Harmison

[pie_chucker]

Originally Posted by Rachael

Flintoff is an excellent ODI bowler (being top notch in ODIs long before he cracked Test match bowling). Anderson is perhaps not fullfilling all the early promise but he's Gough's natural successor and has a strong record of holding his nerve and bowling intelligently when bowling at the death. Tremlett has the high action and steepling bounce of Caddick, whose ten-overs off the cuff with the new ball were generally everything you could ever want from a new-ball bowler in ODIs. Lewis has shown inventiveness, resourcefulness and guile and (rather like Hoggard in Test cricket) looks capable of outbowling all his more celebrated colleagues.

Add Panesar for wicket-taking slow bowling, Dalrymple as a ODI specialist all-rounder with a great temperament and Blackwell as a specialist bowler for slow and low pitches (where his performances have been noteworthy) and they ODI cupboard looks pretty decent even before you consider the "occasional bowling" of Collingwood (an attractive option in the middle overs of a ODI) and Pietersen (who has potential).

I agree there, but i worry about Lewis on the flatter pitches of Aus, he may get murdered by the likes of Gilchrist and Ponting early on when the fielding restrictions are in force.

What I cant understand is how Anderson looks effective and bowls economically in ODI's but in tests you just know he's going to go at 5 an over .

[Richie Benauds Love Child]

Instead of retiring he should have said "I'm never a confindent chap at the best of times but to get by ass kicked by the aussies then in the world cup without seeing my beloved newcastle will make me even worse than I already am. Top it all off the rest sid ecant beat a drum either. Its miserable."

[darksideofthemoon]

Originally Posted by pie_chucker

I agree there, but i worry about Lewis on the flatter pitches of Aus, he may get murdered by the likes of Gilchrist and Ponting early on when the fielding restrictions are in force.

What I cant understand is how Anderson looks effective and bowls economically in ODI's but in tests you just know he's going to go at 5 an over .

The keeper will stand up for most of the Lewis overs

Anderson likes the white ball and also in one day matches he opens the bowling. In Tests he comes on as first change apart from India when Harmison was injured and he did well there econ 1.8. The difference between his bowling in the warm up games and the two Tests in Australia was again getting the new ball. In the last warm up game he had bowled 16 overs for 19 runs for two wickets at one stage on a batting track. Also his place in the one day side is more settled and he is not playing for his place as in Tests.

[Rachael]

Originally Posted by pie_chucker

What I cant understand is how Anderson looks effective and bowls economically in ODI's but in tests you just know he's going to go at 5 an over .

Anderson's problem is not, as a rule, getting the right line: he's pretty good on that front. His problem in Tests seems to be length: he needs to get 6 out of six on a good length... but under or over-pitches and then goes too far the other way looking to compensate.

In ODIs this obviously matters rather less... as he's not generally trying to land six balls out of six on the same spot... and as the batsmen are generally looking to score off good balls, making his slower ball and yorker far more significant.

If he could get his length more consistent I'm sure he could develop into a passable Test bowler.... but what strikes me as the future for Anderson is a great partnership with Read: I've long argued that Anderson's goal ought to be utilising the best gloveman in world cricket to get batsmen out of their comfort zone (rather as Hoggard recently managed with Jones stood up).

[pie_chucker]

Originally Posted by Rachael

Anderson's problem is not, as a rule, getting the right line: he's pretty good on that front. His problem in Tests seems to be length: he needs to get 6 out of six on a good length... but under or over-pitches and then goes too far the other way looking to compensate.

In ODIs this obviously matters rather less... as he's not generally trying to land six balls out of six on the same spot... and as the batsmen are generally looking to score off good balls, making his slower ball and yorker far more significant.

But half volleys and long hops are still bad balls and will go for 4 in any form of cricket. I do think Anderson bowls more consistantly in one dayers, not sure why though......

[Rachael]

Originally Posted by pie_chucker

But half volleys and long hops are still bad balls and will go for 4 in any form of cricket. I do think Anderson bowls more consistantly in one dayers, not sure why though......

I guess the long-hops and half volleys are more common when he's trying to land the ball on a length and get it to seam / swing than when he's bowling his ODI variations... and that batsmen are actually more likely to punish a half-volley in Test cricket (when they are waiting for it amid a series of balls pitching on a length) than at the death in a ODI (when batsmen are almost as likely to york themselves with a pre-meditated charge down the wicket).

[pie_chucker]

Originally Posted by Rachael

when batsmen are almost as likely to york themselves with a pre-meditated charge down the wicket.

True but he also bowls well when he opens, maybe he's more relaxed as he's expecting to get attacked and bowls better as a consequence - its almost as if he's thinking along the lines of he's got nothing to lose.

[rineet]

I wonder why Harmison made this decision. There are many bowlers who have had worse performances and hope that they still get selected in the team, whereas Harmison has the assurance of playing all of England's ODIs when fit, yet he has decided to call it a day!

[Mr Hutt]

Maybe he does not like playing in ODIS?

Feels that his lack of form in them affects his test bowling as well and thus wants to concentrate on tests only to deliver his best for England?

[pie_chucker]

Originally Posted by Mr Hutt

Maybe he does not like playing in ODIS?

Basically yes, he's never been keen on the shorter game.

I dont want to say too much more than that ( my line manager is very friendly with Harmison and his family), the home sickness thing is also overblown, he's like any father he doesnt like being away from his 2 young kids.