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Heart or wallet?
By Will Saturday, last week, 3 Comments »
I had a good look at Chris Jordan, the West Indian 19-year-old fast bowler, while I was down at Hove. He looks to be the real deal - lovely smooth action of 12 steps, recoiling as he approaches his delivery stride and a classical follow through. It looks all natural. It was a dead pitch, though he did remove Matt Prior with quite a slippery bouncer.
Have a read of my interview with him. He’s still not sure if he’ll play for West Indies or England, so I pressed Clive Lloyd on the matter…who is clearly desperate to lure him back. I read the other day that Dennis Lillee is utterly convinced Jordan will play Test cricket.
The only question, then: for whom?
3 Comments »England’s attack in 2011
By Will 1 month ago, 8 Comments »
I’ve seen the future and it does not include Steve Harmison. I had a close look at Steven Finn today, Middlesex’s 6ft 8in fast bowler, and his first two balls were enough to convince me that England have a serious talent on their hands.
He runs in like a fast bowler. This sounds a ridiculous thing to say, but the emphasis on running has been forgotten by a lot of young bowlers these days. Michael Holding told me a year or so ago that while he inevitably had to do weights and push-ups, his primary form of fitness was running, as it was for Malcolm Marshall, Andy Roberts and all the other great West Indians. Finn has a long run-up but a smooth, athletic approach and a quick arm too. He doesn’t look awkwardly tall at the point of delivery like Chris Tremlett - it all looks natural. Andrew Strauss said last month he’s “as good a prospect as I’ve seen”.
So Finn is one, and a few miles south of the Thames is the other: Surrey’s 19-year-old Chris Jordan. We still don’t know where his allegiance lies - he was born in Barbados but could qualify for England through his grandmother - so for now must hope he decides on staying at Surrey and England. He is quick. Here’s what Richard Rae from The Guardian had to say about his three wickets against Durham today (see video):
Riverside; Chris Jordan has just bounced Steve Harmison - twice. The previous over he knocked out Mark Davies’ off-stump with a yorker, after softening him up with three bouncers. Davies didn’t see it. Jordan’s first ball to Killeen is vicious, smacks him on the elbow as ‘Killer’ just gets his arm up in front of his face. Two balls later, kocks out his off-stump. Durham 224 all out, well bowled the Brown Caps, each and every one.
On this evidence, Jordan is already faster than Harmison. He cleaned up the Durham tail brilliantly, and could take a lot of wickets this season.
So in a few years time we could have a tasty trio of Stuart Broad, Steve Finn and Chris Jordan. Maybe sooner. Incidentally, talking of Jordan, read Rob Steen’s piece from 2004 about the lack of Afro-Caribbean cricketers in England. It’s amazing how few there are now (Michael Carberry and Jordan are the only two I can think of who qualify for England).
8 Comments »Are you ready to rumble? Me either
By Scott last year, mid-May, 4 Comments »
Almost nobody is ready for Thursday’s first Test. Not the England players, apart from Alastair Cook, Steve Harmison and Matthew Hoggard, who have had a month of red-ball cricket after a decent break. Not the England management who are getting their feet under the table. Not the West Indian players who had their first practice outdoors yesterday, nor their management team who were put together at a moment’s notice. And not the weather either.
The battle for the Wisden Trophy between England and West Indies used to be a highlight of the cricketing cycle. No longer it seems, and that is a real pity. I actually think that West Indies have some talented young quick bowlers coming through, but one trembles at the state of West Indies batsmanship these days. If not for the weather, a host of three-day Tests could be in the offing.
4 Comments »On and off switches
By Scott 2 years ago, mid-August, 1 Comment »
There’s a lot of hurrumphing about the variable form of certain English players going on at the moment. Both Steve Harmison and Marcus Trescothick have been subject to media speculation over the last few days.
Trescothick would be the player whom England would have more cause to worry about. It is true that he will probably turn it around, but I wonder how much patience the English selectors will show with him in Australia. I suspect that will depend greatly on how England’s fortunes are faring. If he has two ordinary Tests, and England are also 0-2, then his place will be under some serious scrutiny.
Harmison though, well, he’s been temporamental all his career, has he not? Australian fans have seen the same sort of thing from Brett Lee. I remember vividly last summer that in the space of four days, he went from terrifying the New Zealanders at Auckland to getting smashed by them in Wellington. Australian fans know that if he’s switched on, he’ll make mincemeat of the batsmen, and if he’s not, he’ll get carted.
Fast bowlers are especially prone to having such wild fluctuations in form. It is a reflection that everything has to be ‘just right’ with them, both physically and mentally, for them to be successful. Fans need to be patient with them.
1 Comment »Athers: “Offspinners were crap in my day!”
By Scott 2 years ago, at the start of February, 3 Comments »
If it’s Sunday, it must be time to see what Mike Atherton is writing in the Sunday Telegraph.
Mike, if you read this, I pick on you because your good. I don’t do this to Roebuck or any of the other hacks out there.
This week, our hero is writing about England’s dire spinning options heading to India. No doubts there. But not to worry, no English spinner was ever going to bowl out Dravid, Tendulkar and co. England’s strength is in their pace bowlers. If England are going to win in India, it will be Simon Jones and Andrew Flintoff that are the men to do the job
But Athers goes into his own memory to make a point:
The best off-spinner that I played against, Tim May, didn’t bowl a ‘doosra’ but he did grasp the need to vary his pace and his flight, change his angle on the crease and give the ball such an almighty rip that a huge, bleeding gash was routinely opened on his spinning finger each time he started a spell.
TIM MAY????
*scott falls on the floor laffing*
Truly, your kidding, right? Actually, “Mayhem” was a pretty decent offspinner, who never took himself very seriously at all. It’s one of the funny things in life that Tim May, who was a affable joker of a player has transformed into the uber-serious head of FICA, the cricketer’s union.
The first Test I ever actually went to was Australia vs West Indies, 1992-93 (yes THAT one, where we lost by one run.) I had to catch my train back to the country town I was living in, so I had to leave the ground with an hour of play to go. As I regretfully walked out the Victor Richardson Gates at the Adelaide Oval, May was just coming on to bowl. He took 5 for 9 in that hour, routing the West Indies, and causing the rest of Adelaide to lose the plot. And I missed it! And Tim scored 42 not out to nearly take Australia to the Frank Worrell Trophy. There was real steel under that goofy grin, and real talent, too.
But I still want to know how much Mayhem paid Athers to write that. All of Tim May’s friends, family and fans want to know!
3 Comments »Lee the main main for Australia - Lillee
By Scott 3 years ago, mid-December, No Comments; be the first!
Dennis Lillee thinks that Brett Lee is now the main spearhead for the Australian attack.
While Lillee praised Warne for breaking his record of 85 wickets in a calendar year, he was just as excited about Lee’s performance.
“Brett’s steadily improved over many years,” Lillee said.
“He has learnt to bowl now a more consistent line and length. He uses the yorker and bouncer sparingly and it probably has more effect.
“He is pretty much a complete fast bowler.”
Asked whether Lee was now Australia’s pace spearhead, Lillee said: “Absolutely. I would dare say McGrath would certainly be happy to take the pressure off himself for a start. It doesn’t mean McGrath is any lesser (of a) bowler, (but) certainly Brett seems to have taken the mantle of leading the attack.”
Ahem. I would like to see a lot more consistency by Lee before I put too much trust in him. Especially against England.
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