Bracken turns to spin

[aussie1st]

SWING bowler Nathan Bracken is trying a new pitch in an attempt to force his way back into the Australian Test squad - he's been working on his spin bowling skills.

Bracken, who was earlier this year ranked the world's No. 1 one-day bowler, has secretly worked on his spinners in the nets and was hoping to unleash them soon in a game.

Bracken puts a new spin on bid for Test selection - Cricket - Sport - smh.com.au

He'd probably need to become the best spinner in the country for his plan to work properly. But it certainly would help his case on wickets that take swing early and then flattens out a bit.

 

[Dr. Pepper]

Are there any videos of him trying spin?

It should be interesting to see the outcome, I doubt he'll be that great and he won't get back in the side based on that.

 

[ZoraxDoom]

Hehe, there goes your best ODI bowler Poor guy, this is what you get when you keep ignoring players like him and keep them out of the test side!

Who knows, he might be some good...

 

[Leggie]

Just because he got smacked last time he played Test Cricket, Doesn't mean he will again. Quite sad to see this IMO as I think he has enough himself to make it into the Test Side, He doesn't need to resort to this...

 

[Slowcoach]

He has been bowling spin at international level for years...1 or 2 overs of swing with the new ball until he gets smacked around...then he turns to cutters/spinners.

He hasn't been hard done by regarding test selection...it's about taking your opportunities and he hasn't.

I was very annoyed when he and Noffke came out and said they were disillusioned with the selectors and how hard done by they felt when they missed selection for the Indian tour...really they were saying "Peter Siddle?!??!?! Wtf? Who the hell is he?".

I have two words for Bracken and Noffke...Medium Pace.

 

[smssia0112]

It's not sad that he wasn't picked, he's simply not a good enough wicket taker for test cricket, he's economical and puts pressure on the batsmen in ODI cricket, but in test cricket he's too one dimensional, can't pick up the wickets that we need from our test bowlers.

Peter Siddle is our most promising young bowler Slowcoach, I don't understand what you mean.

 

[shravi]

You should probably read his post a little more carefully then Dean . He's saying that's what Noffke and Bracken actually meant to say when they said they were surprised that they weren't selected, not what he thinks of Siddle.

 

[manee]

It's not sad that he wasn't picked, he's simply not a good enough wicket taker for test cricket, he's economical and puts pressure on the batsmen in ODI cricket, but in test cricket he's too one dimensional, can't pick up the wickets that we need from our test bowlers.

I believe that you are overlooking his recent improvement in FC cricket in Australia. where he has done extremely well since the 2004/5 season in which he took 43 wickets at 18.79. Keep in mind, he was only given 5 Tests to perform, one in which he took a four wicket haul and three of which before this 'breakthrough' season in FC cricket for him. Although he did have a good 2000/1 season, he was an inconsistent performer prior to the 2004/5 season.

A rather bizarre move for Bracken and one I can only see paying real dividends in a long day in the subcontinent, under which circumstances his cutters may be more useful. This being said, it may pay more tribute to a four-man pace attack, as he will provide the spin option, along with Symonds; and it is obvious that a four man pace attack will likely be his only route into the Test team - something which he has no doubt considered in this ingenious scheme (/sarcasm for anyone truly denser than a cube of steel).

 

[ZexyZahid]

It's really sad news that the best ODI bowler (and he still is according to the rankings: Reliance Mobile ICC Player Rankings) is being ignored for Test matches. Australia should try him out and not include players, when they start losing matches.

 

[Dare]

If anyone of the current Aussie pacers got injured he would be my 1st choice to replace them. give him a good run and if he fails well than he doesn't deserve a test spot. Without someone injured I don't see him getting into the Aussie XI, the 3 currents pacers have their spots locked down.

 

[angryangy]

When he was first picked for Australia, he had been around for about 5 years and was obviously well regarded, but he averaged 30.5 for NSW and all things considered, he simply struggled for wickets on pitches which both teams scored many runs on. He got 3 games and got turfed because of course the fitness of McGrath, Gillespie and Lee was what got him a game in the first place.

Test selection may have set the wheels in motion. In the following season, he took 43 wickets at 18.8, including a career best 7/4 and following the axings after the Ashes of 2005, he got a look in for two non-sequential Tests, in which he took 6 wickets at 25.7. Hardly worthy of being dropped when you consider what performances keep Mitchell Johnson in the team, but his competition that summer was in fact not a fast bowler at all, it was Stuart MacGill, as Australia looked to combat flat wickets with an aggressive array of spin.

However, when the selectors looked to seaming wickets in South Africa, Bracken was not offered a place in the side, in spite of an additional spot due to Glenn McGrath pulling out of the tour. To compliment Brett Lee, the selectors opted for Kasprowicz, Clark and Tait, with Clark becoming a key figure in McGrath's absence. Entering the ensuing whirlwind tour of Bangladesh, Kasprowicz and Tait withdrew, but the inclusions were Jason Gillespie, a selection that proved remarkable for unexpected reasons and Mitchell Johnson. Stuart Clark also succumbed to injury before the 2nd Test and finally Bracken was called in as cover ahead of the ODIs, but so too was Dan Cullen, who took part in a rare spin-trio. Neither Kasprowicz nor Gillespie returned to the Australian fold, though.

Since his last Test, Bracken has taken 32 wickets at 19.3, impressive numbers if it were a single season, but from 8 matches in 2 and a half seasons, one realises that Bracken, like Brad Hogg or Michael Clarke, suffers the ODI specialist's bane. Such players are cursed by their own prowess in limited overs, and never able to match the Noffkes or the Hodges when it comes to sheer quantity of figures. Of course, that's not entirely relevant if you're a Symonds or a Johnson, but for most players, it is the only way to press your case.

 

[aussie1st]

Bracken's ODI success is basically costing him as he hardly plays for NSW in FC which means he can't show the selectors what he can do on the flatter wickets. Other bowlers in the comp has jumped ahead of him like Siddle, Bollinger and I suspect Hilfy and Noffke. As I said early the only way hes getting back into the test team would be with the help of this new found spin bowling as Hilfy and Bollinger are now the swing bowlers that the selectors look to.

 

[angryangy]

He certainly wouldn't be the first paceman to bowl spin. It made Colin Miller a successful Test player in a short career, Bruce Yardley was another, who took 100 wickets around the World Series era and it worked for Tony Greig as well. For Miller, it was at first a matter of survival as a foot injury hampered his delivery stride at full pace, but his quickish off breaks delivered with an unorthodox grip soon proved a genuine weapon and he able to crack a Test team which was spoilt for choice.

 

[Cricketman]

LMAO. I agree with slowcoach, after his first two overs all he does is bowl spin with a longer run up. I find it hard to believe why he's the number one ODI bowler in the world, all he does is bowl stump to stump.

We have our own Bracken in Ranadeb Bose. Even Bhatia once you think about it.

 

[smssia0112]

Bracken's problem beyond being an ODI specialist is also his age. As a guy who was in and out and now 31, our options are much better with younger guys like Siddle, Hilfenhaus, Tait etc.