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The Aussie Pace Bowling attack

Salamuddin

International Debutant
This is a quote by one of Wisden's commentators on the Aussie
bowling attack (minus McGrath and Gillespie).

"Jason Gillespie is their only bowler of genuine class; Nathan Bracken's effectiveness is limited to the new ball and Andy Bichel, despite his spirit and energy, is no more than a honest blue-collar worker."

He may have a point about Bracken. David Hookes recently echoed similar sentiments when he felt that Matthew Innes had more stamina than Bracken. In the Gabba test, Bracken wasn't overly threatening after his first spell.
Virender Sehwag may be Bracken's bunny but I don't think the Indian middle order was too concerned with him.
As for Bichel, well he had a complete off test -- he bowled rather poorly.

I'm just wondering whether picking Bracken for tests purely on the basis of his ODI form was such a great idea.
 

mavric41

State Vice-Captain
jamesryfler said:


I'm just wondering whether picking Bracken for tests purely on the basis of his ODI form was such a great idea.
Really, I thought they picked him because he came from NSW.
 

bennyr

U19 12th Man
jamesryfler said:
I'm just wondering whether picking Bracken for tests purely on the basis of his ODI form was such a great idea.
The motivation for picking Bracken probably runs a bit deeper than just his one day form. As Brad Williams pointed out, his left handedness adds variety to the attack and he is several years younger than all of the other viable options, and as such, with and Australian team that is getting on in years, the selectors are probably looking to players who will be there in five years time.

That said, his bowling was a bit ordinary when it mattered (in the first innings), and Williams looks like the better option. The ABC commentators (I think it was Kerry O'Keefe) were suggesting that Williams should come in for Bichel given how poorly he bowled.

Time will tell. I'm not sure who I'd prefer to see carrying the drinks in Adelaide. In Brisbane, I'd have liked to have seen Katich as 12th man.
 

Linda

International Vice-Captain
I dont really agree about Bichel, I think we all know what Im referring to when I say World Cup?!
Cant he just have a bad day? (or bad few days...:lol: )

But on the Katich as 12th man thing, I personally think that would be an excellent idea. The Aussie batsmen are fine, Gillie goes in at 7 for crying out loud. (If they all fail, then you have a problem of course, but hey Katich doesnt supply THAT much). Then, with 5 specialist bowlers, you can afford to have one have a bad day. Steve would have more to choose from, and oh so much variety.
 

Swanny

School Boy/Girl Captain
I watched a fair bit of this test and I have to say that Gillespie aside the Aussie bowling didn't look to good at all. It still seems to be the case that they have a shed load of batsman who can come in should injuries/retirements happen but there doesn't seem to be anything like the depth with the bowling. I think that most teams will now fancy there chances against a Warne/McGrath-less Australia.
 

Richard

Cricket Web Staff Member
Be interesting to see an Australian Test attack of Williams, Bracken, Lee and MacGill.
I'd bet India would hammer it all over Adelaide Oval.
Maybe Bichel's days are numbered. He's been terrible now since the TVS Cup, and always the same problem - drifting onto the right-hander's pads all the time. If he plays at Adelaide and gets smashed for 6-an-over again, I can see his Test-career being finished and I while he may get one last chance in The VB Series if he gets hammered in that... and he'll be 36 by 2007.
 

Rich2001

International Captain
Linda said:
Then, with 5 specialist bowlers, you can afford to have one have a bad day. Steve would have more to choose from, and oh so much variety.
But is 5 to much? - What on avgerage would you say 30 Overs a session - Now that's only 6 overs a bowler, obviously the spinner will bowl a bulk load and the better and better bowlers on the day will bowl more overs, so is a true 5th bowler really needed by Australia if he will bowl say 10 overs in the day and offers nothing with the bat?

A Lehmann, Kat etc offer alot more to the batting and are more than handy in case of a crumble mid-inngs, and they can cover those few overs quite easy.

In saying that 5 bolwers is certianly a safe option in case of injuries and a bolwer or two having a real off day...

Linda said:
I dont really agree about Bichel, I think we all know what Im referring to when I say World Cup?!
Cant he just have a bad day? (or bad few days... )
I agree here, that's Bichel's real first bad day I can remember and all of a sudden the guy is no good, just seems a tad harsh IMO... I'll pick Bichel over a Braken/Williams any day of the week.
 

Mr Mxyzptlk

Request Your Custom Title Now!
Bichel worked hard in the West Indies, but for the most part was not that threatening. Yes, he had the odd spell (as did Lee), and people will bring up mention of his repeated dismissal of Lara, but every occasion that I remember his dismissing Lara, it was to a poor shot (after Lara had looked at total ease against him) or a bad decision (inside edge on pad - Asoka says out, pitched outside leg - that's out). I agree that Bichel is a workman at best, but I would also say that most bowling attacks would benefit from having a workman.
 

Rich2001

International Captain
Mr Mxyzptlk said:
I agree that Bichel is a workman at best, but I would also say that most bowling attacks would benefit from having a workman.
Yeah you always need someone to tie a end up and create pressure while the more aggressive bowlers eg Lee go full out attack.
 

THE MINGSTER

School Boy/Girl Cricketer
If you Aussies don't want either Williams, Bracken or Bichel, we Kiwis would take any of them any day of the week! :P

The thing with Bracken, as the commentators pointed out, his bowling arm is not perpendicular thus making his action less conductive to swing.
 

age_master

Hall of Fame Member
i would like to see the following in adelaide

Gillespie
Lee
Inness
Macgill

Latich batting 6 can also bowl some overs - particularly in the 2nd innings.

that attack has alot of wicket taking ability compared to the one from the 1st test. Inness is a very good bowler, particularly in the longer version of the game - 203 wickets @ 24.75- SR 53.7.

i think that this compares favourably to Brackens 88 wickets @ 29.53 SR 66.3
 

deeps

International 12th Man
Brett Lee has declared himself fit for the 2nd test...Assuming that he will be fit, We could drop Bichel and bring in Lee... As much as i think they should drop Bracken and bring in Williams or Inness,i don't see them dropping Bracken...And maybe a good idea,bcoz he brings in variety...

Adelaide oval gives quiet a bit of assistance to the spinners,and i'd like to see Brad Hogg being bought back into the team..He's a decent batsman too...
My XI for adelaide:

M.Hayden
J.Langer
R.Ponting
D.Martyn
S.Waugh
M.Clarke (His bowling has already been proven against india IN india)
B.Hogg
B.Lee
S.Macgill
J.Gillespie
N.Bracken (purely for the variety he offers)

This is a good strong batting line-up...Williams is no bunny with the bat...The Bowling line-up has plenty of variety
A left arm fast,2 Right arm fasts (one which is very fast), A right arm leggy,2 left arm spinners, 2 decent medium pacers (waugh and martyn).

It's obvious Sachin Tendulkar is the danger man, and i read in an article somewhere how Sachin struggles against left arm spinners (Vettori,Boje and Clarke)...By bringing in a world class left arm spinner in hogg, hopefully they reduce tendulkars influence

Another Dangerman is Dravid, and in the recent TVS cup, dravid had NO IDEA how to play Brad hogg.(as did many other indian batsman...except for sehwag, who bracken will take care off :P)
 

mavric41

State Vice-Captain
I think its been shown that ODI and Test form are two separate things.

Brad Hogg is not a world class spinner. He is useful at best. He takes his first class wickets at over 40 and test wickets at over 50. Its easier to take wickets at ODI level when batsmen try to force the pace and get out to stupid shots.

Bracken has shown to be a good bowler with the new ball but has shown nothing with the old ball.

Trying to promote Clarke as a Test spinner on a couple of useful one day returns is outrageous. He has taken 4 wickets at 57 in FC cricket. He only averages 37 with the bat. Give him time to prove himself. He will be a good player eventually.

And it has been announced that there is no change to the 12 for the Adelaide test

ps. You forgot a wicketkeeper. I don't think I would drop Gilchrist after 1 failure.:lol:
 
Sehwag is Bracken's bitch. There's nothing else to it, he just can't play him. Although I'd like to see how Sehwag goes against Bracken if he were to see off the new ball.

Talk about Michael Clarke's bowling is speculative at best. There's different things going for it and against it, Deeps. As you say, he performed against India in India. So the conditions were better for his bowling, but on that note India are supposed to be good players of spin.
Surely someone is going to bring up this whole ODIs being too different thing again...
Therefore I think it's too hard to say how he would actually perform unless we were to actually see it, which isn't going to happen. That should be the end of it then really.
 

deeps

International 12th Man
mavric41 said:
ps. You forgot a wicketkeeper. I don't think I would drop Gilchrist after 1 failure.:lol:
lol,i was wondering why i could fit in so many bowlers! hehe, ah well,i guess langer can keep :P
 

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