North looking likely to debut in First Test

[TassieSaint]

The selectors have suprisingly got the side right (well, unless they pick macdonald)

Exactly what I was thinking, but it isn't to be

 

[timmeh]

As much as I hate the VICS and Ronnie, since this is a not a spin friendly pitch the line up has to be:

1. Hughes
2. Katich
3. Punter
4. Hussey
5. Clarke
6. North
7. Haddin
8. McDonald
9. Johnson
10. Siddle
11. Hilf/Douggie (flip a coin)

Mate. I seriously hate the Vics but I don't see us playing two swing (Hilf/Douggie) and to a lesser extent two lefties. McDonald keeps the bowling tight and I rate his bowling much, much higher than his batting, he also tends to frustrate the batsman and does gets wickets that way.

So what were you saying bomberboy?

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Stupid decision, this has Cameron Wtite MkII about it and I am betting SA are happy playing McDonald!

 

[likka]

Spot on decision. Team balance simply not there with four quicks, three of which can barely bat.

 

[Jono B]

McDonald is a superior cricketer than Bollinger. McDonald is a bowling all-rounder so it is not that similar to the Cameron White situation who was a batting all-rounder.

 

[kane249]

McDonald is a superior cricketer than Bollinger. McDonald is a bowling all-rounder so it is not that similar to the Cameron White situation who was a batting all-rounder.

The words all-rounder and Cameron Sh*te should never be used in relation to each other

 

[aussie1st]

McDonald is a superior cricketer than Bollinger. McDonald is a bowling all-rounder so it is not that similar to the Cameron White situation who was a batting all-rounder.

Certainly not in the bowling department which is the main objective for a bowler. Can't remember the last team to play a specialist bowler that bowls below 130km/h, Vaas was already in SL team when his pace dropped below 130km/h.

 

[kane249]

Certainly not in the bowling department which is the main objective for a bowler. Can't remember the last team to play a specialist bowler that bowls below 130km/h, Vaas was already in SL team when his pace dropped below 130km/h.

McGrath? Bracken? Neither get too much over 120

 

[DIG]

McGrath? Bracken? Neither get too much over 120

Only with their slower balls!

Both were/are in the low 130s I thought.

 

[aussie1st]

Both were around 135km/h, McGrath was another that was in the side already when he dropped in pace but still was above 130km/h for the last 2 years of his career but at his peak he was high 130s. Bracken bowled a ball at 138km/h during the ODI series so when he isn't trying cutters he certainly still has the pace.

 

[blackhead&boil]

Both were around 135km/h, McGrath was another that was in the side already when he dropped in pace but still was above 130km/h for the last 2 years of his career but at his peak he was high 130s. Bracken bowled a ball at 138km/h during the ODI series so when he isn't trying cutters he certainly still has the pace.

I'm not so sure about that. mcgrath and reiffel were both in the side when they first started using the speed camera on bowlers. I remember being very surprised that reiffel was faster (about 135) than mcgrath (about 125). it was only later in his career that mcgrath stepped his pace up to the 135 mark. it just goes to show that pace is not the be all and end all and can often be deceptive. bounce and length are much more important...

 

[aussie1st]

I highly doubt McGrath was 125km/h early in his career. By 1997 he clocked 141.6km/h and then he reached a peak of 145km/h.

Source http://stats.cricinfo.com/ci/content/records/95065.html

 

[CatManDo]

I highly doubt McGrath was 125km/h early in his career. By 1997 he clocked 141.6km/h and then he reached a peak of 145km/h.

Source http://stats.cricinfo.com/ci/content/records/95065.html

I don’t think that list is all that useful to show what a bowler’s typical speed was (it just shows a handful of deliveries)… however I agree that McGrath was much quicker earlier in his career. His stock ball dropped to mid 120’s towards the latter of his career.

Shaun Pollock took a similar path, in fact I recall him being in the high teens towards the end of his career.

Not that it made any difference to either of their bowling.

 

[blackhead&boil]

I highly doubt McGrath was 125km/h early in his career. By 1997 he clocked 141.6km/h and then he reached a peak of 145km/h.

Source http://stats.cricinfo.com/ci/content/records/95065.html

I'm just quoting what I read off the screen during games that I watched. I remember it clearly because it was quite a discussion point at the time.

while the list above demonstrates that mcgrath may have had the occasional delivery over 140 at that time it is not actually a reflection on the speed that his typical stock delivery was bowled at.

also, don't forget that mcgrath's international career began in around 1993, while those records have him first cracking the 140 mark in 1997. that's 4 years later, and probably about 2 years from the time I was talking about...

 

[Bomber Bears]

Mcgrath was generally around 135 km/h his whole career, tailing off slightly at the end of his career.

 

[Miguel Sanchez]

Spot on decision. Team balance simply not there with four quicks, three of which can barely bat.

Being a bit harsh on Siddle who showed a bit with the bat in the home series and wouldn't be the worst no.9 in the world.

 

[aussie1st]

I'm just quoting what I read off the screen during games that I watched. I remember it clearly because it was quite a discussion point at the time.

while the list above demonstrates that mcgrath may have had the occasional delivery over 140 at that time it is not actually a reflection on the speed that his typical stock delivery was bowled at.

also, don't forget that mcgrath's international career began in around 1993, while those records have him first cracking the 140 mark in 1997. that's 4 years later, and probably about 2 years from the time I was talking about...

From memory the speeds of bowlers were rarely shown before 2000, after that they became more common up to the stage where we see it after every ball. I saw highlights of the Tri series in 96 we had against SL and there was no bowling speeds after each ball so I don't know how you managed to see the bowling speeds consistently before 96.

And you have to remember the link I gave you only has balls above 140km/h and McGrath was never one that consistently got up there. That is not to say he wasn't bowling 135km/h+ between 93 and 97.

 

[blackhead&boil]

From memory the speeds of bowlers were rarely shown before 2000, after that they became more common up to the stage where we see it after every ball. I saw highlights of the Tri series in 96 we had against SL and there was no bowling speeds after each ball so I don't know how you managed to see the bowling speeds consistently before 96.

And you have to remember the link I gave you only has balls above 140km/h and McGrath was never one that consistently got up there. That is not to say he wasn't bowling 135km/h+ between 93 and 97.

they showed it at the ground quite a bit before they started showing it on tv. they displayed the speed after every ball on a medium sized screen near the scoreboard.

I don't disagree that his bowling was around 135 for most of his career. I'm only reporting that when he was younger he wasn't as quick as people assumed. when he came on to bowl he was described as a fast bowler, while reiffel was labeled as fast/medium. I remember being amused by the irony of the reality...

 

[aussie1st]

Funny enough Bollinger is also classed as a fast bowler by cricinfo. McGrath always wanted to be classed as a fast bowler bit suprised that he was actually classed as one though.

I still feel McDonald is lacking about 5km/h to cause problems as that would get him to 135km/h which is basically where Clark and McGrath bowl.