Cricinfo's Top Five Player Searches...

[sirjeremy11]

Flintoff has been a quality bowler for far longer than 6 months.

Agreed. He really started getting his act together on the last tour of India and then New Zealand. That would be four years ago now.

 

[Tom Halsey]

Agreed. He really started getting his act together on the last tour of India and then New Zealand. That would be four years ago now.

Yes, but at that point Flintoff was really a defensive bowler. The tour where he became a real attacking force was the 2004 tour of West Indies.

 

[UncleTheOne]

Agreed. He really started getting his act together on the last tour of India and then New Zealand. That would be four years ago now.

Freddie himself said that the India tour was the turning point for him with his bowling.

 

[Langeveldt]

How long do you think the timeframe is? A month? Cricinfo's history?

 

[sirjeremy11]

Freddie himself said that the India tour was the turning point for him with his bowling.

I didn't know that. Thanks you for that support to my argument. After watching the way he bowled in NZ in that tour, I really wouldn't say he was "defensive". Anyway, that was Giles' job...

 

[Nate]

I have to say I'm beginning to question whether Harmison is a quality bowler. He's decent enough, but he hasn't had a really good series for a long time now and IIRC he's only really had 2 really good series in his career.

Nooo way. He`s been so unlucky lately, especially against Pakistan. Couldn`t believe it.

 

[Tom Halsey]

Nooo way. He`s been so unlucky lately, especially against Pakistan. Couldn`t believe it.

I wouldn't say he was unlcuky - got what he deserved. Decent enough firgures in the first two Tests IIRC, and got hammered in the third.

 

[Truekiwijoker]

I'm guessing you think his four-wicket haul in one match was a fluke?

I have to say, as an ordinary joker, that I think Kyle Mills is actually pretty crap at any form of the game. He is of mediocre talent and ability, and his place in the team has more to do with his determination and attitude, playing in some successfull domestic sides and a current shortage of quality bowlers in New Zealand. He's like Chris Pringle all over again!

Just my opinion.

Flintoff and Harmison are another level on Mills.

 

[marc71178]

I wouldn't say he was unlcuky - got what he deserved. Decent enough firgures in the first two Tests IIRC, and got hammered in the third.

The Third was where he was unlucky.

 

[Richard]

Flintoff has been a quality bowler for far longer than 6 months.

No, he hasn't, he was just a lucky one between December 2003 and January 2005.

Harmison is and has been for a fair time as well - just you don't like him so have decided it's impossible he can be.

Nope, he's not.
Otherwise he'd have been successful for longer than a tiny period of 7 matches, fitted into 4 months.

 

[Richard]

Not on here you haven't.

Really? Really really? Really really really?

 

[Richard]

Agreed. He really started getting his act together on the last tour of India and then New Zealand. That would be four years ago now.

Indeed he did.
But he didn't start bowling well in Tests until the Second Test at Edgbaston last summer.

 

[Richard]

The Third was where he was unlucky.

Wow, so unlucky - he got 1 single dropped catch.
Having been extremely lucky with poor strokes in the First Test.

 

[Matteh]

Flintoff is currently at his utmost form...and he helped to destroy Australia...

Harmison has been better than Flintoff for the 18months-2 years before the Ashes but now Flintoff has easily caught up and in some aspects surpassed Harmison

 

[Richard]

Harmison has been utterly useless in this period, only 3 good Tests out of 17, all of which owed far more to poor batting than good bowling.
The only time Harmison ever bowled remotely well was here, and even that was a very short period of just 7 matches.
No way has Harmison ever been better than Flintoff, and nor was being better than Flintoff much of an achievement until Edgbaston last year.

 

[Matteh]

No way has Harmison ever been better than Flintoff,

Flintoff used to be a average medium pacer....

 

[marc71178]

No, he hasn't, he was just a lucky one between December 2003 and January 2005.

No, he has been a good bowler for a long time - just because you don't rate him means jack all.

 

[marc71178]

Wow, so unlucky - he got 1 single dropped catch.

So we'll ignore everyone who talked about how well he bowled, just because you don't like him.

That 7-12 still haunts you doesn't it.

 

[Smudge]

So we'll ignore everyone who talked about how well he bowled, just because you don't like him.

That 7-12 still haunts you doesn't it.

That 7-12 was laced with luck.

 

[Richard]

Flintoff used to be a average medium pacer....

And Harmison, before 2003, used to spray 2, sometimes more, balls down the leg.
Flintoff has been an extremely fast bowler since 2000, and one capable of bowling long spells since 2001\02.