Post by hitchcockthelegend on Aug 22, 2019 18:35:19 GMT
Whitney was a good bowler but he was oft injured. Most of my memories of him were in ODI cricket. I remember he took 3 catches in in a World Series final against India after S.Waugh and Dean Jones had dropped sitters. The last catch was a beauty, ran about 20 metres and showed the ball to the hill for a half lap before throwing it in the sky. Also remember a great spell he bowled against the Windies, also at the SCG, knocked over Lara with a beauty defending 101. I think it was at Perth where he took 11 or 12 against India.
For mine, Merv was a reliable workhorse and well worth a spot in the team, but in no way did he carry Billy. From early 91 to mid 93 McDermott carried the whole bowling unit. The big missed opportunity of that era was Bruce Reid. Superb bowler in full flight, but couldn't stay on the park. Biggest waste of talent in that era, by some margin, was Chris Matthews.
On Bucknor: can't think of a bigger beneficiary of the neutral umpires rule. Rudy maybe. He was shite too.
Anyone who thinks Hughes carried McDermott is either biased or blind. Hughes was exactly that, wholehearted workhorse, who got as many wickets with his mouth as anything. McDermott was a class bowler, who was always on that 4th stump line with a bit of movement away. The only criticism of him (and I’ve heard it from many different sources) was that he was a very, very poor traveller. Hated going to even NZ or England.
Bruce Reid. Never has Billy Birmingham cooked anyone as good as poor old Bruce Reid. Absolutely spot on - more nuts and bolts than a hardware store. “Oh no, the sticky tape has come away ! Bruce Reid has broken in half !” Classic.
Chris Matthews - 100% agree. The epitome of a “heavy ball” bowler. I remember Geoff Lawson saying about him that a grade coach in Tasmania tried to ‘straighten’ him up. Just didn’t work. The bloke couldn’t figure out his own mechanics. He was a poor version of Jeff Thompson’s self described “Shimmy up and go wham”.....
Rudy was alright. Bucknor was shit. As was Bowden. Venkat went downhill very fast, but at least he knew it and retired. Neutral umpires suck though. England and Australia clearly produce the best umps, followed by India and South Africa. Why we have to put up with these clowns from Pakistan and the West Indies I don’t know.