"I'm not a big fan of the Kookaburra." -Kemar Roach

[TheJediBrah]

Mitchell Starc isn't even that good a Test bowler IMO and he averages <30 bowling forward of a length around the world

edit: except in England funnily enough lol

 

[trundler]

also

a) anderson does settle into the corridor and pulls his length back when conditions demand it, he's a smart bowler
b) dale steyn loves throwing it up. the kookaburra doesn't seem to prevent starc or our guys hucking it up full either

c) Wasim and Waqar

 

[CodeOfWisden]

Mitchell Starc isn't even that good a Test bowler IMO and he averages <30 bowling forward of a length around the world

edit: except in England funnily enough lol

Jeff thomson reincarnated.

 

[SillyCowCorner1]

@ L+L, may I please request the scorecard of the match in which you took 6-44

 

[Burgey]

Has anyone thought that maybe the kookaburra doesn’t like Kemar Roach very much either?

 

[Starfighter]

Certainly possible judging from WI's last tour down here. I remember being astounded that someone with pretty decent figures could be that bad.


No wonder CA isn't bothered to have them here again. Even Pakistan's been back more than once.

 

[GotSpin]

Roach post 2017 is a much much better bowler though

 

[Daemon]

Oh yeah. Thanks for making your reply more valuable than the one above.

I mean what do you want people to say? Your response to "Anderson averages 35 with the Kookaburra", which is, despite being an obvious bait, a fact, is to display less than half of the games he's actually played with the ball in which he has succeeded in about less than half of.

He's a fine bowler but he's only ever been average-decent with that ball even after he started becoming godlike at home. Considering there's a whopping 7 test playing countries using it one would expect that to be marked against him when people claim he's an ATG.

 

[GoodAreasShane]

Certainly possible judging from WI's last tour down here. I remember being astounded that someone with pretty decent figures could be that bad.


No wonder CA isn't bothered to have them here again. Even Pakistan's been back more than once.

His shoulder was completely screwed at the time

 

[Teja.]

Waqar, Donald and to a lesser extent Steyn have had ATG careers throwing it up. It's not true you can't be successful around the world doing so.

Anderson used to be much more of a unidimensional bowler before (pre-2009) but has developed the ability to bowl not very penetrative but very accurate good length stuff in flat conditions overseas which can catch batsmen napping. He's had some memorable spells with the new ball doing this in series' where he was otherwise just okay such as in Mumbai (?) 2012. This also works a lot better as a wicket-taking tactic when the others around him are also bowling accurately though.

The fact that he's not as penetrative away should absolutely be held against him. However, his longevity, durability and economy even when he's not being penetrative should also be held in his favour and they often aren't.

Anil Kumble is actually a pretty good comparison. Like Anderson, Kumble had one of the most successful careers ever, was outstanding at home and had some great individual performances in situations which didn't necessarily suit him (England, Australia).

 

[the big bambino]

Kumble's record in Oz is historically one of the best for a touring spinner. I'm not a fan but still an admirer because he showed fight and character when playing. I think his first tour here was his worst and his subsequent success (though relative) reflects those qualities.

Has Anderson ever bowled with the Kooka in the UK? Might settle an issue whether patches in his record are due to the ball or conditions. Bit of both? I think Anderson has suffered OS bcos of the role he's had to play. If he had Archer as a bowling companion he could have been used more exclusively by England when the conditions of the ball and pitch suited him. I remember when he was last out here he had to do a lot of hack work to keep the scoring down. So England was expecting him to blast out wickets and bowl dry ... its a big ask and no wonder his stats don't flatter him under those circumstances.

As for the kooka, I love it. Makes the bowlers work for wickets.

 

[Neptune]

Which ball is the kookaburra again? Is it the round one?

 

[the big bambino]

Hyspherical.

 

[Starfighter]

His shoulder was completely screwed at the time

I thought it was his back that was the issue, but whatever. The main thing I remember is that he bowled his usual pace for the time (high 130s) but just bowled gift after gift. I think he had a little period out of the team due to injury a series or so afterwards.

 

[SteveNZ]

Waqar, Donald and to a lesser extent Steyn have had ATG careers throwing it up. It's not true you can't be successful around the world doing so.

Anderson used to be much more of a unidimensional bowler before (pre-2009) but has developed the ability to bowl not very penetrative but very accurate good length stuff in flat conditions overseas which can catch batsmen napping. He's had some memorable spells with the new ball doing this in series' where he was otherwise just okay such as in Mumbai (?) 2012. This also works a lot better as a wicket-taking tactic when the others around him are also bowling accurately though.

The fact that he's not as penetrative away should absolutely be held against him. However, his longevity, durability and economy even when he's not being penetrative should also be held in his favour and they often aren't.

Anil Kumble is actually a pretty good comparison. Like Anderson, Kumble had one of the most successful careers ever, was outstanding at home and had some great individual performances in situations which didn't necessarily suit him (England, Australia).

All of those guys you mentioned in the first sentence were 150+, so that's probably not an apples for apples comparison.

I don't suppose I have an issue with it being held against him that he's not as penetrative away. Fair enough. But I also agree with what you say, the fact he's still going strong at 37, the fact he is a beast at home, and to me the intangible (in terms of figures) art, a lost art, that he has in terms of being able to swing it both ways on command. Just don't see that anymore. To me he's an ATG, whatever that term means.

 

[SteveNZ]

Which ball is the kookaburra again? Is it the round one?

No, not all the time. Ask Brendon McCullum.

And if you think they're all round, I present to you a Slazenger, the ball we used in my first season in the UK. I'd have sooner bowled with a tangelo.

 

[TheJediBrah]

All of those guys you mentioned in the first sentence were 150+, so that's probably not an apples for apples comparison.

I don't suppose I have an issue with it being held against him that he's not as penetrative away. Fair enough. But I also agree with what you say, the fact he's still going strong at 37, the fact he is a beast at home, and to me the intangible (in terms of figures) art, a lost art, that he has in terms of being able to swing it both ways on command. Just don't see that anymore. To me he's an ATG, whatever that term means.

perfectly reasonable opinion. When it comes to longevity he's definitely one of the best.

 

[Burgey]

All of those guys you mentioned in the first sentence were 150+, so that's probably not an apples for apples comparison.

I don't suppose I have an issue with it being held against him that he's not as penetrative away. Fair enough. But I also agree with what you say, the fact he's still going strong at 37, the fact he is a beast at home, and to me the intangible (in terms of figures) art, a lost art, that he has in terms of being able to swing it both ways on command. Just don't see that anymore. To me he's an ATG, whatever that term means.

Not an unreasonable pov, but I'd query how strong he's going at 37, given he'sbeen plagued by injuries for a while. Hoping he can get through this home summer and then go out on his own terms when he chooses. He certainly deserves that.

 

[Line and Length]

@ L+L, may I please request the scorecard of the match in which you took 6-44

Certainly. We batted first and were dismissed for 153. We were 5 for 140 at one stage. I was run out for a duck. Here is a scan of the opposition's card. Their tail did a some big hitting and they recovered from 6 for 93.

 

[Daemon]

Nice, I was born a couple of days later.

Would be slightly miffed if I was the 4th/5th bowler though, only getting a handful of overs while the rest bowled throughout the day