This debate may go on LOL… let’s hope Tait reaches the levels everyone including myself expect.

Cheers mate

I never thought there was that much hype on him, in fact, mitchell johnson had far more hype than tait. Tait and Steyn are still a long way off, they have both had one good series, but that does not make the man.

You seem to have misunderstood the equation part … Like this equation is not a prediction or anything of that sort… of what will happen in the order of the matches played etc… it is a simple analysis of the effort of the two teams required which concludes that if Australia plays normally, they ain’t gonna lose no matter what and India has to play their very best to even draw. It is a reality check to what the media is building on people’s expectations. As a supporter of India, I am being realistic in my expectations and would be very happy if they can salvage a draw… a win is a different thing all together.

As for Tait in the world cup, he did well in a couple of matches in the later half of the tournament. I agree he picked wickets. My emphasis that he did not have so much of an impact on the tournament considering the lengths of the hype around him hold true. If you notice in most of the matches , by far, there has always been a better bowler than Tait on that day! Nathan Bracken did brilliantly well! It is one thing to have a look at the scorecard and read the figures or play it out on who made the bigger impact while the match was played out. In many of the matches, the pressure was sheerly built by Bracken and Mcgrath, while the opposition had to pick on Tait to score runs! The pressure was too much to hold on too long!

I agree that I have inflated his economy figures in this post a bit… But I stick to my intent and analysis that he was expensive by far! You are saying that the total economy rate of tait in the world cup - 5.50 is good! Those figures sound nice but don’t look “good” to me considering the opposition totals were 215, 149, 133, 226, 91, 247, 104, 219, 294, 129, 131, 197, 184. 8/13 matches, the opposition were bowled out for less than 200!! And only 1 250 plus score!! Considering these scores, 5.50 is far expensive than what it translates into!!!

I agree he genuinely did make an impact in the few matches you pointed… why… even in the match against Bangladesh, he picked up the most crucial wicket of Shakib Al Hasan who top-scored for Bangladesh with 25… Bangladesh scored 104. Tait’s figures read 4 overs 28/1 at an eco.rate of 7!! I can assure you Sri Lanka was not the only team that played him well!!

In the world cup, there were 3 other Australian bowlers who did consistently better than Tait! Even if Tait had sat out, it wouldn’t have had an impact of any acknowledable significance! Considering the length and breath of all the hype and build-ups which the Aussies were throwing, Tait certainly did not match up to any of those descriptives!!

“Lee quite often bowls in the 140’s, for Tait it is much rarer”… Is 4 out of 6 balls at 140s in an over a rarity? Jeez!! I watched him keenly in all the matches of the just concluded Aus-NZ series… and his speeds on an average were far from what you described as rare!! In fact in many of the overs, there were balls around the 130s!! And no they were not his disguised slow ones either!! He was faster than Lee in those matches… I agree and but I was never arguing about who can “now” bowl faster between the two!!

Tait also in those matches bowled some quick ones over 150 and but my point was am yet to see spells where he has consistently delivered at very high speeds. Lee has lost a few yards of pace… I noticed that also. But like said in my post, my opinion i.e, I would call somebody the fastest ever only if they consistently bowl at over 150s overs after overs… I know theortical this sounds rubbish… what I mean is some genuinely fast spells from the word go!! I have seen Brett Lee and Shoaib Akhtar do that in a not so distant past! Tait may do it… he has the potential. But Until he does, in my opinion he is not the fastest… just like I don’t consider Thomson the fastest ever either!

I personally like exciting fast bowlers… even played at lower levels as one… so can assure you that I too have very high hopes on Tait. But I felt things were being spilt a bit too much about Tait that such an overdose on him will kill his young career… he is an improved bowler after the world cup! There was a time when Akhtar was trying hard to hit the magical 160 that he lost his sight on other essential requirements of his bowling! Am hoping that they don’t kill Tait’s talent to something mindless!

Is Tait the best fast bowler in world cricket among the new breed? Nope.. let’s watch “Dale steyn”… may not be remotely as quick but certainly has made a far better impact and start than Tait!! Let’s see how these 2 hold their brew!!

Cheers Buddy!!

As for Tait, he got out gibbs in the semi final (SA’s best bat) and McMIllan & Fleming in the game before that. Against England he got out Vaughn, Strauss & Collingwood. Alot of these were matching changing wickets. Only Sri Lanka played him well in the world cup, and probably cause they have a similar bowler. In that world cup he took as many wickets as Murali (23), and his economy rate was 5.50, which for a bowler of his action is pretty good. He bowls quicker than Lee almost everytime they are in the same game, Lee quite often bowls in the 140’s, for Tait it is much rarer.

And a hunk. Um.

That’s good left-brain thinking on the equations. Very well.