Why can't Anderson bat ?

The golf analogy earlier is false. Golf is an individual game, Cricket a team game.

Therefore golfer's who cannot master all the disciplines do not become pro's.

In cricket being very good at one or the other is agruably more valuable to the team than being decent at both - i.e. the 'bits & pieces' player.

I'd challenge the fundamental premise of the article. Given how few cricketers are genuine all-rounders, the question isn't why can't Jimmy bat. The real question is what the hell was going on with Botham and Flintoff?
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I dont follow your comment about golf.

The point that I had made about golf is that they are all world class swingers as well as all being world class around the greens, even though they are two totally different skills.

I can't see that whether or not it's a team sport is of any significance whatsoever.

Regarding your point on the fundamental premise of the article. I think you have misunderstood the article by trying to read too much into it.

The title is to be taken at face value. I am not asking why all bowlers cant bat. Im asking specifically why Anderson cant bat. Im not asking it because he's a good bowler, im asking it because he appears to me to demonstrate all of the physical abilities which should enable someone to become a good batsman.

The point of my article is to try to identify what skill it is that he hasnt got that is needed to be a quality batter.

I still dont know.

I would add that Anderson is comfortably the worst batsman in the england side, in spite of apparantly having comfortably superior natural abilities - of the kind which are useful to batting - to anyone in the side up to and including at least the nr7 in the batting order.

Comment Deleted by Article Creator

Its a very difficult argument to counteract as the points you put forward are thorough and well interpreted.

Jimmy does indeed have all the attributes that you have listed, and therefore one may expect him to be a world class batsman as well as bowler.

However, the response that is most fitting is perhaps one that has been made by previous posters. There are few to no world class players in two departments. The likes of Flintoff, Botham or Kallis are a very rare breed.
I do not agree with those saying that Jimmy obviously hasn't practiced his batting that much, as i know from experience the amount of work the poorer batters in county cricket (therefore obviously international as well) put in to improve.

Whilst not being able to disprove what you are putting forward, one would point to the amount of players past and present who have been world class in more than one department. Very few, so why would Jimmy be different?

OK. Cheers for your comment PP. Interesting.

Would still be interested to know what that elsuvie quality is though

Elsie who?

??

Jimmy, like many fast bowlers before him, may be comfortable handling the hard ball, but, for whatever reason, can't read the ball well enough from 22 yards away to be a competent batsman. Maybe his eye isn't that good or he's in fear or he dosen't pick the ball well enough out of the bowler's arm. Whatever it is, he doesn't have what it takes. He's hardly unique. I think the subject has been exhausted now

it hasnt. i dont agree with your assessment LDL. its not to do with picking the ball up or sighting. it's something about the way he moves

His reactions are those of a tail end batsman. Late, awkward, not to the pitch of the ball. He either can't read the ball or he doesn't react quickly enough to its pace. He's played enough games for the evidence to be conclusive.