The Ashes

[Cassandra]

of course they are
Mike

We've had one and a half Scottish captains gentlemen. One was the infamous 'Douglas Jardine'. Known as the 'Iron Dike' he was the architect of the fearsome Bodyline bowling theory of the 1934 series in Australia, where 'International Relations' were nearly severed. He's only half Scots, because despite being of 100% over the line stock, he was born in India. The other was Mike Denness, of Kent and Essex, whom I had the pleasure of knowing personally. A refined gentleman, who did a lot with poor players, unlike the present day's offering .

[Michael Rolls]

Always felt for Mike Denness, the way that he got worked over by Thompson and Lillee that he dropped himself. When was taht? 1975 downunder from memory?
Mike

[crabbyob]

and a schoolmate of Mr Denness was Ian Ure, who was certainly capped but may have captained Scotlands football team at that time...he played centre-half for the Woolich Arsenal...

[Cassandra]

Always felt for Mike Denness, the way that he got worked over by Thompson and Lillee that he dropped himself. When was taht? 1975 downunder from memory?
Mike

Yes Mike 74/5 tour. I think everyone got mashed. Remember Colin Cowdrey playing so bravely aged 43 and called out as a replacement? David Lloyd once said he went out in 74 as a 'side on' batsman and came back six months later with a two eyed stance, thanks to Thompson! Brian Luckhurst was peppered with bruises all over, mainly from this fearsome catapult. A sling shot action (like Darren Gough) he was very difficult to sight. He bought the ball from just above his right ankle, concealed behind his torso until the very last twist of his shoulder. From really a shortish run, his pace was truly rapid and he was a clever bowler too.

It's said the when Sir Colin first took guard against Thommo in this 'come-back' test our gentle Knight's greeting of "How good to meet you" was rebuffed with "That's not going to help you fatso, piss off."

Aussie culture at it's natural best, David Loyd at the other end (who roomed with Cowdrey) said the next bouncer went for six. 'Bumble' thought his partner had gone mad, "stirring oop bloody ornets nest".

In the last Test of that series, Denness returned to the side, scored 188 and we won by an innings! I know of no player who wasn't nervous over playing Thommo then and with good cause! A real unique bowling nightmare to face I would think. I could watch him all day, beautiful delivery stride, compact run up, perfect rhythm (Like Fred).

The whiplash action however took its bodily toll though and once the 'zip' went he faded quite quickly.

[Michael Rolls]

Long before JT was on the scene - I tried an action rather like that in the nets after sending down gentle off cutters, the batsman hit one back over my head - so next one, with no change of run-up or apparent action, was to be flat out at chin level - wrecked my back, and its never been the same since - that was 1954
Mike

[1955vintage]

I watched Thompson at Southampton when he toured. Barry Richards and Gordon Greenridge were facing him. They played him well, but the graceful rhythm of his action was a thing to watch.

[Michael Rolls]

I do wish the modern speed guns had been available in the good old days. I would love to know how Fred, Holding, Tyson, Lindwall, Willis, etc., compared to the modern quicks.
I always remember Ritchie Benaud saying that he reckoned Frank Tyson in 1954/5 to be the quickest that he ever saw.
Mike

[Michael Rolls]

Something that always sticks in my mind is the fifth Test of the 82-83 tour, played at Sydney. Thommo was no longer an automatic choice and the edge of that sheer raw pace was generally reckoned to have gone. I videoed the play and watched it the next day. Geoff Miller had made 34 and was facing Thompson who induced an edge to the keeper - which I think only the umpire missed. JRT looked ready to spit blood and Miller looked a bit apprehensive as the next ball thumped into his pads - first time I've seen anyone walk for an LBW shout!

My video had a facility for replaying one fame at a time and Thompson's delivery to Miller seemed SO much quicker than anything else I had watched that I replayed that and the delivery before it and deliveries from the other quicks as well. The result was that Thompson's deliveries were normally taking 10-11 frames, the other quicks (Lawson, Hogg, Willis, Cowans) were around 11-12. The one that was adjudged as getting Miller took just 9 frames. The video's normal recording rate was 24 frames a second.

Taking a flight of 20 yards that very quick one from Thomson works out at around 108 mph. Allowing for the difficulty of determining precisely when the ball left his hand and when it hit the pad (and I must have replayed that delivery a dozen or more times) - so my counting could easily be anything up to a whole frame out in total - and the fact that he was timed in 1975 at Perth at 99.7 mph, that seems to tie in quite well as somewhere at or over 100

Mike

[1955vintage]

In 1986, I went to Barbados to watch the Test match. West Indies got 400+ in their innings and we finished the second at 100+ for 1 with Gooch and Gower looking comfortable. The next morning Patterson and Marshall ripped through the batting with a blitz of fast bowling. John Snow was leading the holiday group and I was able to discuss it with him. Fastest he had ever seen was his description. Marshal was the scariest because of his low trajectory.

[Michael Rolls]

Malcolm Marshall, great bowler, taken too soon - much too soon
Mike

[Cassandra]

In 1986, I went to Barbados to watch the Test match. West Indies got 400+ in their innings and we finished the second at 100+ for 1 with Gooch and Gower looking comfortable. The next morning Patterson and Marshall ripped through the batting with a blitz of fast bowling. John Snow was leading the holiday group and I was able to discuss it with him. Fastest he had ever seen was his description. Marshal was the scariest because of his low trajectory.

I actually played Roy Gilchrist the tempestuous Jamaican, as a guest opener for a Lancashire Town in their Northern League in the early 70's. Famed for striking a batsman with an uprooted stump and delivering 100 mph 'Beamers', I think he was generally regarded as having the lowest action then seen. Of small stature for a quick at 5'7", he seemed to have extremely long arms and a fast whiplash action. He was famously sent home by the West Indies Captain Gerry Alexander from India, after having allegedly pulled a knife on him? He was well behaved in our match and I only received three bouncers over about an hour of him bowling and I ducked all of them! In modern day cricket, Lasith Malinga the Sri Lankan who has just retired would surely be the lowest delivery action of all time to date. Regarded as a slinger, I personally always enjoyed watching him, such beautiful rhythm and rarely today he finished with a T20 average per wicket nearly 13 runs behind his long game statistic - very rare.

If you look the great Malcolm Marshall had quite an upright action. Again of modest height and within a team of 'giants' he was so dangerous with a skidding, skimming delivery?

[1955vintage]

I described Marshall as low trajectory because he was a short arse (compared to Garner, everyone is) , but  you are right he had a classic upright action. I used to open with a guy who played against Gilchrist in the Lancashire leagues, did not say anything pleasant about him.

[Michael Rolls]

Malinga the slinger - fascinating to watch
Mike

[Cassandra]

I described Marshall as low trajectory because he was a short arse (compared to Garner, everyone is) , but  you are right he had a classic upright action. I used to open with a guy who played against Gilchrist in the Lancashire leagues, did not say anything pleasant about him.

Yes I completely agree, kept muttering at me when I was at the non-strikers end and his eyes were rolling wildly too! Big Joel what a gentleman in every way - truly a 'Genial Giant'.

[Cassandra]

Malinga the slinger - fascinating to watch
Mike

Yes wasn't he and truly rapid when he started (95mph +). Perhaps more interesting as he matured though, despite losing pace, he developed his art so well and added new dimensions. Terrific fielder too by the way, but prone to injury, perhaps by his mercurially unnatural delivery (as you experienced too) and sheer physical exertions?