The joy of rhythm

As we all know, cricket writers and supporters in England like to romanticize certain forms of bowling. Leg spins and fast bowling are probably the best examples, partly because there are few truly outstanding representatives of these two challenging arts.

Although Jimmy Anderson’s skills and longevity are indeed well-known and respected, Stuart Broad does have a reputation for the seams and sway of medium pacemakers (as well as medium-speed and fast-to-moderate movements). The rod did not receive exactly the same respect.

However, the list of British players considered “medium pacemakers” is long. Alec Bedser was known as an extremely accurate seam pitcher in the 1930s and 1940s, and Angus Fraser was known for his excellent seam index in the 90s Weighed. However, these players are often respected by certain conditions, such as “they are not as effective under British conditions” and “only take the wicket when it is cloudy”.

This dismissal ignores the very high skills possessed by the most effective mid-speed practitioners. Richard Hadlee is one of the most skilled and deadly bowlers in the history of the game. At the same time, SF Barnes was known as a magician in the earliest stages of international cricket.

The suspicion of England’s mid-to-fast mid-range bowling is a bit strange. Do other countries have the same reservations? Glenn McGrath and Vernon Philander have recently been excellent technicians for the seam ball, and neither of them condemns them for being slower than their compatriots. New Zealand’s offense is not as fast as it is, but Southee and Trent Boult are powerful promoters of cricket.

It can be concluded that if the selector has a wider mind, then some good bowlers will have more matches in England. During Duncan Fletcher’s tenure, Ryan Sidebottom has been ignored because he has reservations about his lack of rhythm, but in his second phase as a test player The performance is not so convenient.

Steve Watkin is another player from the past who helped win two of his three tests (equal to Windies and Australia). However, his card is also marked “The ticket gate can only be used under favorable conditions.” At the same time, there are many county-level professional players who have excellent records, such as Luke Fletcher. Right or wrong, they have never been considered a “military medium”, so they hardly come close to the England test. .

The latest mid-paced thoroughbred to make its debut in England is Ollie Robinson, whose domestic statistics are awesome. Skeptics have begun to question whether his pace is sufficient to trouble Batman International. Well, this did not stop Vernon Philander from getting an average score of about 21 in the test.

Do people called “drilling rigs” have similar talents? We will only know if he has a chance.

Rob Stephenson

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