Arthur Crabtree wrote:Vaughan thinks Archer is a returning all time great, an exceptional talent. He's got 41 Test wickets at 31... in 13 games over six years. Maybe he could have been a good Test bowler, but he's barely played.
There are a lot of people in the English game who value pace over any other skill, and these people rationalise the value of pace on the basis that it is the last weapon to fade when conditions nullify all else. Key for instance talks all the time about pace "buying wickets" in tame conditions where all else fails, and has built the whole team on the premise that we can go out to Australia and bang it in quick if the Kookaburra doesn't swing - because you know, people like Glenn McGrath never existed, or because there is not at all proof slower, more accurate bowlers who bowl a little fuller have been more successful in Asia .. or even the fact that England's own away Ashes bowling performances get worse with increasing bowling speed throughout recent decades.
Sadly, Archer's career should be a parable or what happens to a bowler when you flog him to death just to extract more pace. At Sussex he was never bowling at these speeds, he was a man of accuracy and impeccable line and length, movement of the deck and the air.... and for about 2 years in CC he was as close to unplayable as you could get. The irony is, people like Vaughan will bemoan the loss to English cricket that he hasn't been smashing in half trackers at 93mph for 4 years...
While I mourn the loss of the incredible player who used to turn batsman inside out with accuracy and skills. Archer's talent was being wasted before the injuries.... England forced him to bowl way above his natural capabilities to return figures unbecoming of his talent, then are surprised they broke him to pieces and ruined his career.
