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| The art of the spinner has been revived by cricket's modern TV era | Vic Marks Television replays have made lbw calls far more likely in today's game, with spin bowlers the main beneficiariesThe 21st century was supposed to be the death-knell for the orthodox finger-spinner. In a decade when big bats could mishit sixes and yet boundaries shrunk, the accepted wisdom has been that a slow bowler has to be "mysterious" to succeed at Test level.Shane Warne and Muttiah Muralitharan, both geniuses, led the way, with the likes of Danish Kaneria and Ajantha Mendis in their wake. The feeling was that it was barely worth playing a finger-spinner in the team, unless he could bat and even then his chief function in the field was to give the faster men some breathing space.And yet Graeme Swann is the second highest wicket-taker (after Mitchell Johnson) in Test cricket throughout this calendar year. After taking three more in Durban he has 49 to his name. This is mainly because Swann is much better than we thought. "Another competent yet unremarkable dodo of an English off-spinner" was the general view when he was recalled to international cricket after a 10-year exile.Swann's bowling rarely reflects the bubbly personality that can no more resist a one-liner than a cat can the cream. He is the canniest of bowlers, who recognises all the angles and who understands the nuances of a seemingly minor field change. On the first day he moved his short extra cover to saving the single behind square leg when bowling to Graeme Smith. Then he opted to bowl straighter at the South Africa captain, who was subsequently becalmed. Swann also recognises the tedious yet vital quality of accuracy. He has bowled very few bad balls in this series.Andrew Strauss has become heavily reliant on Swann now that he has opted for a four-man attack. But today Strauss's gratitude to Swann was excessive. This must be the reason why he kept the off-spinner on for so long during the last-wicket partnership that seemed to tip the match in South Africa's favour.In his last four overs Swann yielded 32 runs, 18 of them came from mighty drives for six from the middle of Dale Steyn's bat. Swann had done his job. Strauss should have taken him off earlier even though it's not too difficult to imagine the off-spinner saying: "Don't worry, skip, I'll get him next over." Swann's "mystique" had temporarily been obliterated.Steyn demonstrated with some style how far the modern bat can hit the ball, but today also showed how TV technology can be an aid to the spinner. In the 21st century umpires are far more likely to give lbws to batsmen, who have been struck on the front pad. The ever-more refined replays have shown when the ball is fulfilling all the criteria.In the past maverick umpires in county cricket would raise the finger almost as a matter of principle. Certain umpires detested the sweep shot and this was especially the case if they were spinners in their playing days.Thus dear old Sam Cook, the Gloucestershire left-armer tormented by batsmen who plonked their front foot down the wicket before swinging across the line when he was bowling, would, as an umpire, dispatch sweeping batsmen to the pavilion without a scintilla of hesitation. They deserved to go for playing such a hideous shot. Whether the ball was hitting the stumps seemed a secondary consideration for Sam. If the same delivery had hit the batsman playing a decorous forward defensive, the decision was, of course, "not out".This anomaly is now disappearing. Spinners get lbws against batsmen defending on the front foot far more regularly now thanks not only to the review system but also the examination of the tapes by the umpires. For England Monty Panesar and Swann have been beneficiaries.I've yet to encounter an old bowler who doesn't think he would have harvested more lbws in this era. That would certainly have been the case for Fred Titmus, driven to distraction by Australian umpires in 1974-75. "Front foot, mate."The Guardian's cricket correspondent, whom some batsmen had the temerity to play off the front foot, is confident he would have been even more prolific in this era. So, too, does the Observer's.England in South Africa 2009-2010England Cricket TeamSouth Africa cricket teamCricketVic Marksguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2009 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Collingwood 'only 50-50' for third Test • Andy Flower rates batsman's chance of playing as '50-50'• Michael Carberry on stand-by for Test debutPaul Collingwood, England's injured batsman, is so keen to play in the third Test against South Africa here on Sunday that the team management will not trust him to decide on his own fitness.Collingwood dislocated his left index finger during the victory in Durban this week and only took part in light practice , batting for 10 minutes against throw-downs before going through a very gentle slip fielding drill.But England's coach, Andy Flower, who described the player's chances of making it as "probably 50-50," added: "Collingwood didn't face the quicks in the nets. He faced the medium pacers and some spinners and he also didn't do that robust day of fielding practice. So we will have to put him through his paces against the quicks and with some harder fielding tomorrow."He is desperate to play. We won't be leaving the decision to him because he would probably say anything to play. In a lot of instances you would go with players but I think on this occasion, no."The situation is similar to that at Headingley last year, when the management did not trust Andrew Flintoff to decide his fitness to play in the fourth Ashes Test. Flintoff wanted to play but was over-ruled by medical advice.The 29-year-old Hampshire opener Michael Carberry is likely to win his Test cap ahead of Luke Wright if Collingwood is not passed fit to play. "If he [Collingwood] goes out, we'll lose some of that experience," Flower added. "But you gain in another way if the debutant comes in and kicks off his international career. We're not worried. If he can't play, he can't play – we'll get on with it."Carberry is in good form. He's been scoring runs out here in South Africa, so we're quite comfortable with that situation. Michael Carberry coming in is like any debutant. He'll be excited and nervous but certainly looking forward to the opportunity. The way he batted in the nets this morning, I'd feel very confident when he strode out to the middle."Carberry, a left-hander used to playing higher up the order in county cricket than Collingwood's Test No5 slot, had a prolific 2009 season for Hampshire but would have to fly out to South Africa at short notice if Collingwood fails a fitness test tomorrow.Shaun Udal, the former Hampshire captain, said: "Michael was a very attacking opening batsmen who has matured a lot. Shane Warne encouraged him to be a lot more selective with his shots. As a result he's more compact these days, plays a lot straighter and he's also a sensational fielder."England Cricket TeamSouth Africa cricket teamCricketguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
S.A. fireworks show attracts national media attention The Alamo Bowl folks should send out a few post-holiday greeting cards, offering their kindest regards and special thanks to Texas Tech University administrators, to former Texas Tech head football coach Mike Leach, to Red Raider receiver Adam James and to the latter’s father, ESPN college football analyst Craig James. feeds.bizjournals.com |
Murray starts title tilt against Anderson • Murray to play South African world No147 on Monday• Katie O'Brien and Elena Baltacha also in action on day oneAndy Murray will play the 6ft 8in South African, Kevin Anderson, in the first round of the Australian Open after qualifying was completed today. Anderson, the world No147, sealed his place in the main draw after beating Germany's Simon Stadler 6-2, 6-4.Murray's match is scheduled third on the main Rod Laver Arena on Monday, with Britain's Elena Baltacha and Katie O'Brien also in action on the opening day. Baltacha, who reached the third round in Melbourne in 2005 and is currently at a career-high 83 in the rankings, faces France's world No106 Pauline Parmentier. O'Brien also plays a lower-ranked opponent in Austria's Patricia Mayr.If Murray gets past Anderson he will come up against either Marc Gicquel or Simone Bolelli, with Jürgen Melzer set to meet him in the third round. The dangerous but unpredictable Frenchman, Gaël Monfils, could be waiting in the last 16, before the task becomes an altogether different proposition.If the seedings work out the fifth seed will have to beat the defending champion, Rafael Nadal, in the quarter-finals, the US Open champion, Juan MartÃn del Potro, in the semi-finals and the top seed, Roger Federer, in the final, in order to capture his first grand slam title.Nadal and Del Potro both begin their campaigns on Monday along with Andy Roddick, while in the women's draw Justine Henin will play her first grand slam match since the 2008 Australian Open following 20 months in retirement. Kim Clijsters also makes her return to Melbourne Park, while the former champion, Maria Sharapova, opens on Rod Laver against fellow Russian Maria Kirilenko.Monday's order of play (selected)Rod Laver Arena: 11:00 (00:00 UK time) (14) Sharapova (Rus) v Kirilenko (Rus), (15) Clijsters (Bel) v Tetreault (Can), (5) Murray (Gbr) v Anderson (Rsa), Luczak (Aus) v (2) Nadal (Spa), Dokic (Aus) v (27) Kleybanova (Rus)Hisense Arena: 11:00 Rybarikova (Svk) v (2) Safina (Rus), (7) Roddick (USA) v De Bakker (Ned), Russell (USA) v (4) Del Potro (Arg), Flipkens (Bel) v Henin (Bel)MCA: 11:00 Wickmayer (Bel) v Dulgheru (Rom), Rufin (Fra) v Tomic (Aus), (5) Dementieva (Rus) v Dushevina (Rus), (8) Jankovic (Ser) v Niculescu (Rom), Ebden (Aus) v (12) Monfils (Fra)Court 7: 11:00 Parmentier (Fra) v Baltacha (Gbr), Grosjean (Fra) v Ilhan (Tur), Gallovits (Rom) v (19) Petrova (Rus), (33) Isner (USA) v Seppi (Ita)Court 10: 11:00 Meusburger (Aut) v Bacsinszky (Swi), Kunitsyn (Rus) v Acasuso (Arg), Mayr (Aut) v O'Brien (Gbr), Lacko (Svk) v Mayer (Arg)Australian OpenAndy MurrayTennisKaty Murrellsguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Hockey player to appeal suspension for elbowing TORONTO (AP) -- Devils draft pick Patrice Cormier will appeal his suspension for the remainder of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League season and playoffs for a violent hit on an opposing player.... hosted.ap.org |