Monday 2 January 2012

My no.9+10 bowlers - (My favourite playing XI based on current players)...

Right my next players is one of the finest bowlers to have played the game.

Brett Lee(Australia)

He is a very speedy seam bowler, and despite getting on in years he has still got a strong yard of pace. He had to retired from test cricket due to the demands it had on his body and try focus on the shorter forms of the game. Where less was needed. He still plays for Australia in the shorter formats, many cricket fans have seen the new an exciting prospects that our coming through the Australian ranks, especially the seamer in James Pattinson who is showing to be a very fine prospect.

But in my opinion you can't exclude Brett Lee from any Australian side if fit, he is an absolute fighter on the field for Australia, he gives 110% to everything he does, he would bleed for Australia if it would help Australia achieve victory, despite all these traits. He is a gentleman and I've not come across a cricket fan who doesn't like Brett Lee, or as some would call him Binga. He is not only a household name in Australia but also India where fans roar his name.

Despite all this he is also a very talented lower middle order batsman, and willing to grind out a score for his team, none more than in the second ashes test in England in 2005 where he came agonisingly close to winning the test for Australia with 43 not out.
One of the iconic images came from this match when Flintoff leaned down to comfort Lee after his amazing effort with the bat.

Now for No.10, I've gone for someone who has been on the top if his game for many years now.

I've gone with Dale Steyn(South Africa)

The mighty Dale Steyn, if looks could kill when this man bowls then most batsmen would be dropping like flies. He is fiery bowler with a fierce stare to him, he is a very quick aggressive bowler. And has been the no.1 seam bowler in the test rankings for many years now.

Steyn holds the record for the fastest South African to reach 100 wickets in test match cricket. He is also very low in the order, he is quite inconsistent with the bat, but when he does hit them, they stay hit. And has shown to be capable with that over recent years. For me with a fast bowler it's all about aggression and controlled aggression, as in you want speed and anger when bowling but without throwing in free hits and no balls to the opposing team. You get this controlled aggression with Steyn and for me that puts him ahead of the rest in this department.
Only choosing Brett Lee over him, has Lee stayed playing test level cricket.

And has struck up a mighty fine partnership with Morne Morkel, which has given South Africa one of the finest pairings of opening bowlers in world cricket.

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