Every Australian in the know I talked to about Stuart Clark told me he had lost his nip.
Bumble and Beefy obviously had the same information.
It was a rumour based on VERY solid information I was always told.
The perception was he was not quite quick enough to make his good line and length count anymore.
It was in quite a few papers, and it was hard to overlook.
Even his wickets in the warm up game didn’t seem to convince anyone.
Today he bowled at pretty much the pace he always had at test cricket.
And he took 3 for.
I’d say that he had his nip.
So who has been releasing the nip rumour?
I honestly don’t know whom, but my theory involves well-known names.
But more importantly, why?
Was it something that was said so that the South African tamers could be picked first, and then it got away from the person who first released it?
The rumour might have cost Australia the Ashes, and also probably didn’t help Clark’s bank balance or future career.
Perception quite quickly becomes reality.
Shane Watson started it
two words –
Merv Hughes
Big Merv makes no secret of his fondness of Siddle ( can’t imagine why – not something about “like a son to me”, would it be?) and would have to back his variable form with the magic words “South Africa”, which meant, the whole package of blowlers.
I can’t see Merv having much idea of what makes Clark tick. But nor can I see how Siddle and Clark, nor Hauritz and Clark, could be considered similar bowling types.
Come on now, siddle deserves/d his spot… He bowled well in SA and gas done OK in England, remember who took 5 for last night. Conditioners suited all our bowlers and without pieterson or flintoff and Strauss going early you would hope we would be able to roll England on a swinging morning. I agree that clark has given us the main thing we have lacked and that is maidens. Maidens build pressure and that was the main thing the line up has lacked. Let’s see how we go in the second innings before we crown or crucify anyone just yet huh. #ashes
Ah, nip. The very indefinable element that Matthew Hoggard allegedly lost forever.
Thank you Broad and Swann for reminding us what a half-paced pie chucker Stuart Clark is. Hoodoo banished, time to break the aussies hearts in London.