Cummins Overrated?

Apr 24, 2013
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I remember seeing Steve Smith bat for first time & thought his technique would never work at test level.

It's lucky someone didn't record the endless stream of insults I hurled at him and the selection panel at the time, because if it was made public now my family would have to disown me and they'd probably even have to invent a new law to remove me from polite society.

His technique looked like sh*t and I attributed the few 50s he got to being like a tailender with some luck. In hindsight, the fact a guy could actually still score those runs with such an under-developed technique should have told me that the selectors were on to something about his potential.
 

Wedge McManus

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When I first saw Steve Smith bat I thought he was full blown autistic with the way he smacks himself all over the body in his set up. It's pretty fukcing weird lol. But he scores heaps of runs so I wouldn't care if he did the full blown Michael Jackson cup grab every ball
 

Pykie

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It's been so good to watch Cummins realise his potential in the last 2 years. Especially happy I got to see him in the flesh take 5 at the MCG recently. Those spells he bowled that day eclipsed Rabada at Hobart as the best bowling I've ever seen live.

Can't help but feel he has gone to another level since the Ashes. Even though he hasn't necessarily torn lineups apart this summer, it now seems like he is in complete control whereas last summer he was still learning how to fully harness his talent and ability. Also helping I think is his status as our best bowler, rather than the bang-it-in brutaliser role he was assigned earlier.

The one thing now that I'm hoping to see from him is an innings where he single-handedly decimates a line-up and picks up 7 or 8 wickets. McGrath had that 8 for at Lords in 1997 which really announced him as a master quick. To a lesser extent Johnson's 8 in Perth in 2008 was a signal that he'd become what Lillee predicted (and what a shame he couldn't consistently hit that level bar 13/14). Will be tougher for Cummins with the attack he is sharing wickets with, and also that Australian wickets seldom allow for that kind of scything bowling performance these days.


He will do it in South Africa in early 2021, no doubt about it.

They always serve up a few green mamba’s when we tour after their summer around March, there’s a lot more moisture in their pitches compared to now in the England series as an example.

With his accuracy he will tear through what will be a pretty ordinary South African batting lineup by then with a few retirements.

He’s basically a 140-145kph, 6”5, Vernon Philander at the moment.

I expect him to break a few records that tour.
 
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Blue Arrow

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Overrated ODI bowler. Career average of 28 & averaged 30 in last years bowler friendly World Cup.
 

Ducky Tie

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Overrated ODI bowler. Career average of 28 & averaged 30 in last years bowler friendly World Cup.
Yeah I don’t think he’s a terrific one day bowler yet. He’s a good one day bowler, but clearly nowhere near his test stuff. I don’t think he deals brilliantly when batsmen get a few boundaries away. Tries to do too much. Was evident in the third ODI in India. Contrast that to the first match where they let him get into a rhythm and he bowled beautifully.

I’ll back him in to improve though. Still relatively young and his test form has gone from strength to strength. Even if he doesn’t, he’s still a lock in the XI.
 

Marcel Proust

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Worst strike rate and average of all our bowlers so far this series. Has struggled to lead the attack this Test. At least he's been economical.

I mean, I rate him, but he doesn't get nearly as much stick as someone like Starc - which seems odd given their respective returns.

Best bowler ever literally
 
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