BATSMANS WORLD

International Test cricket has become a batsmans world.
Since 2000 the quality of bowler has slipped alarmingly.
Here is a list of reasons I have come up with why batsman are inflating thier averages these days.
Conspiracy to produce flatter decks for 5 day tests to maximise attendances
Helmets and superior protective equipment
Bangladesh /Zimbabwe
Teams have to bowl minumum overs[90 ?] in a days play.
Too much cricket on the calender, bowlers worn out or injury prone.
Heavier + wider bats ?
Shorter boundarys, ropes not fences
When it rains bowlers must make up the other days + bowl 100+ overs in a day
Bad light meters
Lack of lead up games on tours for bowlers to gain fitness/rhythm.
And the number one answer
LACK OF GOOD PACE BOWLERS
Just look at the pace bowlers at the minute around the world
There has probably never been a better time to be a batsman and inflate your batting average.
With Aktar/Bond/Tait repeatedly breaking down it does not leave too many genuinely
quick bowlers around the globe.
BANG/IND/PAK/NZ/SL/WI/ZIM lack good experienced FIT pace bowlers.
Aktar/Bond seemingly watch more games than they play
IN/SL have some younger quicks coming through but are unproven as yet.
EG have FLINTOFF when fit HARMISON on his day JONES is always injured
SA have NTINI/STYNE/NEL probably the best combo in world cricket [Pollock is finished now ?]
AU have LEE/CLARK [Lee has excelled in 2 tests after a a few leanish years]
When I look at who are fit reliable pace bowlers over a period of time Im left with ????????????
Glen Mcgrath was the last one, are we heading for extinction of great fit 5-10 year pace bowlers?
Right now if I was a batsman who would I most fear as a pace bowler
S CLARK
D STEYN [he is 24 quick but will inevitably burn out as well]
B LEE
They are not exactly guys who will be household names now or in the future.
Ive had some interesting discussions with others about batsmans averages over different eras.
To me todays batsman are about a 10 run advatage over the guys who batted in the 70-80s
in particular.
An example is G CHAPPELL/BORDER/PONTING
Thier averages ?
G.CHAPPELL 52 ?
BORDER 54 ?
PONTING 59
I consider Chappell as the 2nd best batsman after Bradman that has played for AU
He had to face the brutal WI quicks
He faced far superior EG bowlers
He played a lot of cricket against those teams
He rarely played minnow or weak nations
And yet he averages about 7 less than Ponting ?
If Chappell was a batsman from 2000 -2007 He would average about 65
Not being disrespectful of Sir Mike Hussey but he averages about 80 odd
BUT
Who has he ever faced ?
Its a batsmans world.
Since 2000 the quality of bowler has slipped alarmingly.
Here is a list of reasons I have come up with why batsman are inflating thier averages these days.
Conspiracy to produce flatter decks for 5 day tests to maximise attendances
Helmets and superior protective equipment
Bangladesh /Zimbabwe
Teams have to bowl minumum overs[90 ?] in a days play.
Too much cricket on the calender, bowlers worn out or injury prone.
Heavier + wider bats ?
Shorter boundarys, ropes not fences
When it rains bowlers must make up the other days + bowl 100+ overs in a day
Bad light meters
Lack of lead up games on tours for bowlers to gain fitness/rhythm.
And the number one answer
LACK OF GOOD PACE BOWLERS
Just look at the pace bowlers at the minute around the world
There has probably never been a better time to be a batsman and inflate your batting average.
With Aktar/Bond/Tait repeatedly breaking down it does not leave too many genuinely
quick bowlers around the globe.
BANG/IND/PAK/NZ/SL/WI/ZIM lack good experienced FIT pace bowlers.
Aktar/Bond seemingly watch more games than they play
IN/SL have some younger quicks coming through but are unproven as yet.
EG have FLINTOFF when fit HARMISON on his day JONES is always injured
SA have NTINI/STYNE/NEL probably the best combo in world cricket [Pollock is finished now ?]
AU have LEE/CLARK [Lee has excelled in 2 tests after a a few leanish years]
When I look at who are fit reliable pace bowlers over a period of time Im left with ????????????
Glen Mcgrath was the last one, are we heading for extinction of great fit 5-10 year pace bowlers?
Right now if I was a batsman who would I most fear as a pace bowler
S CLARK
D STEYN [he is 24 quick but will inevitably burn out as well]
B LEE
They are not exactly guys who will be household names now or in the future.
Ive had some interesting discussions with others about batsmans averages over different eras.
To me todays batsman are about a 10 run advatage over the guys who batted in the 70-80s
in particular.
An example is G CHAPPELL/BORDER/PONTING
Thier averages ?
G.CHAPPELL 52 ?
BORDER 54 ?
PONTING 59
I consider Chappell as the 2nd best batsman after Bradman that has played for AU
He had to face the brutal WI quicks
He faced far superior EG bowlers
He played a lot of cricket against those teams
He rarely played minnow or weak nations
And yet he averages about 7 less than Ponting ?
If Chappell was a batsman from 2000 -2007 He would average about 65
Not being disrespectful of Sir Mike Hussey but he averages about 80 odd
BUT
Who has he ever faced ?
Its a batsmans world.