Australian bowling attack third grade: Thomson

MELBOURNE: Stating that the Australian bowling stock is no better than a 'third-grade club side', legendary fast bowler Jeff Thomson said Ricky Ponting's men will struggle during the Test tour of South Africa.
With Australia's fast bowling options at crisis point following pacer Stuart Clark's injury setback, Thomson feels that it would be tough for Ponting's men to make an impact when they face South Africa later this month.
"From what I saw of the Australian attack the other day, what they bowled was absolute crap. Every one of them was terrible," he said.
"It looked like South Africa was playing a third-grade club attack. I'm not the only one who thinks that. What I saw the other night was just gun-barrel bowling. There was no creativity," Thomson, who have played 51 Tests, was quoted as saying by Sunday Telegraph.
Australia head for South Africa in a fortnight confronting the grim reality that not one of their frontline quicks -- including Mitchell Johnson, Peter Siddle and Doug Bollinger -- has bowled a ball in Test cricket on South African soil.
The cricketer-turned-commentator also came down heavily on the spinner Nathan Hauritz and pacer Johnson and insisted the duo should be kept out of the squad.
"They better not be taking that refugee from Queensland that plays in Sydney. Nathan Hauritz should be called Nathan Horror. Does he spin the ball? They have to take Jason Krejza, at least he turns the ball.
"Mitchell Johnson looks tired. He's bowling so round-arm at the moment you may as well call him Mitchell Malinga (a reference to Sri Lankan slinger Lasith Malinga)," Thomson said.