Is bowling making a comeback?

Most of the 2000s we've all been lamenting how much of a batsman's game cricket has become as well as the lack of depth in world bowling stocks.

But thinking of sides recently, I wonder if we aren't in for a bit of a renaissance, at least for pace bowling.

South Africa's recent excellent form has been off the back of the quicks who are in good form, while their batsmen remain fairly mediocre outside Kallis.

India's strength, in JAMODIs at least, now lies in their bowling and as the likes of SRT, VVS and Dravid pull the plug, perhaps bowling will be their strength in tests too - esp with Sharma, Kumar etc looking like real talents.

Aust have a stack of young quicks coming through while maybe not so many batsmen.

The current England v NZ match was played on what looked a good track yet both sides were rolled cheaply in their second digs by good seam bowling.

I don't really know much about the Windies and Pak and of course Zim and Bang don't count.

Anyway, maybe I am being over optimistic but I do get the sense that some of the more exciting players coming through in the game as bowlers (well pace bowlers).

Let's hope so. I've always found tests in which all 4 scores are between 200 and 350 very entertaining.

Pak's main troubles seem to be the lack of quality openers and a solid middle order bat to complement Yousuf and Younis, whilst they have some good seamers in Gul, Asif and that guy who bowls like he's plugged into an electrical socket.

bliksem wrote:and that guy who bowls like he's plugged into an electrical socket.

Frazzle Mahmood?

theres more promising young quicks in the game today than any time in the past 10-12 yrs imho.

asif, gul, steyn, morkel, johnson, ishant, sreesanth, rp singh, munaf, malinga...

only england, WI and NZ seem to be lacking in the up and coming pacers dept

>>that guy who bowls like he's plugged into an electrical socket.

this chap ?

esp with Sharma, Kumar etc looking like real talents.

JGK,

You really think that Kumar is a real deal? He can swing the ball a long way, but that is it. He cannot do anything else!

Other than Lee, Clark and Steyn all other good fast bowlers are injury prone and hardly ever show up to play.

Now with the addition of IPL i see test cricket heading towards the most boring and mediocre era since the 70s.

*Buckaroo* wrote:>>that guy who bowls like he's plugged into an electrical socket.

this chap ?

One day material. Not even close to test class yet.

tac wrote:Let's hope so. I've always found tests in which all 4 scores are between 200 and 350 very entertaining.

Aye. Roady grindfests are tedious, unless it's Australia belting 500+ at 4 an over!!!

Chandan wrote:

esp with Sharma, Kumar etc looking like real talents.

JGK,

You really think that Kumar is a real deal? He can swing the ball a long way, but that is it. He cannot do anything else!

I agree that it is dangerous to take ODI form into account in looking at potential test ability but geez, if you can swing it both ways with little change to your action, you are off to a good start. Clearly Kumar will need to work on fitness and stamina and see how he goes with an old ball but if I were an Indian fan I'd be excited about him.

Re fitness etc - one of the really great things about Mitch this summer was his ability to come back into the attack at 5:30pm and still send the ball down at 145kmh+ with bounce. Once he works on consistency with his length he will be very very good.

Once he works on consistency with his length (and learns how to bend it) he will be very very good

aye

I'm not so fussed about Mitch not being able to bend it. That never stopped Pidge.

JGK wrote:I'm not so fussed about Mitch not being able to bend it. That never stopped Pidge.

I meant "change diretion". Preferably as late as possible, in the air or off the deck (like the Pidgeon) I don't care.

What Johnson needs to do is be less predictable.

Ash wrote:theres more promising young quicks in the game today than any time in the past 10-12 yrs imho.

asif, gul, steyn, morkel, johnson, ishant, sreesanth, rp singh, munaf, malinga...

only england, WI and NZ seem to be lacking in the up and coming pacers dept

WI have Taylor, Edwards, etc., and NZ have the U-19 guy who was very impressive in the recent WC.

and NZ have the U-19 guy who was very impressive in the recent WC.

Tim Southee.

I read somewhere today that he might get a call up for the Wellington test as Gillespie was injured!!

Wow! That'll be something, isn't it, if he gets chosen in the playing XI?

Is it me or is there barely a decent bowling attack in world cricket today? Which team would you say currently has the best bowling attack?

On the evidence of the SA attack today bowling is going backwards.

Demelza wrote:Is it me or is there barely a decent bowling attack in world cricket today? Which team would you say currently has the best bowling attack?

I think I'd have to say India, they've got one or two in there who are still developing but I'd see them as more likely to take 20 wickets than anyone else. All the other major teams have had their attacks shown up as pretty ordinary and reliant on helpful conditions in recent Tests.

We have some very good pace bowling talent in the West Indies, but until this season there was not enough FC cricket to test them. They are coming to the fore this season, and when the selectors get over their obsession with Darren 'short and wide' Powell we will get to see some of them.

We have 3 90mph plus merchants in the wings, one of whom is admittedly very wild and unlikely to be ready anytime soon.

Not in the present two matches, it seems.

Three weeks ago, for the first time in more than 130 years of test cricket, a team scored 600 and then failed to defend it on first innings. The following week it happened again. These are the only two occasions where a 600+ and a 700+ score have been achieved in the same match.

This suggests that the answer is "no", but we can always hope.

Well this thread is nearly a year old. Maybe the ICC read it and thought things needed a change.

On the other hand, I would point out that Aust has now been involved in 7 straight result matches.