Zoony
Jimmy’s two good tests in his most recent (nearly typed ‘last’ – silly me!) Tests were against South Africa in Cape Town in January of this year and against the West Indies in January of last year. In Cape Town he took 7 for 63 – 5-40 in the first innings, 2-23 in the second in a match England won.
In Bridgetown he took 5-104, 5-46in the first innings, 0-58 in the second. This game England lost – very heavily.
Taking the two games together he took 12 for 167 at an average of 13.92, and an overall strike rate of a wicket every 42.5 deliveries, impressive by anyone’s standards. It is, however interesting to look at his figures for first and second innings. In the two first innings he took 10 for 86, in the two second innings 2 for 81, with respective strike rates of 29.4 and 108 respectively. To my mind that depicts a bowler who was tiring as the game wore on – hardly surprising for a 38 year old (OK, 37 for the WI game) seamer.
Turning to the other eight games in his most recent ten, he has taken 13 wickets at 42.85 overall at a strike rate of a wicket every 93 deliveries. Comparing first and second innings, the first innings numbers are 9 at 40.78, strike rate 90, second innings 4 at 47.50, strike rate 101.
Of those eight matches, England won five, despite Jimmy’s less than overwhelming contributions, and I suppose being a member of a side that won five out of eight helps hide unpalatable truths. In eight second innings he took just 4 wickets, to my mind ample demonstration that his body is trying to say ‘enough’
Mike