Suneer S. Chowdhary
Arnold
Tash Jayasinghe
Dexter
CibbuanoReplacing the irreplacable
March 8th 2008 23:18
Australia in a spin trying to find the next Shane Warne
Say what you like about the man but one thing remains true about Shane Warne - he was the absolute master of his craft. He took the art of legspin bowling to a new previously unseen level and showed how a bowler could dictate terms and really be the difference in a cricket match (either test or one day).
His departure from Australian cricket left a gaping hole in the bowling line up - one that the previously all conquering Australians have not come close to filling. The heir apparent for much of Warne's career has been Stuart MacGill. The problem with him is he just doesn't bowl enough good deliveries. Sure he has some variety but he will almost always give you one or two balls each over that any self respecting batsman would gleefully dispatch to or over the boudary. Here was the true value of Warne - his ability to bowl an impeccable line and length for prolonged periods while also using all the trickery, variation and deception in his armoury. MacGill's first run as sole legspin option for Australia was a bit of a disaster with the Sri Lankan batsman taking him to the cleaners. It was then disclosed he was injured and needed surgery. He's back now but at 37 one has to wonder how much cricket he has got left to give. The other leading leg spin contender for the Australians is Bryce McGann who is 36!
At this rate I'd still say Australia's best legspinning option is Shane Warne - but with his animated likeness gyrating over Australian television screens this summer it looks like he has definitely taken up the Indian Premier League superannuation plan. Though anyone who watched that first final would have seen him in the crowd and his interview with Ian Healy showed how insightful he still is - talking about young Indian legspinner Piyush Chawla - Warne cast his analytical eye over the youngster and like what he saw. Warne talked about those traits he liked to see in a leg spin bowler - the main one being an attacking mindset and always looking to get a wicket. Warne now has a role at Cricket Australia as a spin bowling mentor. He like the rest of Australia will be hoping that a new young spinning sensation comes along.
It should be pointed out that Chawla is just 19 years old a full four years younger than when Warne made his debut!!! And almost old enough to call Stuart MacGill dad. India might have found their next bowling sensation. For Australia - the search goes on...
Say what you like about the man but one thing remains true about Shane Warne - he was the absolute master of his craft. He took the art of legspin bowling to a new previously unseen level and showed how a bowler could dictate terms and really be the difference in a cricket match (either test or one day).
His departure from Australian cricket left a gaping hole in the bowling line up - one that the previously all conquering Australians have not come close to filling. The heir apparent for much of Warne's career has been Stuart MacGill. The problem with him is he just doesn't bowl enough good deliveries. Sure he has some variety but he will almost always give you one or two balls each over that any self respecting batsman would gleefully dispatch to or over the boudary. Here was the true value of Warne - his ability to bowl an impeccable line and length for prolonged periods while also using all the trickery, variation and deception in his armoury. MacGill's first run as sole legspin option for Australia was a bit of a disaster with the Sri Lankan batsman taking him to the cleaners. It was then disclosed he was injured and needed surgery. He's back now but at 37 one has to wonder how much cricket he has got left to give. The other leading leg spin contender for the Australians is Bryce McGann who is 36!
At this rate I'd still say Australia's best legspinning option is Shane Warne - but with his animated likeness gyrating over Australian television screens this summer it looks like he has definitely taken up the Indian Premier League superannuation plan. Though anyone who watched that first final would have seen him in the crowd and his interview with Ian Healy showed how insightful he still is - talking about young Indian legspinner Piyush Chawla - Warne cast his analytical eye over the youngster and like what he saw. Warne talked about those traits he liked to see in a leg spin bowler - the main one being an attacking mindset and always looking to get a wicket. Warne now has a role at Cricket Australia as a spin bowling mentor. He like the rest of Australia will be hoping that a new young spinning sensation comes along.
It should be pointed out that Chawla is just 19 years old a full four years younger than when Warne made his debut!!! And almost old enough to call Stuart MacGill dad. India might have found their next bowling sensation. For Australia - the search goes on...
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