The Problem with England's Fast Bowlers: They Can't Aim!

The England team seems to be finally shaping up, forming a core group of players capable of challenging against the best international sides.

At the top of the order, Cook has begun his career exceptionally, Strauss is regaining the form that made him such a consistent player and Pietersen is backing up his potential and huge hits with runs.

The middle of the order has always had talent—Bell provides the elegant strokeplay and Collingwood is grittier than a miner with gravel in his pants. In Ryan Sidebottom the ECB have found a Mr. Reliable and Stuart Broad is proving to be a more-than-useful number eight.

Monty's spin can be harder to read than War and Peace, leaving one missing piece in the jigsaw: a quicker-than-greased-lightning fast bowler to be feared the world over.

Think of the men that have attempted to fill that void—Harmison, Anderson, Tremlett and Mahmood. All have pace, but equally all lack the quality that would lift them above the competition.

They couldn't hit a barn door with a banjo.

Exemplified by Steve Harmison's first ball of the last Ashes, a delivery so wide you could drive a bus through it, the trend has been followed by Mahmood and lately the antics of a Mr James Anderson.

It has been often said that England see two fast bowlers in Anderson—a "Good Jimmy" and a "Bad Jimmy." "Good Jimmy" can ping a short ball down so accurately he can hit two men on the bounce in one over. "Bad Jimmy" is more a danger to short leg than the batsman.

James Anderson's scatter-gun technique has allowed more than a few batsmen to feast on his "buffet balls," helping themselves to runs short and wide of off stump.

However, he also takes wickets with his good balls and shows great potential for the future. It is clear that he needs to go and work on his game, but who can step into the side for the interim?

Graham Onions has been making waves in the county leagues, and Charlie Shreck has joined him in the England "A" setup. Tremlett has been waiting for his chance after being dropped from the side.

Is there anyone else who can answer England's call for the South Africa Tests?