# Cricket Fans- Vermeulin Returns For Zimbabwe **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [August 9, 2014, 7:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cricket-fans-vermeulin-returns-for-zimbabwe/695149 "2014-08-09T07:30:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2014, 7:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cricket-fans-vermeulin-returns-for-zimbabwe/695149/1 "2014-08-09T07:30:05Z")
Who? I guess they must have a shortage of players. Anyway, her has a somewhat spotty background. In 2006 he was banned for ten years from English Cricket (later reduced to 3 years) for hurling a cricket ball at fans for baiting him. A few months later he was excluded from the Zimbabwe squad, so he burned down the national academy. He was found not guilty of arson due to some mental issues attributed to being hit in the head by a cricket ball. Three years ago he hurled the stumps onto the roof of a pavilion because he hadn’t been paid. His doctor says another blow to the head could be fatal. I think I would take up marbles. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2014, 8:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cricket-fans-vermeulin-returns-for-zimbabwe/695149/2 "2014-08-09T08:02:25Z")
Well knowing professional cricketers as I do I’m sure the most intimidating fast bowlers around will give sympathetic thought to the possibility of injury, due consideration to his mental instability and be mindful of his short fuse. Then bounce him and sledge him until he implodes or dies. When do the Aussies play them next? that’ll be fun. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2014, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cricket-fans-vermeulin-returns-for-zimbabwe/695149/3 "2014-08-09T08:04:25Z")
I don’t know their schedule- they have only just returned to the Test fold. However, they are playing RSA so facing Dale Steyn is a pretty severe task. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2014, 8:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cricket-fans-vermeulin-returns-for-zimbabwe/695149/4 "2014-08-09T08:32:32Z")
Nah, he’s fine. Considering what passes for “fast” these days. OTH, having started watching cricket again after 2 months of football, I will say its gratifying to see players being hit by fast ball and barely grimacing as opposed to being tickled and rolling on the floor crying “wahh, I have been shot”. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2014, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cricket-fans-vermeulin-returns-for-zimbabwe/695149/5 "2014-08-09T13:25:20Z")
I still believe Steyn is fast. I don’t think he is express such as Wes Hall. And that may be a topic for a new thread- fastest bowler you have seen. I would still find it difficult to go past Patrick Patterson or Jeff Thompson. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2014, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cricket-fans-vermeulin-returns-for-zimbabwe/695149/6 "2014-08-09T13:57:53Z")
> [@Cicero](#): > > I still believe Steyn is fast. I don’t think he is express such as Wes Hall. > > And that may be a topic for a new thread- fastest bowler you have seen. I would still find it difficult to go past Patrick Patterson or Jeff Thompson. Jeff Thompson has to be right up there for sheer pace, Michael Holding perhaps for sustained terror. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2014, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cricket-fans-vermeulin-returns-for-zimbabwe/695149/7 "2014-08-09T16:42:50Z")
> [@Cicero](#): > > I still believe Steyn is fast. I don’t think he is express such as Wes Hall. > > And that may be a topic for a new thread- fastest bowler you have seen. I would still find it difficult to go past Patrick Patterson or Jeff Thompson. Waqar Younis. Or Roberts. Lillee or Brett Lee. I hear Frank Tyson was damn near impossible to see. ---
**Author:** ![Teuton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/teuton/32/3864_2.png) [@Teuton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Teuton)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2014, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cricket-fans-vermeulin-returns-for-zimbabwe/695149/8 "2014-08-09T16:46:55Z")
> [@Cicero](#): > > In 2006 he was banned for ten years from English Cricket (later reduced to 3 years) for hurling a cricket ball at fans for baiting him. I remember this incident, and I must say at the time I assumed it would be pretty much the end of his career. I didn’t realise he’d later burned down a cricket academy. Zimbabwe really are desperate for players - any players - just to make up their team at the moment. Even if the power structure in the country has improved to the point where it is ethical to tour there, and I’m not sure that is the case at all, I don’t think they should be playing tests until they show they can compete. The fastest bowler I’ve seen is Clint McKay, at Cardiff for Australia last year. He was noticably faster than everyone else in the game. EDIT: Or was it Mitchell Johnson? 😃