Bruce Reid

[Line and Length]

I was considering doing this as a player comparison but decided we have more than enough of these.

Instead I'll pose a question, "Why is Ryan Harris held in such high regard in some CW quarters yet Bruce Reid rarely rates a mention?"

Both had relatively short careers with very similar results.

Reid: 27 Tests 113 wickets @ 24.6
Harris: 27 Tests 113 wickets @ 23.5

Reid has a slightly better economy rate while Harris has the edge in strike rate.

In Ashes series they both performed admirably.

Reid: 9 Tests 47 wickets @ 20.4 (average 5.2 wpm)
Harris: 12 Tests 57 wickets @ 20.6 (average 4.75 wpm)

On performances I find it almost impossible to separate them. Reid with his height and resultant bounce plus being a left armer made him an excellent bowler while Harris is deservedly a highly rated fast bowler.

So why is one regarded so highly above the other?

 

[Starfighter]

Is Harris disproportionality more highly regarded, beyond the fact he was more recent?

 

[Flem274*]

reid's away average is diabolical for a bowler of his expressed quality.

 

[Line and Length]

Is Harris disproportionality more highly regarded, beyond the fact he was more recent?

Good point.

 

[Line and Length]

reid's away average is diabolical for a bowler of his expressed quality.

Really? There isn't much of a sample on which to make such a statement. In two tests in each of India (the graveyard of fast bowlers) and WI his performances were far from impressive. His 3 Tests in both Pakistan (14w @ 25.3) and New Zealand (9w @ 32.7) are quite acceptable - particularly as he was injured in Pakistan. 'Diabolic;? Hardly.

One can only wonder how he might have performed in England, South Africa or Sri Lanka. In those 3 countries Harris did very well (10 Tests 49w @ 21.4)

 

[Flem274*]

Really? There isn't much of a sample on which to make such a statement. In two tests in each of India (the graveyard of fast bowlers) and WI his performances were far from impressive. His 3 Tests in both Pakistan (14w @ 25.3) and New Zealand (9w @ 32.7) are quite acceptable - particularly as he was injured in Pakistan. 'Diabolic;? Hardly.

One can only wonder how he might have performed in England, South Africa or Sri Lanka. In those 3 countries Harris did very well (10 Tests 49w @ 21.4)

They're bad in comparison to Harris, especially the best figures.

I have nothing against Reid and I think he's a much better bowler than his away results but...those are his away results and I admit they were surprising.

But yeah every generation has someone who doesn't play much who you know is the bees knees but gets lost to history a bit. Harris will be the same, though I hope the increased amount of easily available footage saves these bowlers in future for our highlights fun.

 

[shortpitched713]

They're bad in comparison to Harris, especially the best figures.

I have nothing against Reid and I think he's a much better bowler than his away results but...those are his away results and I admit they were surprising.

But yeah every generation has someone who doesn't play much who you know is the bees knees but gets lost to history a bit. Harris will be the same, though I hope the increased amount of easily available footage saves these bowlers in future for our highlights fun.

Clark for mine, even better than Harris.

 

[Starfighter]

Reid does have a 12th Man segment about him snapping half. Harris doesn't have that, so it's giving the edge to Reid.

 

[honestbharani]

Harris was picked at his peak. Reid got injured as he was entering his peak. If anything, the best comparison to Reid is Ian Bishop.

 

[shortpitched713]

Why doesn't anyone remember Stuart Clark though?

 

[ataraxia]

And while Harris was picked already, Reid who was a left armer with a virtually identical record has not yet been picked.

The beauty of this game is learning a bit more about the guys from yesteryear who were good without being great.

 

[Midwinter]

Harris played in a winning team.

The team Reid played in lost more than they won.

 

[Midwinter]

Reid having to give it away when he did was a big loss to the Australian test team at the time. He was on verge of being not just being a good bowler but a very good one.
It probably set back the resurgence of the test team by a least a year if not two.

 

[Daemon]

Harris wasn't very good tbh. Still remember when he came over the wicket and bowled 2 feet outside legstump to avoid getting spanked, to which Sehwag's response was to hit him for four over extra cover.