The Bowlologist

The first Test has been and gone. It was a slaughter. Looking around the world, you can say that in duplicate. Australia slaughtered Sri Lanka by (less than half) an innings and South Africa slaughtered New Zealand by more runs than I could count. In fact, South Africa’s second innings (which was only three wickets down) easily accounted for both of the Kiwi’s paltry efforts.

I hardly watched a ball of the Test between Australia and Sri Lanka but I did listen to a great deal on the radio. As you all would know, I’m not into giving free advertising to commercial concerns. But ABC Radio and Grandstand doesn’t fall into the commercial category. Listening to ABC cricket is magnificent. If you can watch TV with the volume muted and listen to the ABC, all the better, but the radio coverage in itself is wonderful. The ABC commentary team may not have a panel that have all captained Australia, or even necessarily played first class cricket – something that would preclude them from commentating on certain commercial concerns – but they all love cricket, they all know their stuff and with the right mix of characters, they contrive to deliver enlightening and enjoyable comment.

Of course, there is Skull (Kerry O’Keefe). He was a Test cricketer. Peter Roebuck was a first class cricketer. But it is some of the others that I find intriguing. Jim Maxwell, Drew Morphett and Glenn Mitchell are “cricket nobodies”, in playing terms. Yet, they are paid to watch, and waffle about cricket for long periods of time. And what a good job they do. How I admire them for getting into such an enviable position. They just love the game (and all sport) and I’m sure they’ve worked hard. Jim Maxwell is a cricket journalism icon. I recall several sub-continental tours where you got the impression that Jim was actually paying his own way. I remember one famous occasion in India where Jim was under the desk fixing the wiring – during the call. And he’s been doing it for a long time. For some reason, “Massie’s match” was being discussed during the course of the last match. Jim casually remarked “I was there”. He was pickling his liver in the Members’, when Massie took 16 at Lords. Just for the love of it.

It is on the ABC that you will hear The Bowlologist. I didn’t forget him. Last, but not least, is Damien Fleming. The Victorian and Australia swing bowler. He is a real character and knows his cricket. He loves his stats and can trot them out with the best. Among other things, Fleming is a bowling consultant these days (which former Australian Test bowler isn’t?). Flem thought he needed a better term for his professional services and invented the term “bowlology”. Soon you will be able to get a degree in Bowlology at the Bowlers University. (http://bowlersuniversity.com).

It makes one think about how far science and analysis will go in sport. Kerry O’Keefe comment that Dennis Lillee was the best analyst of batsmen he ever saw. He explained that he didn’t mean that Lillee spent hours watching video footage. Quite the opposite. Lillee had that innate ability to watch a batsman for a few balls and spot the weaknesses in technique. It’s a skill, an instinct really, that sets the greats apart. Warne, McGrath, Hadlee, Imran, Akram, Marshall, Miller, O’Reilly, Barnes, Spofforth, Jo Angel – they all had it.

Are bowlers better today because of all the help they get? Do all the technology, cricket academies and bowling coaches make a difference? I’m not talking about the greats but the next level down, right through to state level? The answer is I don’t know. Probably – or a whole lot of money is being wasted. The technology is at the very least interesting. Those tools that you see on the local television carrier are quite amazing. That one that plots were the ball is pitched and where it passes the batsman are fantastic. You can have it done for an entire over. Or you can see one bowler to all batsman, or one bowler to left and right-handers, colour code of course. Or one bowler to all batsman, coloured codes for dot balls, wickets, and how many runs. Last summer we saw Cook’s “out balls” for the entire series and they conclusively showed that he was susceptible to a certain type of delivery. It’s incredible. Add to that super slow motion replays from 1001 angles, analysis of seam position, seam movement during delivery, monitoring of pace in the air and off the pitch, trajectory analysis and how many revolutions per second a spin bowler can get from a ball, and you get an idea of what can be learned at the Bowlers University.

I’m sure it’s interesting but give me Thommo any day. The Thommo degree in bowling was far easier to teach and even better to watch. “I just shuffle up and go “whang”.” I’m happy for Flemmo to be the Dean at the Bowlers University as long as Thommo is on the lecturing staff.

Kat amongst the pigeons

No – you haven’t been removed from the dongles mailing list. I’ve just been on a rather long break. Writers cramp or something like that. Would you believe writers block brought on by a low fibre diet of ODI and Twenty20 cricket?

It’s been almost 10 months since Pigeon, BNG and the SMS King hung up their boots, and we are still in suspense over who will replace them. One batting spot and two bowling positions up for grabs. Not since 1977 have there been so many opportunities to break into the Australian team. Ok, there was 1984 when the big three retired but you get the idea. For the batting position, all seemed settled until yesterday. Simple – like for like – a left-handed opening batsman for a left-handed opening batsman. It probably still is that simple but 306 big ones from Simon Katich has put the cat amongst the pigeons. At least, it’s added a little spice to the arguments.

One school of thought has been that Hussey could open the Australian innings and a middle order batsman could come into the side. Hussey even opened for Western Australia in the recent Pura Cup match. Hussey opened for Western Australia for about 10 years, but has not for a few years. There was a time when the national selectors would ask players to play in certain state roles for their perusal. Does that still happen? Hussey made a duck and a fifty.

So who would the middle order batsman be? Surely not Hodge. He’s been dropped from the Test team. He was a disaster in India, although you have to ask why he played all seven matches and he scored 2 and 0 on the week end. Even if Bill Lawry was a selector, I’d doubt if Hodge would have a show.

Let me run a name past you. David Hussey. It’s about bloody time we had brothers in the team again. The Chappell, the Waughs, the Bannermans and the Gregories all made Test cricket that little bit more special with those family moments. But it is more than that. David is two years younger than Mike and has played 110 first class matches. He has scored over 8,000 runs at better than 56 and has made 31 centuries. Man. Not bad numbers. He’s a roughy but one to watch.

Back to Katich. He lost his CA contract this year but in front of selector Jamie Cox, made a prodigious innings. I don’t think he’s a chance for the first Test but it puts his name on the list. I recall a match in 1987, which also featured a score of 306 (not out, by David Hookes). Big-mouthed and out of favour wicket keeper, Wayne Phillips had scored 213 not out in a record partnership. When asked by a member of the press how many more runs he thought he needed to get back into the Australian team, Phillips correctly responded something like “about 1,213.” Now Katich isn’t out of favour because of bad behaviour, but I think he needs about as many runs as Phillips.

Back to that innings. The first hundred came from a very sedate 204 balls. Katich then went from 100 to 300 in 142 balls. And all those sixes (nine). He scored 180 between lunch and tea (in a long 150 minute session). That is serious scoring in any cricket. This is the first triple at the SCG since Bradman in 1930 (452*, 7 Jan 1930). Enough on Katich.

I think the bowling is more interesting. We have two positions – not necessarily a pace bowler and spin bowler. There is actually no law that says you need to play a spinner. I seem to remember the West Indies doing rather well without for a certain period of time in the 70′s, 80′s and 90′s. Besides, we’re at home – so we get to prepare pace friendly pitches if we want.

I’ll assume Lee and Clark are certain starters. Lee is fresh from his 0/188 in the Pura Milk Cup match, while Clark did put it up the Bulls this morning, not quite forcing a result but taking the first four wickets, finishing with 4/71.

The pretenders are (in order) Johnston, Tait, Macgill, Hilfenhaus and Bracken. I rate Hilfenhaus highly but he hasn’t had enough cricket. Alice (Bracken and his girly hairdo) has more chance of attending the Mad Hatters Tea Party. So it’s down to the other three. Johnson pushed Lee with 0/134 but is still a chance. Tait was in the drivers position but has had such injury problems – he was looking good during the ODI World Cup. Whoops – I just got a call from Gillie. Apparently, Brad Hogg (“George”) is the best spinner we have. Gillie may have a point – Hogg was good in India and he has just cleaned up the Vics. But I don’t know – put him in whites and Hogg’s bowling lacks teeth.

Then there is Macgilla. I think he looked great – almost as good as his TV star wife, as they recently hosted the show Saturday Kitchen. Wine and cheese, if you please. Stu was in his element and I seriously doubted he could ever be taken seriously on a cricket field again. It is true that on paper, Macgill has a wonderful record. It’s been said 1,000 times that if he was born at another time or place, he would have been up with the greats. The boy has talent almost to match his outrageous mouth but how much has he got left? It is true that the Gabba was Warne’s best ground. However, that doesn’t mean that it is a good spinners’ pitch, or even a good leggies’ pitch. As with most things, Warne was the exception.

It must be a given that Symonds is in the team. Can’t he be counted on for a few overs of spin? And let’s not forget Michael Clarke. He is a useful bowler. He bowled well in India and took a useful 3/22 for the Blues on the week end. Macgilla managed 3/183 and 1/97 (4 for almost 300) and conceded over 5 per over in both innings. It’s not impressive. I concede that the top bowlers often have the ability to lift a level when the Tests come but you’ve got to have some form. I think Stu will be in the squad but perhaps he’ll be serving the drinks. Or will that we wine and cheese?

PS: I have to mention Shoaib Akhtar. It’s hard to know how bad this guy really is or not. In recent years, he has made Warne look like a diligent, wise, old saint. Whatever, he has ability. He has come from the clouds to take 4/43 against South Africa (including Smith, Kallis and Boucher) and give Pakistan every chance of winning the deciding fifth ODI match. Incredible.