- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
Stop promoting the myth: Jackson Bird isn’t the new Glenn McGrath. He’s the fast improving Jackson Bird in his own right and never in the shadow of anyone else.
He’s also the Jackson Bird I was promoting for Test status a year ago when I was pilloried by Roarers who rated him too slow and lacking penetration.
So much for his three bowling returns so far: 2-32 off 13, 2-29 off 9, and 4-41 off 19.4.
That translates to 8-102 at an average of 15.25, with an economy rate of 2.77 an over and a strike rate of 33.50.
Pity about the lack of penetration.
Let’s face it, Jackson Bird is a breath of fresh air in an Australian attack that wavers between exciting and boring.
Exciting when they get their line and length right, boring when so many deliveries are well wide and go through aimlessly to keeper Matt Wade.
The latter reigns supreme.
Not so with Jackson Bird, who has always worked on the old theory “you miss I hit.”
His accuracy has already become the platform for the rest of the Test attack, if they were good enough to slipstream him.
Peter Siddle is the next best to Bird, while the two Mitchells – Starc and Johnson – have a lot to learn in constant pressure bowling.
It’s built-in with Bird. He knows no other way and can bowl all day with his smooth approach and easy action.
A natural.
So let Jackson Bird be his own man, and end the “he’s the new Glenn McGrath” call.