5 great fast bowling careers cut short by injury
Ryan Harris injured himself during the Ashes 2010 at the MCG Ryan Harris, the only bowler to debut after 30 and still go on to pick 100 wickets, finally hung up his boots. There is a time when you say, ‘Enough is enough’ and Harris deserves credit for fighting his fragile knee for so long, always striving to play the next game for Australia.The man who narrowly missed playing in the World Cup was key to Australia’s bowling plans. Over the years, cricket has seen a lot of fast bowling careers ended due to injuries. While talent and hard-work are important for a fast bowler to make it to the XI and succeed, you cannot become a legend unless you have survived the injuries.Every pace bowler has to face injury scare at some point of time. Fast bowling is extremely punishing on the body. Some bodies take it and some don’t. Here are five fast bowlers over the last three decades, who could have gone on to accomplishing a lot more if their injury hadn’t ended their careers.
#5 Simon Jones
He was one of the architects behind the great English victory in the 2005 Ashes that brought the urn back after 18 long years. Simon Jones had picked up 18 wickets during that series, before missing the fifth test due to an ankle injury.
That was also the story of his career. Two years before that crowning glory, he had almost ended his career when he injured his knee diving into the ground at Gabba.
Having played just 18 test matches, Jones picked up 59 wickets at 28.23. But, one of the quartet that plundered Australia famously in 2005, Jones could never make it again in spite of multiple comebacks as injury kept pushing him back. His 15 wickets on the Caribbean tour in four matches in 2004 remain as his other accomplishment.