Some nice e-mail banter with a work colleague in Australia.........
Don't feel too straussed about the cricket. Prior to the series, we had high hopes. I'm no cook, but we know our onions, so this might ring a bell with you. Broadly I'd say that there is no harmison done, eh? We will continue to swann around while you trott off to work.
PS Please don't tell me to flint off!
He replied ................
If we haddin have dropped our katichs in the 1st test we wouldn't be siddling around right now ponting fingers.
Steve Harmison was at the Newcastle V Huddersfield game tonight. I hope he makes himself available for the SA tour.
...........
Sorry, but I see nothing that he offers that others don't have in greater abundance. Harmison played two Tests and his figues were woeful. The only wickets he took were tail-enders. He's a great player to have in your team when things are going your way but when they aren't he's not the sort that I'd chuck the ball to. Moreover on Tours he goes missing - he did it in the West Indies earlier this year, in India, in New Zealand...but get him back to Durham where he's in a comfort zone and he bowls like a world beater.
He has the ability just not the temperament to dig in when your team needs it, his last decent Test bowling was at the Oval against South Africa, it's conceivable that they might remember that and treat him with caution, but I doubt it, that Test came after they'd won the series and were switching off. Strange that you opposed the selection of Ramprakash for his lack of ability to score runs under testing conditions, but advocate taking Harmison, who is the Ramps of the English bowling attack. But then I think you also opposed the selection of Trott...
Harmison represents a real dilemma, I think he can be a force but he has let England down too many times on overseas tours to give him yet another chance in SA.
Having said that he is the best bowler of his type that we have by far and we have nobody else who can do what he can do when he bowls well and he could still play a role overseas in SA and Australia where English-style swing bowlers can struggle at times.
To be fair to Harmison he does have 226 wickets at 31.8 in Test Matches - a more than reasonable although not outstanding career, perhaps the problem has been that we have expected too much from him at times.
Its a very tough decision and I could understand the selectors dropping him but I am not convinced by the replacements on offer (Plunkett, Mahmood). I thought Tremlett looked OK when he played but he really seems to have dropped off the radar.
[cite]Posted By: BlackForestReds[/cite]Steve Harmison was at the Newcastle V Huddersfield game tonight. I hope he makes himself available for the SA tour.
...........
But then I think you also opposed the selection of Trott...
No I didn't oppose the selection of Trott. I knew nothing about him apart form his stats. I said I would have chosen Key purely for experience.
With no Flintoff anymore Harmison is the only proper full on fast bowler we have who actually hits the deck. He infuriates me too sometimes, but when he is firing he's world class. You only have to listen to his peers and opponants to understand how good he is.
[cite]Posted By: BlackForestReds[/cite]Steve Harmison was at the Newcastle V Huddersfield game tonight. I hope he makes himself available for the SA tour.
...........
But then I think you also opposed the selection of Trott...
No I didn't oppose the selection of Trott. I knew nothing about him apart form his stats. I said I would have chosen Key purely for experience.
With no Flintoff anymore Harmison is the only proper full on fast bowler we have who actually hits the deck. He infuriates me too sometimes, but when he is firing he's world class. You only have to listen to his peers and opponants to understand how good he is.
[cite]Posted By: kinveachyaddick[/cite]to be fair he cleaned up the Aussie tail on Sunday evening and meant I didn't get the chance to be there on Monday morning!
So he get's a place on the tour because he knocked over three lower order Australian batsmen?
[cite]Posted By: BlackForestReds[/cite]Steve Harmison was at the Newcastle V Huddersfield game tonight. I hope he makes himself available for the SA tour.
...........
But then I think you also opposed the selection of Trott...
No I didn't oppose the selection of Trott. I knew nothing about him apart form his stats. I said I would have chosen Key purely for experience.
With no Flintoff anymore Harmison is the only proper full on fast bowler we have who actually hits the deck. He infuriates me too sometimes, but when he is firing he's world class. You only have to listen to his peers and opponants to understand how good he is.
I know how good and how fast he is - google the 7/12 at Sabina Park for an example of his ability - I think the best ever figures on that ground and think of all the West Indian quicks who've strutted their stuff there, but the rave reviews these days come from his peers in County cricket, for England it's been some time since he made the same impact. The word from the England dressing room is that he's too likely to make excuses, and that's been bourne out with a succession of below par performances and his last few tours have ended for him carrying the drinks. The Australians haven't rated him since the time he knocked over Hayden in a Test and then went up to him to enquire if he was ok...
Joe Denly has played the shot of the summer. A straight drive, off Mitchell Johnson, back over the bowler's head. No need for a follow through, just stood there and watched it sail up and over his head, hitting the rope on the half-volley.
Comments
Fred Trueman............. I wish.
Don't feel too straussed about the cricket. Prior to the series, we had high hopes. I'm no cook, but we know our onions, so this might ring a bell with you. Broadly I'd say that there is no harmison done, eh? We will continue to swann around while you trott off to work.
PS Please don't tell me to flint off!
He replied ................
If we haddin have dropped our katichs in the 1st test we wouldn't be siddling around right now ponting fingers.
...........
Sorry, but I see nothing that he offers that others don't have in greater abundance. Harmison played two Tests and his figues were woeful. The only wickets he took were tail-enders. He's a great player to have in your team when things are going your way but when they aren't he's not the sort that I'd chuck the ball to. Moreover on Tours he goes missing - he did it in the West Indies earlier this year, in India, in New Zealand...but get him back to Durham where he's in a comfort zone and he bowls like a world beater.
He has the ability just not the temperament to dig in when your team needs it, his last decent Test bowling was at the Oval against South Africa, it's conceivable that they might remember that and treat him with caution, but I doubt it, that Test came after they'd won the series and were switching off. Strange that you opposed the selection of Ramprakash for his lack of ability to score runs under testing conditions, but advocate taking Harmison, who is the Ramps of the English bowling attack. But then I think you also opposed the selection of Trott...
Having said that he is the best bowler of his type that we have by far and we have nobody else who can do what he can do when he bowls well and he could still play a role overseas in SA and Australia where English-style swing bowlers can struggle at times.
To be fair to Harmison he does have 226 wickets at 31.8 in Test Matches - a more than reasonable although not outstanding career, perhaps the problem has been that we have expected too much from him at times.
Its a very tough decision and I could understand the selectors dropping him but I am not convinced by the replacements on offer (Plunkett, Mahmood). I thought Tremlett looked OK when he played but he really seems to have dropped off the radar.
No I didn't oppose the selection of Trott. I knew nothing about him apart form his stats. I said I would have chosen Key purely for experience.
With no Flintoff anymore Harmison is the only proper full on fast bowler we have who actually hits the deck. He infuriates me too sometimes, but when he is firing he's world class. You only have to listen to his peers and opponants to understand how good he is.
Last time he fired though was 2005 :-)
So he get's a place on the tour because he knocked over three lower order Australian batsmen?
I know how good and how fast he is - google the 7/12 at Sabina Park for an example of his ability - I think the best ever figures on that ground and think of all the West Indian quicks who've strutted their stuff there, but the rave reviews these days come from his peers in County cricket, for England it's been some time since he made the same impact. The word from the England dressing room is that he's too likely to make excuses, and that's been bourne out with a succession of below par performances and his last few tours have ended for him carrying the drinks. The Australians haven't rated him since the time he knocked over Hayden in a Test and then went up to him to enquire if he was ok...
Raining in Manchester, tho pitch inspection at 7:45.
Time for my weekly bath..........
on a corporate Jolly for the day and should be a cracker...nice weather, free booze and a bit of cricket !
Mind you it was a good way of ensuring that you get a place in the team :-)
Good throw by Collingwood, but there was never a run in it if he hit.
Yup !!
& Bopra falls again (10).
England 41-1 off 8.
Prior C.Hopes off Johnson for a Duck.
Shah gone.
Colly gone for 28
Morgan* 19
Wright* 0
Wright caught for 9.
Morgan* 24
Bressnan* 0
Botham going ballastic: England still haven't taken their "powerplay".
Morgan gone for 43 off 57 .
188-8, still got 6.3 overs left.
Swann gone.
89-1 off 17
Strauss Lbw Hauritz 35 (38)
Denly* 35 (55)
Bopara* 16 (14).