James Anderson’s 700 wickets: ‘You would not expect a player to improve as they get older’
There is the physique, which declines as time goes on. Which bit at which time depends. Flat out speed perhaps from 18 or so onwards. Upper body strength from maybe 28 onwards (don’t take those ages as being accurate, mere examples).
OK, then there’s also expertise, skill, which is something we’d expect to rise with age – doin’ stuff tends to make you better at doin’ stuff.
Peak athletic performance is at the optimal point of those two curves, curves which move in opposite directions over time. You mature into the skill of the thing as the body starts its decay.
Rugby wings peak in their late 20s perhaps, rugby props in their mid 30s. That sort of thing.
Bowling’s also bit different in that you can slow down and still be an effective bowler, if not get batter in some ways. Substituting swing for out and out pace, for example.
I remember an academic explaining on telly that the great speed merchants of the 1970s and 80s bowled too fast for any swing to take effect. Accuracy, pace and of course “intimidatory bowling” were the reasons for their success.
Anderson can still swing the ball and use his height and strength to mak up for lost pace. He is also quite economical with a career rating of 2.79, which is pretty good. Well past his peak of course, but really there doesn’t seem to be anyone around to replace him.
As much good as it did England this time. Having thrown away the 4th test, they were slaughtered in this one.
Getting older let me enjoy the delight of bowling at my own daughter, ace rounders and hockey player. She adapted pretty well: they are all ball-and-stick games, after all.
Can depend on the position in some sports, goalies often trend a little older than the team average as there’s a trade-off with experience and positioning compensating for any speed and flexibility drop off
Dino Zoff retired at 40 and Gigi Buffon at 44. Peter “Wifebeater” Shilton was working until 48, although he was passed his prime when he left Forest.
Just read my last post back
Passed
Past
Oh dear oh dear
My deepest apologies. Caught between two stools there about which verb to use.
Another bowler who gave best performances after the peak of his speed was Hadlee. To compensate for a certain loss of speed he became far more accurate and tactical.
Quite excited to hear that Stokes is trying spin as a way of extending his career, highly unlikely but would be amazing if he became world class at it. But given all his body issues not likely to be med fast spin like these guys,
https://wisden.com/stories/archive/turning-back-the-clock-the-forgotten-and-formidable-art-of-medium-pace-spin
Coincidentally just read an article about Sir Jack Hobbs who played until 49 and scored 142 at Melbourne at the age of 46.
In all, Hobbs made 199 first-class centuries — exactly one hundred of them after his fortieth birthday — and he still averaged in the 60s in the season after he turned 50. As his Wisden obituary put it: “The more his years increased, the riper his harvests.”
https://thecritic.co.uk/hobbs-recalled/