record for a fast bowler. I mean how the **** did Ben ****ing Hifenhorse get in this conversation.

This is junk. As is the premise of the thread. There’s no comparison between McGrath and Anderson because McGrath is incomparable and Anderson isn’t fit to carry his jockstrap.

And that isn’t to say Anderson is anything other than a fine bowler who’s honed his skill set into something bloody good, especially the conditions suit him but not just then.

 

[Burgey]

Doesn’t it always?

Natiatally peopple compare everything in cricket to Australia because Australia has largely dominated world cricket since it’s inception.

 

[Flem274*]

Get away!! You'd have been screaming for a Jimmy when you were bowling plodders like Michael Beer, Hilfenhaus and Doug Bollinger?

bollinger was quite a good bowler

And that is 100% why I have no time for the "how they go if they were a different nationality" argument. Good players adapt to the style of play they think suits their country best.

yep i think iain o'brien put it best when asked what advice he would give to young players alongside the normal work hard, get better etc. he said "look for a gap where your team is lacking and fill it"

 

[S.Kennedy]

All semblance of sanity has departed.

 

[Coronis]

This is junk. As is the premise of the thread. There’s no comparison between McGrath and Anderson because McGrath is incomparable and Anderson isn’t fit to carry his jockstrap.

And that isn’t to say Anderson is anything other than a fine bowler who’s honed his skill set into something bloody good, especially the conditions suit him but not just then.

This. Full credit to him for breaking McGrath’s record, its a great job. Doesn’t make him better than McGrath or others.

 

[sledger]

And that is 100% why I have no time for the "how they go if they were a different nationality" argument. Good players adapt to the style of play they think suits their country best.

Yeah it's a load of balls. No point discussing hypothetical imaginary players.

 

[stephen]

No. It's because you are idiots and incapable of having a rationale discussion surrounding the English bowler that has just knocked off OooAah's record for a fast bowler. I mean how the **** did Ben ****ing Hifenhorse get in this conversation.

S.Kennedy bright him up.

All semblance of sanity has departed.

You brought up Hilfenhaus and I do think he's a good comparison to Jimmy. He was a shade quicker but less accurate. He played 27 tests before being replaced by pure pace bowlers. Even accounting for the quality difference between Hilfenhaus and Anderson it's fair to say that Anderson would be similarly given a short run in Australia.

That's not to take anything away from the fact that he's the best pure swing bowler in living memory. It's just to say that the talk about how he doesn't get to bowl to the English isn't a disadvantage since the reason he doesn't is that he gets to bowl in the
same conditions that make the English top order so fragile.

Methinks thou doth protest much.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Both probably would have struggled in their current iterations if they were from those countries, but of course who knows how they would have developed differently.

And that is 100% why I have no time for the "how they go if they were a different nationality" argument. Good players adapt to the style of play they think suits their country best.

How is it that I make an obvious statement, morgieb just repeats it back in even more obvious terms and gets all the credit