Absolutely gutted

[butchering lee]

Everyone wants to retire before they die but this is a dark day for me. I think I can safely say that he's been my favorite bowler for the last 8 years (since i fell to cricket's siren voice). I have no eulogy other than I'm sorry to see him go!

Edit: It says he is retiring from International duties - I thought he said recently he wanted 400 ODI wickets?

[pie_chucker]

I take it you are talking about Pollocks retirement??

Its probably a good time to go. He's struggled to get into the team of late and for the past 3 years his bowling has lacked the penetration of old. Maybe he wanted to get out while still near the top.

That said, I feel he could easily play on for a few years yet in the shorter game.

[Rachael]

Originally Posted by butchering lee

I have no eulogy other than I'm sorry to see him go!

Nicely put. I'm disgusted that it's all happening at a time when he is in such great shape and so able to deliver... and specifically because he's been omitted from the SA side at a time in which he was bowling well enough to walk into any side in the world... but like you... I'm just saddened that he's no longer going to be around.

The timing is poignant though: one of the great role models (second only to Johnty Rhodes in my book) leaving the game at a time when cricketing headlines are being written about players who wouldn't work out how to be a role model if you gave them endless lifetimes to work it out.

ps. to Pie Chucker - "lacking the penetration of old"? He started last year injury free for the first time in MANY years and turned in some of the best seam bowling performances of the decade (up there with the best of any seamer of any nation) - Pollock's going out at his peak!

[greg]

I wonder if he will go back to Warwickshire next summer under the Kolpak ruling for a decent payoff before he retires?

Nobody would begrudge him it if he did,he has been the 2nd best pace bowler of the last 10 years behind McGrath and is a credit to his family and country.

[butchering lee]

Originally Posted by pie_chucker

I take it you are talking about Pollocks retirement??

Yes, should've mentioned that i suppose

[butchering lee]

Originally Posted by Rachael

- "lacking the penetration of old"? He started last year injury free for the first time in MANY years and turned in some of the best seam bowling performances of the decade (up there with the best of any seamer of any nation) - Pollock's going out at his peak!

I feel there's a bit of truth in both...he DID start 2007 looking very good indeed. That said I can't remember much other than the start - so how good could 2007 have been?

[butchering lee]

Originally Posted by greg

he has been the 2nd best pace bowler of the last 10 years behind McGrath.

I felt he was the best in some of those years - but if you're looking at it as a whole...

[greg]

Originally Posted by butchering lee

I felt he was the best in some of those years - but if you're looking at it as a whole...

I have to say it as i saw it and seeing as Pollock never really destroyed us like McGrath used to then i have to favour McGrath.Others may disagree but they were both high quality bowlers.

[pie_chucker]

Originally Posted by Rachael

ps. to Pie Chucker - "lacking the penetration of old"? He started last year injury free for the first time in MANY years and turned in some of the best seam bowling performances of the decade (up there with the best of any seamer of any nation) - Pollock's going out at his peak!

I agree with what you are saying about his fitness but in general his stats for the last 4 years haven't been great.

That said I would still have picked him as a fourth seamer and no.7 bat. He could still have done "a job" (and a good one at that) for SA under those conditions. Thinking about it, SA may have missed a trick there. They could have used Steyn, Nel and Ntini to attack from one end and Pollock could have blocked the other end up. I feel in games against the "better" teams they (SA) may miss his lower order batting.

Originally Posted by greg

I have to say it as i saw it and seeing as Pollock never really destroyed us like McGrath used to then i have to favour McGrath.

Agreed, I never really saw Pollock run through us and he never did well against the Aussies. His batting made up for any deficiancies in his bowling though.

[butchering lee]

Fair enough. I can see an Englishman's bias on top aussie bowlers...and they usually have 5 tests to remind you!! There are other teams though and i am saying it as i saw - in those ten years, imo, some of them belonged to Polly. I'm not disputing Mcgrath was the better bowler, all said and done. Mostly, I'm saying my goodbyes.