Our Test Bowling Attack
Posted: Fri Nov 18, 2011 11:16 am
On an earlier thread there was debate as to who to go with in attack (I will limit this to test although we can talk ODI as well, for me there is not enough sanity in T20 to talk strategy (for me its what bubble gum is to food, entertaining but devoid of any real value...I digress) so read my contribution to exclude that format).
I read Mickey Arthur's assessment of the upcoming battle between the Proteas and the Aussies, and specifically his assesment of the Protea attack:
Attacking Pace:
Mpofu (age 26):
195 FC wickets from 71 matches at an average of 31.37 and a SR of 53.8,
68 ODI wickets from 62 matches at an average 37.75 and SR of 43.4 and economy of 5.21
20 Test wickets from 9 matches at an average 44.45 and SR of 72.4
Our most experienced bowler. He does not possess amazing pace, but has built up a repertoire of tricks, with a good slow ball, but does tend to be guilty of trying to do too much. I feel if he took a leaf off the older version of Pollock and McGrath, Stuart Clark, Munif Patel and accept that its consistency and nagging accuracy that will get him results as a medium pacer, he really will be the mainstay of the attack, not to mention longevity. A point in case is the New Zealand Test first innings I think, where he went back to basics, and I remember Psych Nkala, actually saying he seems to lack zest, and seems to be going through the motions only for him to get 4 wickets. He play both attacking or containing role, but I see him better in the latter as his SR will attest.
Jarvis (age 22):
33 FC wickets from 11 matches at an average of 30.9 and a SR of 53.8,
14 ODI wickets from 13 matches at an average 45.14 and SR of 43.2 and economy of 6.26
13 Test wickets from 3 matches at an average 29.69 and SR of 49.6
The kid is an obvious talent, and no amount of experience argument can exclude him from any line up. He has pace and seems to be getting the requisite control. Early days yet, but I tend to see his Test career being his stronger suite (very much like Dale Steyn). He can only get better with experience and age.
Vitori(age 21):
45 FC wickets from 20 matches at an average of 38.13 and a SR of 59.0,
12 ODI wickets from 5 matches at an average 16.66 and SR of 23.2 and economy of 4.3
5 Test wickets from 2 matches at an average 48 and SR of 78
Had a dream start o his career, but quickly leveled down. I think left arm quick, makes him a useful variation to our attack, and anyone discounting his usefulness is not being objective. Is he class? He certainly has the potential. Is he the finished article? No, by far, no one can claim to have arrived after a season of FC and a couple of series, plenty of work yet, but I am excited by the prospect. A lot will depend on how he comes back from his injury, but I think his premature demise is vastly exaggerated. I see him and Jarvis forming a good partnership for a long time to come. I just fear having both at the same time due to their lack of experience.
Meth (age 23):
99 FC wickets from 24 matches at an average of 16.87 and a SR of 39.6,
5 ODI wickets from 10 matches at an average 74.2 and SR of 72.8 and economy of 6.11
I know many have been clamoring for his inclusion, and I am one of those too. He seems to have had all sorts of misfortunes. A talented medium pacer who relies on swing (both ways) to snare his victims. Looking at his figures I can’t help but think he is more suited to the longer form of the game, as opposed to the shorter, not only based on his ODI stats (average of 74.2 and SR of 72.8) but also a comparison between his List A, which isn’t terrible (average of 31.39 and SR of 40.9) and FC (average of 16.87 and SR of 39.6) seems to paint a similar story. Of his 10 ODI outings he seems to be okay without being outstanding and reading too much into 10 matches is futile.
Rainsford(age 27)
194 FC wickets from 60 matches at an average of 20.86 and a SR of 44.8,
45 ODI wickets from 39 matches at an average 31.13 and SR of 42.3 and economy of 4.4
[EDITED]
For me this guy has earned a shot at Test. Is he better than the incumbents? May be not, but how do we know for a fact. He seems to be able to contain or attack. I am not too sure what his strength is, but an ODI economy rate of 4.4 and a decent average of 31.1 seems to indicate a decent bowler, his FC average is even more impressive (20.86) and after 194 matches this is hardly inflationary.
Querl (age 23):
25 FC wickets from 3 matches at an average of 12.44 and a SR of 32.5!
33 List A wickets from 26 matches at an average of 30.21 and a SR of 33.9,
Early days yet, but you’d have to be blind not to have noticed the lad has something about him, is it because of our inferior FC or is he that good, I think a run in the A team would clear this up, also I’d like to see another season. If for some reason Vitori were not to make NZ, there would be huge temptation to sneak him in, but I’d rather have inexperienced rookies fast tracked as an exception, and Querl, after Vitori and Ncube would be very much accepting picking flavor of the month as a norm, which would for me be the wrong way to go. But having said that I’m excited, maybe give him a go at T20 or an ODI or 2, and take it from there. (and he can bat a bit!)
Ncube (age 22):
80 FC wickets from 38 matches at an average of 34.46 and a SR of 69.5,
3 ODI wickets from 1 matche at an average 23 and SR of 17.6 and economy of 7.81
1 Test wickets from 1 matche at an average 121 and SR of 210.0
Without defending the poor boy, (which I seem to be doing each time I write about him), I think he has been unfairly treated by the forum, and I can understand why (but I don’t necessarily condone it), firstly in most people’s eyes (including myself) he should have never been given a Test cap before Meth, I have little argument against that. What seems to fail me is that after being given the opportunity he gleefully took it and did I think ok if not relatively well, taking into account he took 3 NZ wickets which had almost eluded all before him. This earned him a test call I believe where without doing spectacularly he put his fair share earning a wicket. Is he exceptional? No. Is he terrible? Far from it. What role do I see him playing, I think he is a bit in between, a container and attacker, I don’t think he is the finished article, but baring in mind his age I think he is worth keeping in the system and in mind.
Masakadza (25):
143 FC wickets from 36 matches at an average of 21.86 and a SR of 42.2,
11 ODI wickets from 7 matches at an average 37.27 and SR of 28.1 and economy of 7.93
Based on stats alone this is a strike bowler, not the most economical, but takes wickets. Is he a stand out bowler? He is a strike bowler that’s for sure, but you almost tend to worry about the leaked runs, but I wouldn’t categorically dismiss him.
Slow Bowling Options
I don’t think we are as blessed (surprisingly!) in this area as we are the pace.
Price is the king here, both experience and achievement, but Cremer, a different bowler (for one he’s a legbreak, and infinitely more attacking and wont just fill in the overs!) is the heir apparent, then there is Utseya if we want to continue in the Price trajectory, which below I suggest we detour off. As supporting acts there are the legbreaks of Marumo and Mushangwe. Lamb for me is an allrounder and not a specialist bowler as is Waller and Chigumbura.
Looking at the bowlers who have been in the role (incumbents), those knocking on the door for honours, and the up and coming. I elicite your ideas as well on this interesting department of our growing team.
Incumbents:
Pace: Mpofu, Jarvis ,Vitori; Slow Bowling: Price
Challengers
Pace: Meth(23), Rainsford(27), Querl(23), Chinouya(25), Masakadza(25) , Nicolson(25)
Slow Bowling: Creamer(25), Utseya(26)
Up and coming
These guys have plenty of time and promise, I would recommend we nurture them, and expose them to as much FC and A tours as possible, they are the future and there really is no need to rush them through, the only problem is the ages of our incumbents, 21, 22, and 25 which when compared to these guys, doesn’t augur well for their futures if the incumbents have long careers, a bit like McGill and Warne, McGrath and Stuart Clark, etc..
Pace: Ncube(22), Chatara(20)
Slow Bowling: Mushangwe(20), Marumo(23)
I remember hhm campaigning for Panyangara, Rainsford and I forget the third...I tend to think like Mickey. I think we have bowlers to allow us the variety, we can attack with Creamer, Vitori and Jarvis and ask Mpofu to focus on holding, unlike the Proteas this might work better than having an all out attack, in hindsight I suspect Tsotsobe sounds a bit of a missed opportunity…time will tell.
Please feel free to add your favourite bowler if I have missed them, along the lines I have done above, stats, followed by analysis. More importantly what is your 4 man attack, and preferably why?
I read Mickey Arthur's assessment of the upcoming battle between the Proteas and the Aussies, and specifically his assesment of the Protea attack:
He was obviously wrong as Philander was preferred with good results, but one could say the Proteas were fortunate in that the Aussies imploded, and hence Tahir and an attacking Philander were not tested, one wonders what today holds in store today, and should the Aussies click and therefore attack what then happens? With Creamer returning I tend to see our attack shaping up pretty much the same way. On that backdrop I’d like to analyse our own Test bowling attack, the strategies and the options at our disposal.You mentioned that Tahir could make his debut. What can we expect from South Africa's attack?
Steyn and Morkel are getting better and better. The key will be the third seamer if they want to play the legspinner. By all accounts it looks as though they will be playing Tahir instead of Paul Harris. Harris did a really good job for us at one time. He performed his role to unbelievable ability. He did everything that we wanted from him. He stopped the game for us. He allowed our strikers to come on and strike. But that attack changes when you have a legspinner, because the legspinner becomes a strike bowler and the third seamer has to become a workhorse. It will be interesting to see who they pick there; I suspect it will be Tsotsobe....
http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/co ... 37005.html
Attacking Pace:
Mpofu (age 26):
195 FC wickets from 71 matches at an average of 31.37 and a SR of 53.8,
68 ODI wickets from 62 matches at an average 37.75 and SR of 43.4 and economy of 5.21
20 Test wickets from 9 matches at an average 44.45 and SR of 72.4
Our most experienced bowler. He does not possess amazing pace, but has built up a repertoire of tricks, with a good slow ball, but does tend to be guilty of trying to do too much. I feel if he took a leaf off the older version of Pollock and McGrath, Stuart Clark, Munif Patel and accept that its consistency and nagging accuracy that will get him results as a medium pacer, he really will be the mainstay of the attack, not to mention longevity. A point in case is the New Zealand Test first innings I think, where he went back to basics, and I remember Psych Nkala, actually saying he seems to lack zest, and seems to be going through the motions only for him to get 4 wickets. He play both attacking or containing role, but I see him better in the latter as his SR will attest.
Jarvis (age 22):
33 FC wickets from 11 matches at an average of 30.9 and a SR of 53.8,
14 ODI wickets from 13 matches at an average 45.14 and SR of 43.2 and economy of 6.26
13 Test wickets from 3 matches at an average 29.69 and SR of 49.6
The kid is an obvious talent, and no amount of experience argument can exclude him from any line up. He has pace and seems to be getting the requisite control. Early days yet, but I tend to see his Test career being his stronger suite (very much like Dale Steyn). He can only get better with experience and age.
Vitori(age 21):
45 FC wickets from 20 matches at an average of 38.13 and a SR of 59.0,
12 ODI wickets from 5 matches at an average 16.66 and SR of 23.2 and economy of 4.3
5 Test wickets from 2 matches at an average 48 and SR of 78
Had a dream start o his career, but quickly leveled down. I think left arm quick, makes him a useful variation to our attack, and anyone discounting his usefulness is not being objective. Is he class? He certainly has the potential. Is he the finished article? No, by far, no one can claim to have arrived after a season of FC and a couple of series, plenty of work yet, but I am excited by the prospect. A lot will depend on how he comes back from his injury, but I think his premature demise is vastly exaggerated. I see him and Jarvis forming a good partnership for a long time to come. I just fear having both at the same time due to their lack of experience.
Meth (age 23):
99 FC wickets from 24 matches at an average of 16.87 and a SR of 39.6,
5 ODI wickets from 10 matches at an average 74.2 and SR of 72.8 and economy of 6.11
I know many have been clamoring for his inclusion, and I am one of those too. He seems to have had all sorts of misfortunes. A talented medium pacer who relies on swing (both ways) to snare his victims. Looking at his figures I can’t help but think he is more suited to the longer form of the game, as opposed to the shorter, not only based on his ODI stats (average of 74.2 and SR of 72.8) but also a comparison between his List A, which isn’t terrible (average of 31.39 and SR of 40.9) and FC (average of 16.87 and SR of 39.6) seems to paint a similar story. Of his 10 ODI outings he seems to be okay without being outstanding and reading too much into 10 matches is futile.
Rainsford(age 27)
194 FC wickets from 60 matches at an average of 20.86 and a SR of 44.8,
45 ODI wickets from 39 matches at an average 31.13 and SR of 42.3 and economy of 4.4
[EDITED]
For me this guy has earned a shot at Test. Is he better than the incumbents? May be not, but how do we know for a fact. He seems to be able to contain or attack. I am not too sure what his strength is, but an ODI economy rate of 4.4 and a decent average of 31.1 seems to indicate a decent bowler, his FC average is even more impressive (20.86) and after 194 matches this is hardly inflationary.
Querl (age 23):
25 FC wickets from 3 matches at an average of 12.44 and a SR of 32.5!
33 List A wickets from 26 matches at an average of 30.21 and a SR of 33.9,
Early days yet, but you’d have to be blind not to have noticed the lad has something about him, is it because of our inferior FC or is he that good, I think a run in the A team would clear this up, also I’d like to see another season. If for some reason Vitori were not to make NZ, there would be huge temptation to sneak him in, but I’d rather have inexperienced rookies fast tracked as an exception, and Querl, after Vitori and Ncube would be very much accepting picking flavor of the month as a norm, which would for me be the wrong way to go. But having said that I’m excited, maybe give him a go at T20 or an ODI or 2, and take it from there. (and he can bat a bit!)
Ncube (age 22):
80 FC wickets from 38 matches at an average of 34.46 and a SR of 69.5,
3 ODI wickets from 1 matche at an average 23 and SR of 17.6 and economy of 7.81
1 Test wickets from 1 matche at an average 121 and SR of 210.0
Without defending the poor boy, (which I seem to be doing each time I write about him), I think he has been unfairly treated by the forum, and I can understand why (but I don’t necessarily condone it), firstly in most people’s eyes (including myself) he should have never been given a Test cap before Meth, I have little argument against that. What seems to fail me is that after being given the opportunity he gleefully took it and did I think ok if not relatively well, taking into account he took 3 NZ wickets which had almost eluded all before him. This earned him a test call I believe where without doing spectacularly he put his fair share earning a wicket. Is he exceptional? No. Is he terrible? Far from it. What role do I see him playing, I think he is a bit in between, a container and attacker, I don’t think he is the finished article, but baring in mind his age I think he is worth keeping in the system and in mind.
Masakadza (25):
143 FC wickets from 36 matches at an average of 21.86 and a SR of 42.2,
11 ODI wickets from 7 matches at an average 37.27 and SR of 28.1 and economy of 7.93
Based on stats alone this is a strike bowler, not the most economical, but takes wickets. Is he a stand out bowler? He is a strike bowler that’s for sure, but you almost tend to worry about the leaked runs, but I wouldn’t categorically dismiss him.
Slow Bowling Options
I don’t think we are as blessed (surprisingly!) in this area as we are the pace.
Price is the king here, both experience and achievement, but Cremer, a different bowler (for one he’s a legbreak, and infinitely more attacking and wont just fill in the overs!) is the heir apparent, then there is Utseya if we want to continue in the Price trajectory, which below I suggest we detour off. As supporting acts there are the legbreaks of Marumo and Mushangwe. Lamb for me is an allrounder and not a specialist bowler as is Waller and Chigumbura.
Looking at the bowlers who have been in the role (incumbents), those knocking on the door for honours, and the up and coming. I elicite your ideas as well on this interesting department of our growing team.
Incumbents:
Pace: Mpofu, Jarvis ,Vitori; Slow Bowling: Price
Challengers
Pace: Meth(23), Rainsford(27), Querl(23), Chinouya(25), Masakadza(25) , Nicolson(25)
Slow Bowling: Creamer(25), Utseya(26)
Up and coming
These guys have plenty of time and promise, I would recommend we nurture them, and expose them to as much FC and A tours as possible, they are the future and there really is no need to rush them through, the only problem is the ages of our incumbents, 21, 22, and 25 which when compared to these guys, doesn’t augur well for their futures if the incumbents have long careers, a bit like McGill and Warne, McGrath and Stuart Clark, etc..
Pace: Ncube(22), Chatara(20)
Slow Bowling: Mushangwe(20), Marumo(23)
I remember hhm campaigning for Panyangara, Rainsford and I forget the third...I tend to think like Mickey. I think we have bowlers to allow us the variety, we can attack with Creamer, Vitori and Jarvis and ask Mpofu to focus on holding, unlike the Proteas this might work better than having an all out attack, in hindsight I suspect Tsotsobe sounds a bit of a missed opportunity…time will tell.
Please feel free to add your favourite bowler if I have missed them, along the lines I have done above, stats, followed by analysis. More importantly what is your 4 man attack, and preferably why?
