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*Troll* How many wickets would Anderson have taken if...

Starfighter

Starfighter

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
If he'd been born decades earlier and played in Perth before they realigned the square in the eighties he'd have been brilliant there and in England and rubbish everywhere else like Alderman (though some might argue he's not far off that anyway). Currently, he'd have to have changed states.
 
Immenso

Immenso

International Vice-Captain
Starfighter said:
If he'd been born decades earlier and played in Perth before they realigned the square in the eighties he'd have been brilliant there and in England and rubbish everywhere else like Alderman (though some might argue he's not far off that anyway). Currently, he'd have to have changed states.
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Why is that?

Post 1985 alignment the fremantle doctor came from mid-on (assume RHB) at one end (assists right arm outswing). If I'm correct, I've never been to Perth.

What was the pre-1985 alignment? How did it shape Alderman?

Somethin genuinely interesting to me in an Anderson troll thread :)
 
Starfighter

Starfighter

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Immenso said:
Why is that? Post 1985 alignment the fremantle doctor came from mid-on (assume RHB) at one end (assists right arm outswing). If I'm correct, I've never been to Perth. What was the pre-1985 alignment? How did it shape Alderman? Somethin genuinely interesting to me in an Anderson troll thread
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The original alignment of the WACA square was more SW-NE, by about 15 degrees. This meant that the sea breeze blew more down the pitch, which meant both that the outswinger went more than afterwards and good bowlers could swing in as well. There were plenty of bowlers of less than threatening pace (Strauss, Brayshaw, Massie, MacLeay) who learnt to bowl into the breeze there, but they weren't as good away. Anderson could have developed more or less the same style in those conditions.

Now the breeze only assists outswing, and the slowing of the wicket since it was relaid and the decreasing quality of the Kookaburra ball has meant it's been more like other Australian venues, favouring tall seamy guys. If there's one venue that would have favoured him in recent years, it's post-Les Burdett Adelaide, Worrall is similar in style and has been quite successful there. There have been some spectacular performances at Perth since, like the 89/90 FAI Cup final where Alderman, MacLeay and Matthews wrecked SA, but if you want to see what it was like look up the 71/72 RoW first day highlights where you can see Greig and Cunis swinging the ball ludicrous amounts.

I'm really being unfair on Alderman, he was a bit quicker and had more height - his record at other Australian grounds is actually as good or better, but he wasn't much chop when conditions were against him - he averaged 94 in the West Indies.
 
R

RossTaylorsBox

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Australia's state sponsored PED program is slightly better than England's, he probably would have had even more longevity.
 
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