Boult last year was world class.
Until he left England injured.
This year he's well down, but he's still picked up a few wickets. Southee on the other hand looks dreadfully short of pace. And his batting is awful. He should be moved to #11, if as much for the ego control.
I've been saying since England, if not before, that Southee should be batting #11, so you'll get no disagreement from me there.
Boult has 23 wickets this summer for heaps of runs at 38.5, Southee has 21 wickets for less runs at 35.5.
They both need a kick up the butt. But Boult's decline I find harder to stomach, because he looked the much superior bowler that could take the team further. Boult's peak was much better than Southee's peak.
Boult cannot carry on averaging 38.5 (where he cashed in with 5-60 and match figures of 7-101 at Adelaide) and expect to remain in the side. Southee, too I wish was one the one to make way for a Nuttall trial and that Boult was playing well.
But they've both gone to garbage. Boult more so in my opinion by losing his swing. He can stay in the rotation ODI side, but he is a passenger in the test side this summer. If Boult cannot swing, he is not threatening in test cricket. That is the reality. I pray he finds his swing in the fourth innings. But I've been hoping every single game this summer (Adelaide got my hopes up).
And noone talks about it, but heading into Australia, Craig looked to be a far better bowling prospect that this summer has given him. That is a lot of bowlers heading down hill. Besides young Santner, there is a 3 test tour of India this year.
Bracewell has prvoen he is not test standard. And Henry still has not cut it. Not in England. Not in Australia. And now not at home. Surely they've had enough chances now. Nuttall is the next to be trialled. Has to be. And he deserves a run in Zimbabwe at the expense of either Boult (if still not swinging) or Southee.
Wagner, though, head and shoulders the best test bowler of the summer. Has shut the door on the third seamer role competitors. Never should have lost it to Bracewell last summer (but Henry deserved his trials). Bracewell has not kicked on to be a bowling allrounder. So by rights, after Sri Lanka twice, and now Australia, Wagner is the #3 test seamer. Noone is fitter, keener or more effective than him for the 3rd seamer role. He may be a late bloomer, but appears to be blooming nicely.
