Morkel a fine attack dog but no sniper

Fast bowlers are often spoken of like front-rankers in rugby. All brawn and no brains.

I can't speak for the latter, but the best fast bowlers I have played with and against were intelligent and observant.

They knew when to turn it on and when not to, and when it would bring them rewards or not. Most importantly, they knew how to work batsmen out and set them up for the killer blow. This takes me to the point of this column.

Watching Morné Morkel bowl to Michael Clarke on Saturday was an example of how quick bowlers can give batsmen a good working over.

But it also showed what poor thinkers they can be.

Morkel was fearsome and unrelenting in his head-hunting. But that's all he was. He never took it a step further.

He was like a battering ram, predictable and monotonous. There was no full ball, yorker or slower ball. It was like watching "stampkar" rugby at its best.

It can work against timid opposition, but when met with resilience and skill, there is only one winner - and this time it was in the form of Clarke, who went on to complete a fine hundred.

He survived a torrid time, and, in a strange way, was shaken into form and the often-forgotten skill of watching the ball out the bowler's hand. An opportunity went missing for Morkel, for a batsman out of form least wants his footwork and judgment tested when he first comes to the crease. He also wants to play as little as possible at the start of his innings.

Though it was very uncomfortable for Clarke, this is exactly what Morkel did for him. Morkel is no newcomer when it comes to Test cricket.

He has all the attributes to be a great. But right now "stampkar" bowling and thinking may mean he will sadly never realise his full potential. He needs to learn quicker and think like a batsman.