Iain O'Brien V Stuart Broad

[Aditya]

Stuart broad for me obrien is not near him.

 

[Mercules]

Up til now, O'Brien has been better and is still slightly better I'd say, but not for much longer I reckon.

 

[irottev]

Both suck if you ask me. O'Brien is only good in helpful conditions. Broad is worse though. At least O'Brien doesn't average like 40odd.

 

[Owzat]

SCJ Broad : 20 Tests, 58 wkts @ 37.62 (SR 68.67, BB 6/91, 2x5wi)
IE O'Brien : 17 Tests, 52 wkts @ 31.94 (SR 60.31, BB 6/75, 1x5wi)

Broad is currently ranked 24th, his best ranking and his rating is 538 which is also his best. The absolute lowest his average has been is 37.50 after the 1st innings vs West Indies at the Riverside with 3/62

Reliance Mobile ICC Player Rankings

Interestingly O'Brien is ranked one place below, his highest rating is 543. After a wretched start to his career, he pulled his average down as low as 26.64 after his BB of 6/75 at McLean Park.

Reliance Mobile ICC Player Rankings

On the face of it O'Brien has a decent bowling average, Broad has yet to get his down to the low 30s. Both have played four Tests against Australia, but O'Brien has also played four against Bangladesh. So 35 of Broad's wickets came against windies and New Zealand compared to 23 of O'Brien's against Bangladesh and windies. According to their career best rankings there is little in it, I'd go with the bowler with the average in the low 30s simply because an average of 37 is that of a very ordinary Test bowler, a modest all-rounder, good for a batsman who bowls a bit/lot and frankly should have been dropped before his 6/91 which mostly came after the game was over as a contest. Broad's other 5wi came in an innings defeat as well, O'Brien's came in a game the kiwis couldn't quite force a win from although four of those wickets were tailenders - he did take two of the first four wickets to help reduce the windies to 74/4 before Chanderpaul and Nash rebuilt the innings, not disimilar to how the aussie 1st innings went.

West Indies 307 & 375
New Zealand 371 & 220/5w

 

[Eon]

If we go off just form over the last year, then O'Brien picks him at the post... well its about a bodies length he wins by atm... But i dont think that O'Brien can really improve much on what he does... he is a bowler and always has been a bolwer. He is good for what he does, fast medium, line and length. similar to what McGrath did... nowhere near the quality of him though... he doesnt get alot of bounce and doesnt swing it a great deal... but can seam the ball.

And the other hand Broad has only been a bowler for about 5 years or something hasnt he?

That is not a long time to learn how to be a test bowler. So you would think he would only get better.

But on form Iain O'Brien for me.

That and Broad looks like a girl lol

 

[StinkyBoHoon]

So England isn't a real country?

not really, it's an area within the united kingdom

StinkyBoHoon added 11 Minutes and 9 Seconds later...

Also, give me a link to Stuart Broads blog then I can decide on this topic.

 

[Cricketman]

O'Brien. He hasn't been hit for 6 sixes against the most overrated batsman of the century, AND has an awesome blog on cricinfo.

Win.

 

[khalek]

I don't think Broad would ever bowl short pitched deliveries with a new ball in hand like O'Brien.

 

[Howsie]

I don't think Broad would ever bowl short pitched deliveries with a new ball in hand like O'Brien.

O'Brien isn't usually a opening bowler, he's a lot better as first change.

 

[Hooper]

Broad bowls too short or too full. He would get spanked no matter what.

 

[nz0003]

O'Brien is wayy better :laugh

Broad proving he has the potential to be one of the best in the world.

 

[King Pietersen]

Damn, knew I should have stuck to my Broad > O'Brien argument.

 

[Howsie]

Just a shame this innings isn't in 2008.

But Broad > O'Brien over the last four days.

 

[Leverocks]

Based on the last 4 days, Broad easily.
But credit to O'Brien for his great blog on Cricinfo.

 

[Eon]

Yea he sure showed me lol