Spins and Outs

Right better make it look like I’m doing some work at the moment as I am currently doing next to nothing but reading cricket scores and even this tap tap tapping away is a good a thing to do as any other while the boss is away. In fact while I am doing this I might write a new blog about cricket.. Now for a subject…. How about spinners at the world cup? Seems topical as the great Muralitharan, and I am fully aware there are about a dozen ways of spelling his name depending on where you look, has taken a his final wicket on home soil.

Right, where to start. Probably best to have a look at the two spinners who are going to be stepping into the main man’s shoe’s...

Mendis blasted onto the international scene in early 2008, taking 3 wickets on debut with an economy of only 3.20 against hard hitting West Indies led by the hard hitting Chris Gayle (who in fact became his first victim!), amid the intrigue and wonder at his re-invented carrom ball. Of course there is always going to be intrigue around a new younger spinner taking wickets seemingly at will. Then taking 17 wickets in the 2008 Asia Cup and finishing the year with an astonishing 48 wickets in 18 matches. However, inevitably, the worlds batsman gradually figured out his bowling and while he still poses a threat with his variation he can no longer be considered a lethal spin bowler. The mystery surrounding the carrom ball faded and it appeared to be nothing more than a ball that doesn’t spin.

Like Mendis, Herath came to prominence in 1999 with his own mystery ball. He has shown good control generating flight, grip and turn in his initial years but after living life on the fringe he was finally dropped and spent 6 years in the wilderness before being recalled to the ODI squad in 2010. The left-arm Orthodox continues to be steady rather than explosive having taken only 14 wickets in 15 games. The fact that he is a left-armer and creates a different angle is big reason why he is in the team having only taken a disappointing 3 wickets at the current world cup 4 less than the part time off spin of Dilshan, who at the time of writing is also the current WC reading run scorer. Herath’s report card should state that he must do better if he is not to be unseated by a younger spinner in months to come.

The World Cup 2011 has surprisingly, unlike the 2007 dreadfully dull event, been full of stories – although the fact that it is (and almost a pre-fix to the words world cup) 6 weeks long it is still bloated.

Pakistan are never far away from the headlines and this time Captain Boom Boom is making them all for the right reasons. So far, and with a possible 2 games to go, Afridi has taken 21 wickets in 7 games at an average a little over 10 at the world cup. It has taken a long time for him to lose the tag as a bit part spinner and now, due to inconsistency with his batting combined with a ‘see it, hit it’ approach. If Pakistan are to go on and win this World Cup, Afridi will have had a big impact – you can not keep him out of the game.

Looking down the list of wicket takers brings us to two of the South African spinners. Robin Peterson, the slow leftie, has look rejuvenated in Sub-continent conditions having taken 15 wickets which equates to 38% of his total ODI wickets and currently out-bowling Captain to be Johan Botha. Interesting decisions will have to be made when they return to the harder flatter wickets of the Southern Hemisphere as to who gets the nod. A name South Africans are likely to become familiar with, if they aren’t already is Imran Tahir. The Pakistani born leggie has been a revelation and is surely the missing link in SA’s formidable attack. Morkel, Steyn and Kallis can now add Tahir in the list of the bowlers to be feared in their line-up. In this World Cup he has taken 14 wickets and that’s even after missing 2 games through injury.

Big Benn is another spinner who has impressed this world cup having taken 12 wickets a long with English counter part Swann. Benn and Swann both finished as their respective countries leading wicket takers although to many an Englishman’s surprise the former out bowled the later with an impressive average of 19.85. Although both have been hampered by poor fielding and the figures do not truly reflect how well Swann bowled. Trott and Swann the only real two stand out performers for an inconsistent England side both on the pitch and in selection.

For the Indians, surprisingly the only spinner to cause any real damage is the increasingly all-round performance of Yuvraj Singh. Who has previously been dropped by Pakistan in the previous year due to poor form. He may also improve his tournament figures of 11 for 271 by the end.

Others Spinners have not have been the impressive Balaji Rao of Canada. Taking an impressive 9 wickets with a decent average of 33 but and economy of 5.5 lets him down. New Zealand’s Main spin threat of Dan Vettori has missed most of the world cup through injury to provide any real threat and no others have taken over ten wickets. Although as I write the Kiwi is doing a fine job of slowing the sri-lankans down to create what will be a tense finish in Colombo.

So what is the point I am getting at here. Having had a look at all the spinners on show who would I pick out of any team to replace murali? On the evidence of this world cup it would have to be one of two Pakistani’s. If Afridi is already one of the world’s best One-day bowlers and now the South African Tahir has started his international career he certainly looks like he has what it takes to become one of the most feared bowlers.