GuyFromLancs
State Vice-Captain
For years now they've been telling us that the art of Off Spin is on its last legs. But I bet if someone said 30 years ago that in 2010 England will have an offy at number 2 in the world rankings and the team that has spend 15 years a clear division above everyone else will also be employing a full-time offy, you wouldn't have believed them.
Even at my local club the skill is chuckled at a bit. Offies are not really taken seriously if they can't bat in the top 6-7. Yet at the same time, on a bowler friendly pitch they often go for about 10-15 runs per wicket at this level. Our offy gets a wonderful frisby-like flight on the ball and is always taking the wickets of batsman trying to charge him or those that misjudge length to any degree.
This anti-offy snobbery stems from the top. Barely a month goes by in which a former player and/or pundit doesn't write off the art, tells us in not so subtle terms that kids should forget it, it's a dead art. Yet it's still here after all these years, played and played well from the local parks to the very top level - test cricket.
How long do people think it has? Or will it be around until the Sun eventually swallows the Earth and everything in it?
Cheerio
Even at my local club the skill is chuckled at a bit. Offies are not really taken seriously if they can't bat in the top 6-7. Yet at the same time, on a bowler friendly pitch they often go for about 10-15 runs per wicket at this level. Our offy gets a wonderful frisby-like flight on the ball and is always taking the wickets of batsman trying to charge him or those that misjudge length to any degree.
This anti-offy snobbery stems from the top. Barely a month goes by in which a former player and/or pundit doesn't write off the art, tells us in not so subtle terms that kids should forget it, it's a dead art. Yet it's still here after all these years, played and played well from the local parks to the very top level - test cricket.
How long do people think it has? Or will it be around until the Sun eventually swallows the Earth and everything in it?
Cheerio
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