Was Midge the reason we couldn't compete with the Indians?

Listening to ABC radio, several commentators highlighted the remarkable difference between the condition of the balls of the two sides at similar stages in the innings of all Tests.

India managed to do a brilliant job of keeping one side shiney and the other very rough to enhance reverse swing for Zak and Ishant. Aus on the other hand, usually ended up with a ball that was badly scuffed on both sides by the 10th over onwards (hence no farkin swing).

The ABC commentators felt that Midge's inability to consistently hit the seam (due to his poor wrist position at release) meant that the ball was always hitting the pitch random-sided when he bowled thus tearing up the ball on both sides.

I think there is something to this. When Pidg was in charge of the attack, he took personal responsibility for keeping the ball in half good/half bad shape and used to get it reversing consistently. Midge just seems to have no farkin clue.

Johnson needs to learn how to take wickets consistently. He's quick- quicker than Lee these days, but he has no 5 fers in his test career so far, and only 2 5 fers in 38 first class matches. His test strike rate is also a distinctly average 66.5.

I think he should bowl round the wicket more. Hardly ever seems to do it.

One wonders whether Troy Cooley ain't as good as he's made out (i.e. post Ashes 2005) or Midge is just thick.

I don't think the ABC commentators would ever say anything complimentary about Johnson. Jim "Sht for Brains" Maxwell is still trying to get eleven dubbers in the one Australian team.

If he changes his release and bowls from a higher action, I suspect they are worried he will lose his pace. Has he always bowled with the seam at such an angle? I seem to remember him bowling in the 2006 ICCCT with a beautifully upright seam and getting swing into the right handers and away from the left handers. He had England and India in all sorts.

Midge could be quite a handful if he just managed to keep the seam upright. But it's been like that for quite a while, why hasn't it been sorted out?

WideWally wrote:I don't think the ABC commentators would ever say anything complimentary about Johnson. Jim "Sht for Brains" Maxwell is still trying to get eleven dubbers in the one Australian team.

I'm not sure what your point is, Wally.

Henry Nolonga wrote:Midge could be quite a handful if he just managed to keep the seam upright. But it's been like that for quite a while, why hasn't it been sorted out?

That, indeed, is the frustrating thing Henry. Everybody can see what the problem is but the big galoot seems incapable of correcting the technical flaw.

Midge's pace with some serious inswing and cut would be deadly in England next year.

I still have hope but he should've gotten it right by now.

Henry wrote:I seem to remember him bowling in the 2006 ICCCT with a beautifully upright seam and getting swing into the right handers and away from the left handers. He had England and India in all sorts.

White ball you say?

In 2005-06 he wasn't bowling quite as quickly (Between 135 and 145 kph) but he was definetly getting more swing. granted, that was with the white ball but still, the seam has to be in a certain position for any cricket ball to swing.

skully wrote:One wonders whether Troy Cooley ain't as good as he's made out (i.e. post Ashes 2005) or Midge is just thick.

I almost misread this.

He has had a lot of catches dropped off his bowling That is disheartening.

This seems a harsh criticism of our leading wicket taker in the series.

It's the normal anti-wozzie conspiracy

Always blame the Wozzie.

WideWally wrote:I don't think the ABC commentators would ever say anything complimentary about Johnson. Jim "Sht for Brains" Maxwell is still trying to get eleven dubbers in the one Australian team.

...he refuses to reflect on bung's lack of performance and haddit's inability to be responsible with the bat or to be more than a backstop

Watson was keeping the seam up as numerous super slo mo's showed.

Zaheer was also keeping a good seam and is a leftie like Johnson.

Cooley should look into it as I think there is something to this theory.

Look how the damaged ball reversed with Lee and Watson?