Blogs In Cricket, It’s A Spinners’ World After All.
November 29th, 2007 by prashantCricket is considered a batsman’s game. A batsman has only one chance (ok, two in case of a Test match) to make a difference. On the other hand a bowler can get hammered for a bunch of fours in an over and still can get better of the batsman if he gets his wicket in the next.
Ok, now let’s compare today’s veteran star bowler to a star batsman. For the sake of example, take Tendulkar and Muralitharan. Last week Murali finished a very mediocre tour of Australia taking just 4 wickets in 2 tests. Have you heard anyone asking for he getting sacked? No way. Everyone would be saying that the Australian pitches are not suitable for spin etc. etc. Also, it is quite likely that Murali would shine in favorable conditions (home) against a weaker opposition (England), thereby completely wiping any memories of a terrible series. He would also surely break Shane Warne’s record of 708 wickets to get back on top of the world. This within the span of a month.
Consider on the hand, if Sachin happens to fail in Australia, they would be all gunning for him (figuratively speaking of course). No one would say that he failed because conditions there are favorable to seam bowling and umpiring always gives the benefit of the doubt to the bowler when it comes to Sachin etc. etc. It would be all be about Sachin getting old and not what he used to be, he should retire and so on and so forth.
The equation is even more lob-sided for a spin bowler. He is not even physically pushing himself or hurting. He is just gently coming over (or round) and try to give it a rip. The fast bowler is at least exerting in order to make things happen.
So quite frankly though it is not easy being a Murali, I think the whole situation is very much in favor of the bowler, more so the spinner. Do you agree?
November 30th, 2007 at 1:47 am
I do not entirely agree. A spinner has to field for 90 overs, and he has to bowl longer spells than a fast bowler. And he does have to strain his wrist or fingers (as the case may be) to give that rip. The only thing he is not doing which a fast bowler is doing is run in a few yards. And the fast bowler is compensated for that by letting him field at positions like long leg, where the ball hardly ever comes, especially in a test match.
As far as the skill is concerned, both the spinner and the fast bowler has to be skillful enough to bowl well at the test level.
As for comparison between Sachin and Murali, I agree… People will again ask for his retirement if he fails in Australia. BUT, he will NOT fail in Australia