Why is it that we haven't produced any express bowlers??

[takleg]

From memory the only two guys who really looked like genuine quicks are Arnoldus Blignaut and HK Olonga(I never got to watch him, but hear he was quick though a bit wayward).

So, why haven't we really produced our own Akhtars, Taits, Lees, Donalds etc, guys who can make even the top bats shiver just at the thought of facing them?

[sloandog]

Friend was quick. But in answer to your question, i can't say why.

Add campbell macmillan to that list too

[betterdays]

a quick - and not overly thought out answer:
I don't think Jarvis is our quickest but he got the ball up to 149kmph (granted it didn't happen too often) in NZ - there have not been many going much faster consistently but i think the answer is about fast bowlers bowling in packs. Murali, Vettori and to an almost equal extent Rafique, carried their attacks but I can't think of a fast bowler doing so for any team. Streak comes close - in terms of carrying an attack - but he still had people at the other end there just to bowl accurately in tandem. It's also a little to do with presence imo ...talking of striking fear. When/if our current quicks (Shingi, Chatara and Jarvis) are bowling consistently and have a genuine belief in themselves...that will be the time when people will start playing them with more respect. think of the general opinion of Ray here ie that he's slightly over-rated, could be true but most teams treat him with respect becasue, if nothing else, he has built himself presence as a bowler who'll get you if you disrepect him. Yes, one would expect with a quick that once the bat has this perspective of him, he can get on top of the bat in a way that Ray hasn't (as he probably just lacks that extra skill to do so)

[sloandog]

Jarvis bowled 149kph (93mph) in New Zealand ? Good man!
I too agree with what you said about Price, but soon we're going to have to find somebody that can replace him when he retires. We saw, for example, that when he was injured during the test match, we struggled for control :/

I actually think that Jarvis will be a very accurate bowler once he has more and more experience of different conditions under his belt. When Heath Streak started out he wasn't anywhere near as accurate as he was when he finished in 2005 (naturally) because he was so inexperienced, but he had pace like Jarvis.

Chitara, in a way, has been forgotten about slightly (unless i've just not noticed the comments ), but i reckon he's going to match Jarvis in years to come, for sure. He's quick, has a strong action and looks like he exerts very little effort when generating the pace, indicating his physical fittness.

I remember a man called Jordan Nicolle, and according to a few experienced members on the forum, he had a bit of pace about him.

[takleg]

I think guys like Chris Mpofu need to eat a bit more. C'mon, the looks like he's gonna get swept away by the wind. A few good sessions in the gym won't hurt either.

[eugene]

Brighton Watambwa was the fast guy. Jordane Nicolle did have some pace from what I remember reading. I wonder whatever happened to him.

[foreignfield]

Chitara, in a way, has been forgotten about slightly (unless i've just not noticed the comments ), but i reckon he's going to match Jarvis in years to come, for sure. He's quick, has a strong action and looks like he exerts very little effort when generating the pace, indicating his physical fittness.

Not totally forgotten . This is from the recent "most promising player"-thread:

Tendai Chatara. He's genuinely quick, without striving extravagantly for pace. He's got, at least in my untrained eyes, a nice, smooth uncomplicated action, and will take heaps of wickets for the national side in the future.

I'm pleased to see that ZCF's resident fast-bowling pundit mirrors my untrained opinion.

[Jemisi]

Express bowlers are hard to produce. Even Brett Lee has been bowling low 140s lately.

If we do unearth someone special it will likely be a once in a generation player. What needs to happen is that all of our current crop need to find 5kph each and have the fitness to maintain it. Jarvis needs to be consistent in the high 130s with the odd ball going 146/7. (I didn't notice that 149 effort - I thought his effort balls in NZ were 142/3).
The others need to get out of the 120s and be consistent on the 130s. We are unlikely to see them getting 20kph quicker, but if the pack can all improve their consistency and find just a little bit we'll see the percentages shift in our favour.

I know that sounds a bit boring, but a bit of extra consistency across the board will bring

At the moment there is too much opportunity for relief for batsmen - and particularly to gifted tailenders.

[betterdays]

Jarvis bowled 149kph (93mph) in New Zealand ? Good man!

I'm not 100% sure about that - could've been 147 in any case i was shocked too. I wrote it on here at the time ... 'fraid it was only the one ball in the second ODI i think

I actually think that Jarvis will be a very accurate bowler once he has more and more experience of different conditions under his belt. When Heath Streak started out he wasn't anywhere near as accurate as he was when he finished in 2005 (naturally) because he was so inexperienced, but he had pace like Jarvis.

It would be even better if he could be more consistent and also maintain speed ... have to add that the bowlers need to be backed by the fielders ... and we've been poor of late. As a bowler though your shoulders can drop if your man's been grassed a few times

[betterdays]

. (I didn't notice that 149 effort - I thought his effort balls in NZ were 142/3).
.

I wrote it somewhere ... but as i said i could be mistaken.