Derek Pringle on Joel Garner

[south beds mikey]

I think it was the 1995 tour.

I managed to snaffle the bird's autograph on their 1980 tour. I was just a kid then but he obliged with a smile.

As for him being fast medium. Not from where I was standing!!

Top bloke, top bowler.

[jrwb]

Even if he was faster then fast medium, I don't think he was as fast as Roberts and Holding...

[south beds mikey]

You may well be right jrwb; mind you saying someone isn't as quick as those two is a bit like saying you're not quite as good a golfer as Tiger Woods!! I've heard some people say in fact Sylvester Clarke was the quickest of the lot. While we're on the subject of underated Barbados bowlers I'd like to give a mention to Wayne "diamond" Daniel. If he had been around at any other time there is no doubt in my mind he would have 250 test wickets and I also feel if he were around now he would waltz into any test side around including Oz.

[jrwb]

I am not that optimistic about Wayne Daniel - he always struck me as a great big lumbering oaf, especially when compared with Roberts and Holding.

In spite of what I have said, he certainly would be a regular on the current WI side, but the Australia side? Absolutely not!

[south beds mikey]

OK jwrb, we will have to agree to disagree on that one. You are entitled to your opinion but I must say I reject it with all of my opionated possible force. For him to be in the current oz team he would have to be better than Lee, Johnson, Clarke, Tait and Bracken.

In my humble opinion none of those contests are even close. Seriously he beats them all hands down at his and their best.

Just a warning jwrb it could be my infamous Middlesex glasses playing here so we'll see what some neutrals say but if you really believe any of the current crop of oz quicks are even close to being better than diamond I shall need some stats to back your view up.

Good debate though mate!!

[Ninjaman]

Well I can hardly call myself neutral because I am West Indian but I agree with you.

If Daniel was around now he'd arguably be the best fast bowler in the world regardless of his nationality!!

[south beds mikey]

Originally Posted by Ninjaman

If Daniel was around now he'd arguably be the best fast bowler in the world regardless of his nationality!!

He was very unlucky to be around at the time he was. I'm with you all the way and as usual Ninj you tint your point with some good Carribean diplomacy.

The truth is there isn't a quick around at the minute who could lace his boots. Seriously he would run in all day for you and his pace wouldn't change from 11 to 6 o clock. Also worth pointing out he was far from the typical "dumb quick bowler". Superb intellect and quite a talker on any subject you wish to mention.

God I wish he was 30 years younger, playing for Middlesex and English!!

[Milo]

Originally Posted by Ninjaman

Well I can hardly call myself neutral because I am West Indian but I agree with you.

If Daniel was around now he'd arguably be the best fast bowler in the world regardless of his nationality!!

Ninj, can you inform us why Daniel never made the trip to England in 1984. After stepping into the side after many years in the wilderness in place of the rested Garner in India in the winter and performing well when picked for a couple of the home matches, he ended up playing for Middlesex again in 1984 when players like Small and Davis were selected for the tour.

[jrwb]

I remember being very much around in Daniel's time, and followed the fortunes of the West Indies very closely, and I also remember that my friends and I were not particularly impressed with Daniel. I didn't realize his bowling figures were that good - I must grant him that - but a very close look at his statistics reminded me why I was not too taken with him.

His 36 test wickets are not really of significant batsmen, and he only took 7 of those against Australia. And I seem to recall that many batsmen got themselves out against his bowling, rather than his sheer skill doing the job...

It is similar, I think to Sobers' comment that Kanhai was as good as Richards because Kanhai had better bowling to face...

[south beds mikey]

That seems a bit disengenuous to me jrwb and if you remember him you must be as old as me!!

As I said before I don't think we can convince each other either way on this one so lets let any neutrals who want to comment decide.