England v Australia - 1st Test Trent Bridge

[Pavilionaire]

Bell out, Yardy in.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

As much as you'd like to paint him as a cricket equivalent of Tommy Fraser, its simply not true. He's a decent test match bowler, who has caused England plenty of problems in the past.

And right on cue, Sky show the ICC rankings, which have Siddle at FIVE, above all the England bowlers.

Now obviously these things are probably about as accurate as the FIFA ones that have Colombia at four, but there is enough substance in them to suggest that TCB's assesment of him as a 'plodder' is typically wide of the mark.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Agree with this. He's a dependable bowler who will give you everything, but he should NOT be knocking over a team that claims to be one of the best in the world.



I'm not trying to suggest anything like that. Decent, okay, average are all words you can justifiably use to describe him. He does a job I accept. But he is not a man you should be allowing to take five wickets in two sessions on a pitch every commentator has claimed is a batsman's paradise.

Number FIVE bowler in the WORLD.

that makes him slightly better than 'average', no?

 

[brightonmark1234]

england will be all out by close but i hope i am wrong

 

[Hungry Joe]

he has very little skill and tries to make up for it with effort and hard work, which is not something I admire in any sportsman.

You don't get into any test side by having 'very little skill', and if you don't admire those who aren't the most naturally gifted for trying to be the best they can by effort and work then you really are one tough crowd. I hope you're not so hard on yourself.

 

[crodonilson]

Disgusting batting from England & South Africa, nothing we didn't come to expect though. I have confidence as usual that our bowlers will get us out of a hole.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Forget the rankings. Turn on your television, watch him bowl an over and tell me he is a quality bowler. He's not, just like he wasn't the last time England played them.

The fact the rankings put him above Anderson and Swann shows just how laughable this argument is.

I've been watching all day thanks, and I'm quite capable of making up my own mind about bowlers.

Having opened the bowling in decent club cricket, for 25 years, its something I feel I know a tiny bit about. You don't have to bend it round corners, or bowl at 100mph to be a very good bowler. Nor does visibly 'trying hard' in any way detract from the obvious skills the guy does possess. He has been consistently nibbling it about all day, at a good pace. He has bowled a very good line, with a high degree of control.

I think he either just doesn't look 'sexy' enough for you, or you are simply fishing. Or clueless.

(right on cue Sky lead into the ads with a clip of Siddle taking a previous Ashes hat-trick. Just lucky, I expect)

 

[MJsGhost]

Number FIVE bowler in the WORLD.

that makes him slightly better than 'average', no?

Stop your BULLYING with facts - it's just not fair for a mod to do such a thing!

 

[Hungry Joe]

Anyone can work hard, it's nothing to be admired. Not many people have natural talent and skill at the highest level.

The last sentence, well obviously, hence why we need the grafters. The first sentence, to be able to make it into the top level by hard work and endeavour is very much to be admired.

 

[MJsGhost]

They just said on TMS that Siddle is the first Aussie bowler to take 5 wickets on the first day of an ashes series since 18 hundred and something.... I guess he's just very lucky?

 

[keaton]

I would say Siddle is the sort of bowler England have been missing since Hoggard and to a less extent Sidebottom stopped playing.
Accurate and containing which creates errors

 

[hans kraay fan club]

If you ignore the hat-trick, he took 11 wickets in five Tests in the last Ashes series. Hardly worth getting excited about.

.

Why don't you just ignore all the wickets he took. Then his figures would be really shit.

Australia's bowling has been ropey all round, but I actually think it's Pattinson who has shown the only glimmers of some natural skill out there today. At least he can swing the ball, albeit with very little direction.

I don't think you could be more wrong if you tried. Pattinson has shown NO skill whatsoever. The ability to swing a ball comes completely naturally to some people (I physically can't bowl a ball dead straight. I'm unable to make it NOT swing). Skill is the ability to control that swing, like Anderson, or Hadlee. Throwing it down wildy as fast as you can, with no control over it has nothing to do with skill at all.

You can throw as many irrelevant comments at me (Tommy Fraser, looking sexy, you playing in the park) as you like. It doesn't make you right.

'Tommy Fraser' was in response to your suggestion that Siddle's game was based on nothing but graft, which is how exactly as you've described Fraser in the past. A fair analogy.

They were quite good 'parks' thanks.

 

[pasty]

They just said on TMS that Siddle is the first Aussie bowler to take 5 wickets on the first day of an ashes series since 18 hundred and something.... I guess he's just very lucky?

The Joe Root wicket apart, yes, I do think he has had a certain amount of luck with his other 4 wickets. Not disputing his talent as a bowler at all, but he has had some luck today.

 

[Hungry Joe]

Broad taking the fight to the Aussies.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Sure, Siddle is disciplined, but he shouldn't be anywhere near a list of the best bowlers in the world.

So, why is he?