It's high time we stop hyping pace!

[wajid]

Firstly, I acknowledge that Shoaib was much more than only raw pace. He was well rounded skilled bowler but post shoaib we have kind of developed an infatuation with raw pace that is proving quite detrimental to our current stock of bowling. I often see even 135 kph bowlers with seam and swing rated as tundlers on PP. Especially we should focus on the most successful test pace bowler in recent history which is Abbas. A true tundler but with skill and accuracy. I guess there is a consensus that he still can be deadly if he can pick up 10 kph on his average speed. Raw pace at young age without any accompanying skill set has now proved to be a recipe of failure. And I think it is huge injustice to those promising young lads as well. Shaheed Afridi’s progress over last 2 years has shown that pace can be added later with increased fitness and development. Seems like high time to stop hyping mindless pace!!!

Thoughts?

 

[Savak]

This is a poor post. Shoaib was a very skilled and intelligent bowler who knew the art of setting up players and getting them out. He could get 4-5 wickets in 2-3 over bursts and completely change the complexion of a test match similar to what Imran, Wasim, Waqar did in their primes. We do not have the bowlers right now with that sort of ability, the last a Pakistani pacer did something like that was Abbass and that was also due to the novelty factor.

 

[Hyperion66]

Shoaib underachieved massively, had the potential to surpass WY in both stature and wk tally.

 

[Giannis]

trundlers*

 

[Greenstorm]

A specialist fast bowler in international cricket must be able to bowl in that 137-145 kph range atleast unless he is a Asif. This 125 kph nonsense is unacceptable in international cricket.

 

[Suleiman]

You are going to be spanked for runs if you run in huffing and puffing with 120-130 k lightning bolts. You better hope to have mastered swing / seam movement in which case you can still be world class.

But if you don’t have pace, you’re going to need other tricks in your bag or at least insane cricketing IQ, or batsmen are going to take a liking to your halwa bowling.

 

[Savak]

Shoaib underachieved massively, had the potential to surpass WY in both stature and wk tally.

He is much better than the bowlers we have today. A true underachiever is Mohd Asif.

 

[wajid]

This is a poor post. Shoaib was a very skilled and intelligent bowler who knew the art of setting up players and getting them out. He could get 4-5 wickets in 2-3 over bursts and completely change the complexion of a test match similar to what Imran, Wasim, Waqar did in their primes. We do not have the bowlers right now with that sort of ability, the last a Pakistani pacer did something like that was Abbass and that was also due to the novelty factor.

I am not sure whether wasim, Waqar or Imran were 150 kph + bowlers. I started watching cricket in 90s and pace greats at that time were guys like wasim, mcgrath, vaas donald etc. Pace focused guys like shoaib, Bret lee , bond were never considered in the same category as the premier skilled guys. The idea is to not to discard pace but to focus more on skill side first and pace can be increased later. Current formula seems to collect them raw and pacy and young and then try to drum skills while exposing to top level as well. Seems bound to fail as skill normally takes long time to develop.

 

[wajid]

You are going to be spanked for runs if you run in huffing and puffing with 120-130 k lightning bolts. You better hope to have mastered swing / seam movement in which case you can still be world class.

But if you don’t have pace, you’re going to need other tricks in your bag or at least insane cricketing IQ, or batsmen are going to take a liking to your halwa bowling.

Agree to this. Problem seems to be that current top & experienced domestic lot seems to have skill set but not pace. So instead of collecting young speedsters why not focus on 20-25 years old skilled bowlers and then try to pace them up with increased fitness?

 

[Savak]

I am not sure whether wasim, Waqar or Imran were 150 kph + bowlers. I started watching cricket in 90s and pace greats at that time were guys like wasim, mcgrath, vaas donald etc. Pace focused guys like shoaib, Bret lee , bond were never considered in the same category as the premier skilled guys. The idea is to not to discard pace but to focus more on skill side first and pace can be increased later. Current formula seems to collect them raw and pacy and young and then try to drum skills while exposing to top level as well. Seems bound to fail as skill normally takes long time to develop.

Waqar was bought in to help the bowlers improve i.e. their skills, pace. He has not delivered on that front and has been in the job for 1.5 years. The present bowlers are his bowlers, he promoted them on his twitter account even before they got selected for Pakistan therefore he has to be held responsible.

 

[Savak]

Agree to this. Problem seems to be that current top & experienced domestic lot seems to have skill set but not pace. So instead of collecting young speedsters why not focus on 20-25 years old skilled bowlers and then try to pace them up with increased fitness?

I have watched Tabish Khan in domestic cricket and he was seaming, swinging the Kookaburra ball and knew the art of taking wickets. Waqar invited him to the bowling camp but frankly told him that yes he was very good and skillful but sadly your time has gone.

 

[wajid]

I have watched Tabish Khan in domestic cricket and he was seaming, swinging the Kookaburra ball and knew the art of taking wickets. Waqar invited him to the bowling camp but frankly told him that yes he was very good and skillful but sadly your time has gone.

Yes. We have this curse of giving too much weight to eye test than actual performance on ground. Also I feel like with current management grit and mental toughness is not that highly rated as well. Some posters here were even terming boult as trundler but we all know that his captain rightly thought that you can’t keep boult down and out for long. And this is due to his exceptional mental strength.