I’m afraid I’ve got some rather bad news. You know we thought we’d got the Ashes sewn up for the next few years? Well we might have to think again.
One of the reasons we left Australia last winter with the Ashes safely tucked away in Andrew Strauss’ back pocket, was the inept and toothless Aussie bowlers. When the opposition’s attack relies on Mitchell ‘he bowls to the left, and the right’ Johnson, and Doug ‘nice rug’ Bollinger, it’s hard not to score six hundred every innings.
However, reports that the Aussie’s fast bowling cupboard was bare were a tad premature. In fact, they’ve just unearthed a couple of gems who could turn into world class performers really quickly. We didn’t see them in the Ashes because they were too young. One of them was probably still at school.
The first guy that’s caught my eye is the 21 year old James Pattinson. He’s strong, he’s tall, he’s got a strong looking action, and he bowls at Steve Harmison pace (that’s the young Harmison of 2005, not the one who occasionally gets off the physio’s table to play for Durham these days).
When I first saw Pattinson, he reminded me of someone. Was it Glenn McGrath? Possibly. Pattinson is tall and lean, and his hair looks like his Mum cuts it.
But there was something about his facial features that I couldn’t quite put my finger on it. Then it struck me. He looks a lot like Darren Pattinson, England’s one cap wonder from a couple of years ago. Apparently they’re brothers. Why did we have to get the crap one?
The second bowler that concerns me is Patrick Cummins. As an England fan who grew up in the 1990s, when we expected the worst and usually got it, I have a tendency to worry excessively about prolific young Australian players. I see them as harbingers of doom – ready to torture me for the next decade.
In Cummins case, I might as well slit my wrists now. He’s no Phil Hughes i.e. someone we read about, worried about, and then laughed at. Cummins looks like the real deal. He’s tall, athletic, has a decent action, and he bowls bloody quickly.
In yesterday’s T20 against South Africa he hit 150kph. What’s more he’s just 18 years of age. I can tell you now, I have never, ever, seen an 18 year old bowl with that kind of menace. What’s he going to be like when he fills out?
After the match, the experts on TV were already describing Cummins as a ‘once in a generation’ type prospect. On the evidence I’ve seen, it’s hard to disagree. Is it bad karma to hope that he gets injured? With Cummins and Patterson, the Aussies should have a potent seam attack for the foreseeable future.
James Morgan
Very bad karma to hope young Pat gets injured.
His bandwagon has gone from 0-100mph in about two weeks. It’s quite one of the worst I’ve ever seen and I thought Phil Hughes’ was bad.
He does look good though. Genuinely good for such a young ‘un..
During the 1990s, every good bowler England produced got a crippling injury. Fraser, Gough, Cork, even Flintoff all got injuries that basically ruined their careers. Even when they returned to cricket, they werent quite the same (having lost a yard or two of pace). It only seems fair that some of Australia’s best prospects suffer a similar fate ;-) (just kidding)
He’s already had one stress fracture. I hope CA know what they are doing. I have little faith in that bunch of buck passers though.
We’ve had lots of players who’ve been labeled the next Botham or the English Warne, McGrath etc (why are they always Australian, I wouldn’t mind a Pollock, Steyn, Ambrose or Greenridge).
I’m sure that they have a few good looking young ‘uns (the Missus agrees)… who will never grow up to be as good as expected. Remember the Aussies never really though so bleached blonde surfer kid would make it as a cricketer…