Double Handed XI

[Prince EWS]

I think I read somewhere that Ian Harvey was known as "Freak" because he could bowl in the nets with his left hand just as quickly & accurately as with his right.

Is bowling as quickly and accurately as Ian Harvey with your left hand really that impressive though?

 

[BoyBrumby]

Is bowling as quickly and accurately as Ian Harvey with your left hand really that impressive though?

Think his rep up here probably exceeds that which he earned down there. Quality slower ball anyway.

 

[GIMH]

Haha, I was thinking that but decided against posting it

 

[Richard]

I think I read somewhere that Ian Harvey was known as "Freak" because he could bowl in the nets with his left hand just as quickly & accurately as with his right.

Knew about the nickname and knew it was because of multi-dimensional skills that would be beyond most cricketers (ironically, as it was being discussed Harvey dropped the ball during his run-up, bent down still jogging, picked it up and bowled a perfectly decent, legitimate ball ) but not of the ambidextrous nature.

 

[Richard]

Think his rep up here probably exceeds that which he earned down there. Quality slower ball anyway.

TBH from what I know Harvey is seen as something of a rank underachiever in Australia, one who never took the game seriously enough to achieve what he could have. Might be wrong, and I can't even remember who it was that said that, could be someone as diverse as Robert Craddock or Jack McNamara.

Not like his one-day career for Victoria is shabby anyhow.

 

[Prince EWS]

Quality slower ball anyway.

Yeah, it was so good, he decided to bowl it every ball.

 

[Matteh]

Warwickshire is far more important than current for Mr Mat(teh) Mitchell.

Favourite 2 players anywhere ever as well itbt.

 

[Top_Cat]

Yeah, it was so good, he decided to bowl it every ball.

Considering you're a Watson supporter, it's ironic you'd criticise another all-rounder for being pedestrian with the ball.

 

[Prince EWS]

Considering you're a Watson supporter, it's ironic you'd criticise another all-rounder for being pedestrian with the ball.

Don't really rate Watson that much with the ball, ITBT. His bowling obviously makes him a much better cricketer in general, but I support him because of his batting.

 

[Somerset]

Thinking about it, there are an aweful lot of current players "double handed". Spoilt for choice in selecting an XI. Personally would go with:
Graeme Smith
Matthew Hayden
Kumar Sangakkara (didn't actually realise he was one of each until this topic)
Michael Clarke
Michael Hussey
Shivnarine Chanderpaul
Jacob Oram
Nathan Bracken
Zaheer Khan
RP Singh
Mohammed Asif

Difficult to leave out Fleming, Inzamam, Gayle and Ganguly but there seems to be plenty of specialist batsmen for bowl with a different hand. Plus two of those have now retired so I didn't see much sense in including Fleming or Inzamam.

By the way, does anyone else find it ironic that Grant Flower batted right-handed and bowled left, while Andy Flower batted left and (apparently) bowled right?

 

[Somerset]

It's really quite common now to bat with one hand and bowl with the other, now that a lot of youngsters are taught to bat the 'other way round'.

Didn't realise specific coaching was in place to teach that () but I do know of one guy I used to play with who bowled left-handed and batted right as he got used to playing with right-handed golf clubs when he played golf so stuck with it for cricket.

 

[neville cardus]

Let's include Alfred Lyttelton for his peerless 'keeping and top-order élan, and perhaps Lord Hawke for his considerable captaincy credentials.

These two were the only men in Hawke's experience to play billiards left-handed, shoot from the left shoulder and bat right-handed, Hawke only deviating in the latter respect due to one of the more remarkable foibles of his time.

When his Eton coach saw him taking up a left-handed stance at the nets one day, he groaned in disbelief. This, after all, was some of the bluest blood in England! He could not stand idly by while it broke one of the most fundamental laws of amateurism. The scion of nobility was promptly switched 'round and told never to commit such lower-class sacrilege again.

It repairs much to Hawke's credit that he was able to adapt so well and quickly to this late-life change. Would Mike Hussey have been as good right-handed? Or Tendulkar, India's Übermensch, remotely as deific had he been made a southpaw? I doubt it.

 

[Matteh]

Kumar Sangakkara (didn't actually realise he was one of each until this topic)