Richard
Cricket Web Staff Member
One of the more curious careers of recent times has been of the Victoria\WA seam-bowler Brad Williams. Making his ODI debut at the age of 27 in the VB Series in 2001\02, he bowled one decent spell (10-31-0) and then stood down.
He was recalled when something which almost resembled an injury crisis struck Australia the following year, and was once more impressive, taking 10-33-1, 7-20-1, 10-57-2, 10-22-2 and 10-46-1 - just one really poor spell in 5.
When another injury crisis hit Australia the following spring, he went to India. The hosts collared him pretty effectively (10-67-1, 5-20-0, 8-43-0, 7-30-1) but against the Kiwis he was deadly, taking 9.4-22-4 and 10-53-5. He was near the front of the queue by his 3rd VB Series, and though the Indians started well against him again (9-52-2, 8-40-1) even they eventually fell to him as they begun to run-out of steam on that tour (7-23-1, 10-38-1, 6.2-12-2).
He then played 2 games in Sri Lanka, having a poor time once and a good time the other (5-28-0 and 9-29-1). This was the last he was seen of, as the following summer, aged just 30, he had a fit of pique about being dropped, fell-out with the WACA and was cut from the squad. At nearly 33 as of this post, his state career now appears over.
Yet his ODI record (against ODI-standard teams) reads damn impressively: an economy-rate of 4.14-an-over, and an average of 25.62. His List-A-one-day record is less impressive, though still certainly not poor at all: 72 games, economy-rate 4.43-an-over, average 23.21.
I must admit, to me Williams never looked any great thing in the making, just someone who was often in the right place at the right time (England were downtrodden in 2002\03, those New Zealand games were day\nighters with some incredibly seam-friendly conditions in the evenings, and as said India were running-out of steam when he got his best figures against them). And about the only Aussie I've ever spoken to about him recalled how he'd once attempted to sign an autograph without clicking the pen on (he's back on this forum now, and I hope he'll remember that).
If there's one thing that annoys me, though, it's a loose-ends career. Ideally, I'd have liked to see Williams play more and get clattered around the park; but if not, you'd hope someone'd play more games and continue with such a good record.
I mean, there's been some average bowlers play ODIs for Australia of late: Cullen, Dorey, Lewis, Clark, White (he was initially picked with some bowling in mind), Hopes, Hauritz. Even Johnson, Tait and Watson are yet to completely convince, though all three have done well in their most recent games. So it seems a little odd that one of Williams' reasonable performances didn't get a few more games.
Mind, having said this, a brilliant performer like Nathan Bracken couldn't get into the team until 2005\06.
He was recalled when something which almost resembled an injury crisis struck Australia the following year, and was once more impressive, taking 10-33-1, 7-20-1, 10-57-2, 10-22-2 and 10-46-1 - just one really poor spell in 5.
When another injury crisis hit Australia the following spring, he went to India. The hosts collared him pretty effectively (10-67-1, 5-20-0, 8-43-0, 7-30-1) but against the Kiwis he was deadly, taking 9.4-22-4 and 10-53-5. He was near the front of the queue by his 3rd VB Series, and though the Indians started well against him again (9-52-2, 8-40-1) even they eventually fell to him as they begun to run-out of steam on that tour (7-23-1, 10-38-1, 6.2-12-2).
He then played 2 games in Sri Lanka, having a poor time once and a good time the other (5-28-0 and 9-29-1). This was the last he was seen of, as the following summer, aged just 30, he had a fit of pique about being dropped, fell-out with the WACA and was cut from the squad. At nearly 33 as of this post, his state career now appears over.
Yet his ODI record (against ODI-standard teams) reads damn impressively: an economy-rate of 4.14-an-over, and an average of 25.62. His List-A-one-day record is less impressive, though still certainly not poor at all: 72 games, economy-rate 4.43-an-over, average 23.21.
I must admit, to me Williams never looked any great thing in the making, just someone who was often in the right place at the right time (England were downtrodden in 2002\03, those New Zealand games were day\nighters with some incredibly seam-friendly conditions in the evenings, and as said India were running-out of steam when he got his best figures against them). And about the only Aussie I've ever spoken to about him recalled how he'd once attempted to sign an autograph without clicking the pen on (he's back on this forum now, and I hope he'll remember that).
If there's one thing that annoys me, though, it's a loose-ends career. Ideally, I'd have liked to see Williams play more and get clattered around the park; but if not, you'd hope someone'd play more games and continue with such a good record.
I mean, there's been some average bowlers play ODIs for Australia of late: Cullen, Dorey, Lewis, Clark, White (he was initially picked with some bowling in mind), Hopes, Hauritz. Even Johnson, Tait and Watson are yet to completely convince, though all three have done well in their most recent games. So it seems a little odd that one of Williams' reasonable performances didn't get a few more games.
Mind, having said this, a brilliant performer like Nathan Bracken couldn't get into the team until 2005\06.