Bond vs. Asif - who was a bigger loss for cricket?

[Flem274*]

There are a few bowlers who are in the mould of Bond -Steyn, Pattinson, even a guy like Southee- but almost no one like Asif. So id say he's more sorely missed.

***** you've just compared a bunch of outswing bowlers to an inswing bowler for a start....

 

[OverratedSanity]

No one is saying Asif wasn't a ****. But if he hadn't been such a ****, we could've had a potentially great fast bowler in a time when the cupboard for basically every nation was very barren. Certainly a huge loss regardless of whether or not his issues were self inflicted.

 

[the big bambino]

Bond was banned? I thought he retired because his body gave out on him.

For playing with the rebel ICL. Then he came back for a short while before retiring iirc.

 

[OverratedSanity]

For playing with the rebel ICL. Then he came back for a short while before retiring iirc.

That was a complete mess. NZC ****ed that whole thing up and screwed over Bond for no fault of his own.

 

[cnerd123]

***** you've just compared a bunch of outswing bowlers to an inswing bowler for a start....

Good point. I was just listing 'fast skiddy with aesthetic action' style quicks vs 'elite level dibbly dobbler' style.

Not many ridiculously quick pure inswing types...Waqar? Bond was pretty rare in that sense.

 

[Flem274*]

Good point. I was just listing 'fast skiddy with aesthetic action' style quicks vs 'elite level dibbly dobbler' style.

Not many ridiculously quick pure inswing types...Waqar? Bond was pretty rare in that sense.

bond wasn't really skiddy either haha he's taller than steyn for example and while he wasn't known for the easy lift of a holder or morkel he wasn't in the skiddy category. a happy middle ground i guess.

 

[Starfighter]

Not many ridiculously quick pure inswing types...Waqar? Bond was pretty rare in that sense.

Waqar swung the new ball away. Inswing only bowlers are rare at high levels because it's not as effective a method. But Proctor would be one.

 

[The Hutt Rec]

Not many swung it as much as Bond did while at his 150k pace ... and kept it accurate. I think he was pretty much alone in that category while he was on the scene. But either way, rather than his pace, I would say it was his movement that made him the bowler he was. It was always the thing that made me think he would be so hard to face ... and it didn't ever seem especially condition reliant, either!

 

[oblongballs]

I was a big fan of both. That NZ-Pak series in 09 when Akmal made his debut was a really enjoyable one, purely because of Bond vs Asif contest. Both dominated that series, and add in a young promising Aamir at the time, it was a great series for fast bowling.

If Bond was less injury prone, and Asif not a controversy magnet, both would have given Steyn legitimate competition for best in the world.

Personally, I enjoyed watching Asif more. The lazy run up, wristy action, the cunning smile that showed he knew exactly what he was doing. Just brilliant.

Really? Bond didnt dominate much, he only played a single test I think.

This really was Asif's and he looked at a level few seam bowlers ever reach. It was amazing he could replicate such form on the dead or dying pitches of Pakistan, which were often (by that time) worse for fast bowling than India or SL. If I remember correctly, Kaneria also had one of his last good series. It was also that time when Vettori genuinely looked like an all rounder.

 

[Daemon]

Shane Bond was a frightening figure. Such elegance and efficiency in that run-up of his...almost no drag on his body...smooth action, and delivering bombs....oh, what a cricketer he was...

Asif to me was Pakistan's bowling equivalent of Mohammad Yousuf- Youhanna. Dibbly-doobly approach to the bowling crease, and as soon as the ball left his hand it started to do its own thing...banana swing. Add to that hairstyle of his--- "As soon as I finish my delivery stride, I turn around, and amble back to my bowling mark, but before I get there, I have to run my fingers through my manly and handsome head of hair...not allowing even a single follicle to be crooked."


Oh mid-2000s, how have I missed you!

Not so sure about banana swing, but he used to do diabolical things with the seam. Ball would rip back in massively and get the right handers bowled all the time.

 

[Starfighter]

Not many people who could cut the ball back off the pitch like some of these. Must have really good fingers and wrists.

 

[OverratedSanity]

This spell against SL was amazing

 

[smash84]

Both those spells are awesome. So we're some of his spells in England. Damn, he was so so good

 

[oblongballs]

very good point brought up, Asif's wrists were extraordinary. He had supple, almost spinner like wrists and when he wasnt getting swing, he could ball cutters better than just about anyone. Its also what made him good in ODIs, even though he lacked pace and often matches were played in non swinging conditions.

He was however, a tortured genius, much like Maradonna.

 

[Daemon]

very good point brought up, Asif's wrists were extraordinary. He had supple, almost spinner like wrists and when he wasnt getting swing, he could ball cutters better than just about anyone. Its also what made him good in ODIs, even though he lacked pace and often matches were played in non swinging conditions.

He was however, a tortured genius, much like Maradonna.

He didn't really use cutters that often iirc

 

[Kirkut]

Not many people who could cut the ball back off the pitch like some of these. Must have really good fingers and wrists.

Yes, this is the spell I was refering to, best seam bowling ever with Ambrose at Port of Spain in 1994 being the close second.

Check out the video from 1:06 to 1:13, it has everything what makes cricket so beautiful, Laxman attempts an elegant forward defence the ball nips back through bat-pad gap and hits timber.

 

[Bahnz]

Really? Bond didnt dominate much, he only played a single test I think.

It's funny, in that one test the two of them had almost identical figures

Bond 8/153
Asif 8/151

 

[Immenso]

I watched the first day of Boxing Day test in about 2010.

Asif trundling in,Ajmal at the other end bowling a marathon spell.

The most boring days cricket I have ever been to.

I was quite surprised when these 2 later acquired decent reputations, mainly for their exploits in different series's v England.

I was impressed when I saw what Asif's wrists could do when gave a **** or the conditions suited.

When I watched him he had a reputation as a pace bowler, so my dismay to see him cut down his pace about half an hour into the first day of the match.

He later got his reputation for guile and skill.

My day watching him turned out alright. Watson ran out Katich in the 90s then Watson got himself out also in the 90s. That was funny.

But geeez 200 without loss ... ...

 

[subshakerz]

I watched the first day of Boxing Day test in about 2010.

Asif trundling in,Ajmal at the other end bowling a marathon spell.

The most boring days cricket I have ever been to.

I was quite surprised when these 2 later acquired decent reputations, mainly for their exploits in different series's v England.

I was impressed when I saw what Asif's wrists could do when gave a **** or the conditions suited.

When I watched him he had a reputation as a pace bowler, so my dismay to see him cut down his pace about half an hour into the first day of the match.

He later got his reputation for guile and skill.

My day watching him turned out alright. Watson ran out Katich in the 90s then Watson got himself out also in the 90s. That was funny.

But geeez 200 without loss ... ...

Asif before injury had more nip and pace. When he came back in 2009, he had lost a yard and was more dependent on conditions. Having said that, in unsupportive conditions Asif was still able to bowl decently, keep control and in tests I dont think he was ever tonked around outside of his debut I think.

 

[Rasimione]

Shane Bond was a far greater loss to cricket. He was a monster regularly bullying the Aussies. Cricket misses him.