Stuart Clarks pace drop a worry

[acker]

I know its late in the day (1 @ Sydney) but if Stuart keeps bowling around the mid 120 kph mark he will have a very short carreer and soon join the Gillespie/Bracken graveyard.

[greg]

End of a long series where he has been the pick of the bowlers,bit harsh on him for lowering his standards for the first time in the series.

When McGrath is gone he will be your main bowler.

[acker]

Just concerned we may have given him his chance 2 years to late.

[Tendlya]

Stuart clark has been over rated atleast for now as the next Mcgrath

[Rachael]

Originally Posted by Tendlya

Stuart clark has been over rated atleast for now as the next Mcgrath

Clark does far more with the ball than McGrath: his ability to swing the ball means he's actually got greater potential. Then again... McGrath's admitted his strength was principally mental... and we've not yet got much idea how Clark stacks up on that front.

As of right now, Clark (as the best bowler of the series from either side, having eclipsed even Warne) would be an automatic choice - alongside Ntini - for a World XI... but sure... he's got to go on and do what it takes to retain that position!

[Milo]

McGrath swung the ball considerably in the West Indies and India. Any talk of Clark (a good bowler) being even a shadow of the next McGrath is pure hope - and frankly misses the point of how good McGrath has been.

[Seamer]

Originally Posted by Milo

McGrath swung the ball considerably in the West Indies and India. Any talk of Clark (a good bowler) being even a shadow of the next McGrath is pure hope - and frankly misses the point of how good McGrath has been.

Clark:
42 wickets at an average of 17. Strike rate of 46.
Panasar:
40 wickets at an average of 33. Strike rate of 70

Funny how so many English are willing to downplay brilliance on one hand, yet hype up mediocracy on the other.

[butchering lee]

There is hype surrounding someone and there is hyping someone up!

... I enjoyed watching Panesar vs. Pakistan last summer and he bowled very well to some very good players of spin (on the back of some good bowling to probably the best players of spin - india, on their home turf) while clark was being dropped after having no joy v. BD in the first test.

I wouldn't personally (then, i'm not english) hype up panasar but he was worth talking about (in the context of english cricket) both for being a very good future prospect as well as being an necessary alternative to a worthy pace attack.

Clark - has had a special year and looks like an excellent prospect now that magrath is on his way...but in the context of australian cricket he is secondary to a departing great and though he has had a great start he is in the company of many accomplished pace bowlers (lee started off something like this).


Asif: [6 tests] 30 wickets at an average of 21. Strike rate 38. maybe such brilliance should be hyped up but it would be folly to compare him with macgrath which i presume is what milo was objecting to.

[darksideofthemoon]

I wouldn't worry about his pace. He can bowl 85+ but he is probably working on a plan.

[Roland Pink]

I must be honest and I think that Clark is massively overrated and is no where near to the level of McGrath. I think that Clark is on his honeymoon period in international cricket and I do not believe that he has the armoury to lead the Australian attack for the next 3-4 years.

Remember when teams find more out about Clark (he is relatively unknown in international cricket) in terms of pinpointing his strengths and weaknesses, then we shall see how good he really is, and I think many aussies will be disappointed.

However I don’t want to take anything away from his bowling exploits in the ashes as they have been crucial but I doubt very much he will have the same effect in the next ashes series (might not be playing) or even next year come to that (whoever the aussies are playing).

Lets be honest, the English batsmen are really having a poor series, this is down to good bowling from the Aussies as a unit, and I doubt that Clark would have the same effect if there was no McGrath and Warne in the side.