Pollock Dropped

[engssmoothcriminal]

So you are the coach of South Africa and about to play a tough 2 match test series in Pakistan. The leader of your bowling attack has a truely dismal record in tests on the subcontinent (particularly in Pakistan) and your two back up bowlers (including your frontline spinner) have limited test and zero international experience of bowling in the subcontinent and the so called 5th bowling option (who incidently is probably a tad ********** off at you for being dropped for the oh so successful 20/20 world cup campaign) is no longer much of a wicket taking option in test cricket. Do you;

A) Think, hmm that Morne Morkel looked great in the 20/20 how about we give him a run in the test side. How hard could it be for him to make the transition?

B) Think, hmm that Andre Nel has exactly the kind of easy going temperament suited to playing in Pakistan and given his exploits in the home series against them (4 wickets at 75) I'm sure he'll go even better out there.

C) Suddenly come to your senses and remember that you in fact already have a world class all rounder in the squad going by the name of Shaun Pollock who as well as averaging 23.18 in the subcontinent (22.55 in Pakistan) with the ball happened to take 21 wickets in his last 5 tests (including 8 at 23.37 against Pakistan) once he was finally fully fit after a couple of years of playing with an injury.

Tough call I know . But it's decisions like this is that seperates great thinkers of the game like Mickey Arthur from the likes of us.

Cricinfo - Pollock dropped for first Test

[flanflinger]

Dropping Pollock is a big big mistake IMO. The bloke has 400+ Test wickets, you cannot buy that experince. The fact that his pace has dropped for me is not a reason to drop him in favour of Steyn (quick but unproven), Morkel (one good Twenty20 series does not show Test class) or Nel (liable to give it away if wound up)!!

The fact that he can also bat, means that the lower order is also weakened. The selectors have managed to annoy Kallis, Boucher and Pollock, in the last few months, I feel that South Africa are heading for a massive series loss at this rate.

[Zainub]

And he has pretty decent record in the subcontinent. The NSK where the first match happens was a fast bowlers paradise at the last test match that was held there (Irfan Pathan took a hatrick of the first three balls of the test match and Mohammad Asif later took Pakistan to victory) and though I don't expect a similar pitch to be made for the SA test which starts 1st Oct if I'm right, SA will nevertheless miss his experience and the balance he brings to their side over all. They'll rue this. I bet our openers will be happy about this though.

[Ernest]

Originally Posted by flanflinger

Dropping Pollock is a big big mistake IMO. The bloke has 400+ Test wickets, you cannot buy that experince. The fact that his pace has dropped for me is not a reason to drop him in favour of Steyn (quick but unproven),

And if old guys like Pollock is allowed to stay in the team indefinately, the young pace bowlers will reamain unproven.
I remember posting in 2004 that Mcgrath would not be as effective due to lack of pace, and being he was Australia'a main pace bowler - everything depended on him.

He retired making way for new younger bowlers like Tait, and I think FF that sad as it may be Pollock must be near the end of a great career anyway.

Give the young bowlers a chance.

[engssmoothcriminal]

Originally Posted by Ernest

And if old guys like Pollock is allowed to stay in the team indefinately, the young pace bowlers will reamain unproven.
I remember posting in 2004 that Mcgrath would not be as effective due to lack of pace, and being he was Australia'a main pace bowler - everything depended on him.

He retired making way for new younger bowlers like Tait, and I think FF that sad as it may be Pollock must be near the end of a great career anyway.

Give the young bowlers a chance.

Provided Pollock keeps performing and South Africa keep on winning who on earth cares?

The best side on the planet by a country mile pick the best XI players regardless of age why should the other test sides go the other way and pick promising young players ahead of proven test stars for the sake of building for some mythical point way off in the future? When it comes to replacing Warne this winter I really don't think the fact Dan Cullen being 15 years his junior is going to stop the Aussie selectors going with the better player MacGill.

(And dropping Pollock for 31 year old Nel hardly constitutes him making way for the next generation)

[flanflinger]

Originally Posted by Ernest

I remember posting in 2004 that Mcgrath would not be as effective due to lack of pace, and being he was Australia'a main pace bowler - everything depended on him.

And I fully agree that older guys should make way, otherwise the young guys won't come though, but to surly he has to be a better pick than Nel (hardly a young buck at 30!!), so I don't see the case!!

If they had Morkel fit and Steyn, I could be persuaded, but as soon as Morkel was unfit then, why stick with it.

Also, you continually push the case for experince mixing with Youth for England (bring back Ramps, Butch, or Key is your normal call) so what is different here, surely Pollock as a proven cricketer should be playing with the likes Morkel and Steyn to help them through the jump into the Test team?

PS McGrath didn't do so bad in his last Test series? 21 wickets at 23.9. And he is three years older than Pollock
Cricinfo - Statsguru - GD McGrath - Test Bowling - Series averages

[John]

Pollock way past his best. His bowling has gone for some while and his batting has got worse.
If you put him in the side now he is a bits and pieces player, certainly no better than Razzaq or David Capel.
I was hoping his batting would develop towards the end of his career but its gone in the oppsite direction.
So there really isn't a case for him being in the side he would just keep his place on past glories.

[Ernest]

Originally Posted by flanflinger

Also, you continually push the case for experince mixing with Youth for England (bring back Ramps, Butch, or Key is your normal call) so what is different here, surely[...] Pollock as a proven cricketer should be playing with the likes Morkel and Steyn to help them through the jump into the Test team?

Fair comment FF - but look at the players I advocate to play with the England youngsters are batsmen, I have not advocated Gough or Caddick because of their age, batsemn though can play on longer.

Also England are in a different position, I think the amount of injuries and problems to important players has been unpresidented.

Simon Jones
Hoggard
Flintoff
Trescothick
Vaughan
Harmison (problems)

That's 6 out of the 11 players that beat Australia in 2005, and it's only 2007, add to that Giles.

Pollock has been a great player - but like Mcgrath it's time to go, it hurt England when Botham went, and Gower et al - but others take their places.