Who are the five quickest bowlers in England?

Well?

The test attack has lacked nip all Summer. Frankly, they have looked like medium pace dobbers. So who is there to add some pace?

There's Stuart Meaker, who is frequently 90mph+, Finn of course (although even he lost some pace at Headingley), Tymal Mills from Essex is supposed to be rapid, but he's very raw, I've heard Moeen Ashraf from Yorkshire can crank it up.......


Anyone else?

Morkel Steyn Philander Kallis and Mitchell Johnson

Henry wrote:Well?

The test attack has lacked nip all Summer. Frankly, they have looked like medium pace dobbers. So who is there to add some pace?

There's Stuart Meaker, who is frequently 90mph+, Finn of course (although even he lost some pace at Headingley), Tymal Mills from Essex is supposed to be rapid, but he's very raw, I've heard Moeen Ashraf from Yorkshire can crank it up.......


Anyone else?

I can't find it now, but there was an article in one of the papers (which I think I linked to on here) a month or two back which mentioned that the ECB National Academy - in their quest to find 100mph bowlers (!) - have timed all the quicks to have come through their doors over the years and have a scoreboard on the wall of all the 90mph+ bowlers.

Meaker, Finn and Mills were on it, IIRC, and also Chris Wright. Yep, him. No other surprises, I don't think. Except dobberific Matt Coles was supposedly clocking 88mph.

embee wrote:Morkel Steyn Philander Kallis and Mitchell Johnson

Philander bowls at 78mph. He wouldn't be fast in women's cricket.

78 kmh is fast in womens cricket

Swap Usain Bolt for Philander

Although I am starting to wonder if the Sky speed gun is a bit out this year. Even Steyn has barely touched 90mph all series. His average pace has been around 84mph, and he's usually around 88.

Or maybe more and more bowlers are bowling within themselves these days to protect themselves against the schedules?

On the Sky Sports speed league table, Ajmal Shahzad and Mark Turner had also gone over the 90 mark. But, they're all dobbers really. Got to be more lively than the pop0gun trio we're currently employing. Doubtful they'd be better though.

Henry wrote:
Moeen Ashraf from Yorkshire can crank it up.......

Moin on the telly now against Sexhants. First over 83ish. Second over 81ish. Needs to strengthen his action somewhat. He seems to fall away a bit. He could do with strengthening his body as well.

As for Patterson and Wardlaw, who Yorkshire opened with - stock of 75.

75mph.

27 and 28 years old respectively, hardly played any cricket really and they're dobbing it down at Paul Collingwood pace.

England are heading down the route of having no big hitting batsmen, no fast bowlers and (as ever) no mystery spinners. We're turning into a sort of better version of a typical New Zealand side...

That's a top point beamer. The 'military medium' moniker could soon be so apt in every sense.

And just three months ago it was all "we've got the best pace attack in the World, and oh, we also have great depth that is the envy of the World."

Hmm.

As I mentioned in relation to the rather pedestrian ODI batting order as well, you need "box office" players to keep the crowds coming in. Yes, you need reliable accurate bowlers and batsmen who can stick around all day as part of a successful team, but you also need game changers and crowd pleasers. I know egos and unpredictable performances tend to come with that, but it's all about having a balance of characters in your side.

Or maybe we're happy to be the efficient, unspectacular cricketing equivalent of German football teams? Well, it's OK as long as we keep winning...

Henry wrote:And just three months ago it was all "we've got the best pace attack in the World, and oh, we also have great depth that is the envy of the World."

Hmm.

The less lively JimStuBres have become, the less penetrative they look. It's that simple. Finn has always been a little puffed up. Tremlett was the real deal, though. Onions still could be.

They don't have to be Jeff Thompson pace, but 85mph looks a lot more threatening than 80mph. The drop in pace has been a group thing. All at exactly the same time. It's strange.

beamer wrote:As I mentioned in relation to the rather pedestrian ODI batting order as well, you need "box office" players to keep the crowds coming in. Yes, you need reliable accurate bowlers and batsmen who can stick around all day as part of a successful team, but you also need game changers and crowd pleasers. I know egos and unpredictable performances tend to come with that, but it's all about having a balance of characters in your side.

If given a chance (which I think he will get due to restings) Hales could do OK. Same with Buttler. If Bairstow and Stokes stop being shit, they could be in contention. Those four, plus Morgan, Beddy and lil Jimmy T is actually a mouth-watering prospect. It'll probably never happen, though.

Brass Monkey wrote:

beamer wrote:As I mentioned in relation to the rather pedestrian ODI batting order as well, you need "box office" players to keep the crowds coming in. Yes, you need reliable accurate bowlers and batsmen who can stick around all day as part of a successful team, but you also need game changers and crowd pleasers. I know egos and unpredictable performances tend to come with that, but it's all about having a balance of characters in your side.

If given a chance (which I think he will get due to restings) Hales could do OK. Same with Buttler. If Bairstow and Stokes stop being shit, they could be in contention. Those four, plus Morgan, Beddy and lil Jimmy T is actually a mouth-watering prospect. It'll probably never happen, though.

I hope little Jimmy T starts to branch out and play a few more shots. He's got it in him, but he seems to get bogged down quite often. Hildreth is another shot maker. Perhaps one day his first class average of 44 over 150 first class matches will start to count for something.

Little Jimmy has played some remarkable limited overs knocks in county cricket, seems to take a while to get going and looks like he can barely get it off the square but has on occasions then found another gear and cleared the ropes numerous times.

Hildreth? Well, it depends what 44 on the Taunton tarmac is equivalent to if he played his home games somewhere like Trent Bridge...

Henry wrote:
I hope little Jimmy T starts to branch out and play a few more shots. He's got it in him, but he seems to get bogged down quite often. Hildreth is another shot maker. Perhaps one day his first class average of 44 over 150 first class matches will start to count for something.

David Sales is back in form.

He gave up that whole 'fitness' thing?

He's piled on the pounds since he snapped his hammy. He was slow between the wickets and it cost him in the end. He was our lone chance of winning.

Apart from Alsex Wakely, of couse.

Finn is sharp while Broad and Anderson are decent as well..

Compare to Morkel and Steyn the English pace bowlers look average but overall it is not a bad attack.

Henry wrote:And just three months ago it was all "we've got the best pace attack in the World, and oh, we also have great depth that is the envy of the World."

Hmm.

Did the ECB, after having success with some Aussie bowling coaches, take on an Aussie cricket PR hack? I've heard that line come from within CA, especially when the cupboard was at its most threadbare.

military medium efforts these days from the Poms...about to join Oz in the mid point rankings of the Test rankings

horace wrote:military medium efforts these days from the Poms...about to join Oz in the mid point rankings of the Test rankings

All eight (proper) countries are heading for the mid point in the rankings. Well, maybe not the Snoozers who are starting to get detached from the pack, but it's getting pretty crowded in the mediocrity zone.