Saker : Anderson the world's most skilful bowler!

http://blogs.bettor.com/David-Saker-rates-James-Anderson-higher-than-Dale-Steyn-Cricket-news-a215568

Anderson himself rates Steyn more highly. Some of the latter's SA teammates have come out and defended him. The last test didn't do Jimmy any harm though.

**BREAKING NEWS**

Oh dear.

http://www.flamingbails.com/t13905-england-v-new-zealand-2nd-test-headingley-24-28-may-2013

Henry wrote:Oh dear.

Yes I'll admit this is a major, major calamity not reading the first page of a match thread.

Anyway will add something here.

http://www.sport24.co.za/Cricket/Team-mates-stand-up-for-Steyn-20130522

Some of the saffies disagree.

I suppose people get confused with semantics - does 'The Most Skilful' mean 'The Best'? To me, the two aren't the same thing.

Agree BM but maybe some of the saffies even contest the idea that Jimmy is more skilful though he is pretty darn good conditions conducive to swing whereas Steyn's pace makes him so dangerous when he moves the ball. Anderson's average north of thirty is perhaps an indicator that he is not as consistent but obviously he had some lean years earlier in his career.

Jimmy's last 157 wickets have come at an average of 25.7 (which is basically since the start of 2010) - so if talking about the current James Anderson, it's not the stupidest of comments.

But if we're talking in pure terms, Steyn far the superior bowler by quite some way - his physicality and white-line fever mentality make him an unstoppable force.

Whether he is more skilful is a different matter... Steyn gets many wickets through sheer brute force. To swing the ball both ways so violently with very little action change is quite some special skill.

Wow! Sensible measured comment from Danny, about cricket and JimmAH no less; and not a scatological or sexual term to be found.

"To swing the ball both ways so violently with very little action change is quite some special skill."

VERY special; but it goes even further than that. Michael 'olding was demonstrating how JimmAH defies convention in coming wide on the crease and bowling the outswinger, which is very difficult for anyone to do because of the angle. And conversely, he doesn't need to be wide to bowl the inswinger. I think it was the Brownlie 2-ball set-up that demonstrated both facets. It was very impressive.

Some people moan that he requires conditions conducive to swing, but even then, you still have to control the farkin ball and deceive the batsman.

Could his control he has developed be compared with Wasim?

The Saffies found Anderson a piece of piss to play last summer.

Dello wrote:The Saffies found Anderson a piece of piss to play last summer.

True. That's partly to do with the calibre of the batsmen and partly because he seemed pretty sluggish after Sri Lanka all the way through to India. Even the Windies played him pretty easily, apart from one innings. He just seemed a bit jaded. Even now, there doesn't seem to be much of the nip back, only very sporadic spurts. He was pretty poor in New Zealand as well. I'm just hoping regular bowling will oil up his joints - he's pretty crucial to any future success we have.

He's obviously England's best bowler, but I do feel he's somewhat overhyped by the English - wouldn't surprise me at all if James Pattinson outshines him this summer.

Oh, it would surprise me. Only because I'll be surprised if Pattinson can last five matches. I mean, seriously, has he ever played five Tests in a row? Has he even done three?

The answer is no. Two consecutive Tests max. Although he did play three of the four Tests in India and only missed the other due to homework (!), so he's getting more durable. Maybe.

Anderson is without a doubt a top bowler. The first time I can remember him bowling was a D/N in Cape town during the 2003 WC. I was astounded by the swing he produced and thought fark me, this is a dangerous one.

Then he got farked over by the coaches.

Luckily he seems to have come through that.

But Saker has fark all to do with it.

Dello wrote:The answer is no. Two consecutive Tests max. Although he did play three of the four Tests in India and only missed the other due to homework (!), so he's getting more durable. Maybe.

Only because he was mollycoddled through - only bowled 79 overs in his five innings.... then got injured.

taipan wrote:Then he got farked over by the coaches.

Luckily he seems to have come through that.

But Saker has fark all to do with it.

It seems that Ottis Gibson had the most influence from a technical perspective. But Saker seems to have had a decent enough influence on the tactical side of his game.

Looking at his career stats this is his year to rectify things. The average of 38 against Aus makes ugly reading.

this world can do with more good bowlers

that is all....

but steyn is by far the best i have seen in the last decade. in all conditions

****** me. he might be the only great bowler going around. i almost like seeing him as much as donald. not quite so pretty though

Brass Monkey wrote:I suppose people get confused with semantics - does 'The Most Skilful' mean 'The Best'? To me, the two aren't the same thing.

aye Monkey. Saker wasn't saying he's the best and frankly I agree with him. Anderson's skills are amazing and he sits on the top of the tree in that respect.

taipan wrote:

But Saker has fark all to do with it.

I didn't read him taking any credit for it in that article. Did I miss something?

Mick Sawyer wrote:

taipan wrote:

But Saker has fark all to do with it.

I didn't read him taking any credit for it in that article. Did I miss something?

Basking in reflected glory?

I see, elsewhere, he was going on about KP's fitness. Sounds a bit of a mouthy sod.

He is victorian

more no say