TOP 100 SPORT SITES
| |||
|
| |||
| |||
|
| |||
| 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 |
Saban accepts Alabama's championship hardware NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. (AP) -- Nick Saban is thrilled to have brought another title to Alabama and a lot of joy to everyone involved in the Crimson Tide program.... hosted.ap.org |
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 |
Portsmouth’s latest attempt to lift transfer embargo fails Portsmouth have failed to persuade the Premier League to lift their transfer embargo despite two days of talks and confident announcements that the end of their ban on signing players was “imminentâ€. feeds.timesonline.co.uk |
Nadal tumbles out after Australia Day fireworks MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) -- Andy Murray had been warned about the fireworks, the crackle and dazzling burst of color that lights the sky to mark Australia Day celebrations.... hosted.ap.org |