sussexpob wrote:Out of that list, how many of the slower bowlers did Fletcher commit to long term?
Johnson took 2 x 5 wicket hauls in 3 games and was dropped with an average of 17!!!!
Martin Bicknell took 10 wickets at 28 and never played again, despite the fact that England struggled in that series.
Saggers bowled pretty well, got three tests
Mullaly got one test against and had previously been in the team with as a decent performer.
Kabir Ali.... 5 wickets at 27, dropped
Arthur Crabtree wrote:Fletcher did want pace in his side, he said so they could take wickets away from home. But he learned not to be dogmatic about it
sussexpob wrote:Arthur Crabtree wrote:Fletcher did want pace in his side, he said so they could take wickets away from home. But he learned not to be dogmatic about it
Might be a side point, but when Moores was at Sussex he signed Paul Hutchinson from Yorkshire as a hotly rated prospect in 2002. He, like Fletcher, became obsessed with getting people bowling as quick as possible and remodelled everyone. Not much of a success with that, Kirtley was called for throwing, Lewry's fitness was never anywhere near 50% let alone a 100 after...
Hutchinson meanwhile got much quicker, but moores destroyed his career. I believe Hutchinson himself said as much when Sussex released him a couple of years later after a car crash few years. Moores has referenced that before as a big learning curve about taking players for what they are. He accepts responsibility.
I think the rest got injured. Certainly Kabir and Johnson. Bicknell was near retirement. Fletcher found the fab four and subsequently didn't need any of these. You can argue that Duncan had nothing in reserve after 05, but the attack was lost so suddenly, Flintoff and Jones to injury, Harmi to a terminal decline. Anderson was the hope, but was injured too. That was pretty unpredictable.
Arthur Crabtree wrote: Hutchinson could stop taking wickets at the start of his career, but my recollection is he had problems before he left Yorks and was fading
Arthur Crabtree wrote:Lewis got his only cap under Moores. But he is a great example of a player who was a monster at county level, probably more so than Sidebottom at the time. Maybe if Sidebottom's county performances demanded selection, then Lewis' did more? But you're remembering RS as someone who was blocked off, and JL as being overpromoted. Surely Lewis was another bowler Duncan didn't pick due to lack of pace.
I did a thread once on the what-if of England going into the 2006-7 Ashes with an attack of Tremlett, Sidebottom and Flintoff... I do remember Tremlett having his advocates. As I said, Duncan wasn't prepared for the loss of Hoggard, Harmi, etc.
sussexpob wrote:
So who comes in to replace the fledging seam attack?
Jon Lewis got one game, takes 3/68 in one innnings, and never plays again.
Plunkett was a kid who had hardly played county cricket..... and he played 6 tests in 2005/06
Saj Mahmood incredibly plays 8 times and averages near 40.
I remember at the time people were begging for Sidebottom and Tremlett
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