The PlanetCricket View: Can Peter Siddle pick up the pace?

[PlanetCricket]

Article by Spickery -



Peter Siddle has been an important bowler for the Australian cricket team for a long time. He made his Test debut against India in 2008, coming into the Australian team for the injured Stuart Clarke. In the 2009 Ashes series in the first Test match Siddle showed how much damage he could do by taking a hat-trick on what just happened to be his birthday. From then on he has always been a consistent bowler that bowls a nagging line and length outside the off stump, who is also capable of picking up important wickets.

In the last and series deciding Test match of Australia?s 2014 tour of South Africa Siddle was dropped from the Australian team for James Pattinson. Australian coach Darren Lehmann commented on the reason behind dropping Peter Siddle saying, ?He?d like some more wickets obviously but it?s the pace drop. We need him bowling 140 and at the moment he?s averaging 131, 132. He knows that, we?ve spoken to him and I?m sure he will be back bigger and stronger.? Siddle is now recognised from his diet as a vegan after adopting a healthier lifestyle. Some people believe the fast bowler who could previously bowl up to 145 km/h has been affected by his new diet and that has contributed to his drop in pace.

Whatever the reason is for Siddle?s drop in pace, he is facing a lot of hard work to get his pace back up and get back into the Australian side. This may be made harder by the fact that two fast bowlers who all have the potential to bowl 150 km/h on their day, are back and returning to full fitness in Mitchell Starc and Patrick Cummins. Add in other promising and younger fast bowlers such as Jackson Bird, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Josh Hazelwood and Ben Cutting into the mix and Siddle?s challenge of returning to the Australian side starts to look more and more like an uphill battle.

Australia?s next Test tour is against Pakistan in the UAE. The Australian selectors face a difficult task in selecting which fast bowler will likely bowl with Ryan Harris and Mitchell Johnson. With pitches likely to be conductive to reverse swing a faster bowler who is capable of swinging the ball may be preferred to than Siddle, who doesn’t do a great deal with the ball off the pitch. Only time will tell how Siddle?s return to the Australian team travels.



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[aussie1st]

I remember him hitting the mid to high 140s and boy he looked really good at that speed. From memory that hattrick he took was around that speed too. I've always said him at that speed is when he is at his best. These days the high 130s/touch over 140 has made him more in the line and length mould but without the height that is hard to fill.

Unless he finds that speed, Jackson Bird would be my pick if they want line and length with Pattinson if they are looking for well Pattinson.

 

[IceAgeComing]

Minor correction; the birthday hat trick was the 2010/11 Ashes...

 

[ferg512]

Its a tough one because I still think he has bowled ok, even though hes a lot slower now he doesn't go for many runs and often creates pressure so that wickets fall at the other end. I don't really know much about being a vegan but he definitely looks more unhealthy now than a couple of seasons ago, he has lost a considerable amount of weight which won't be good for his pace. I mean I don't know how eating 18 bananas a day is healthy for you at all.

 

[angryangy]

He's been okay, and there'll be a lot of batsmen who can't very well handle sheer accuracy, but against good batsmen on a flat wicket, it really should get sorted out. You wouldn't think he's over the hill, but Jason Gillespie had lost his zip by the time he was 30.