Sydney Barnes - The Bradman of Bowling?

[Spooony]

He took wickets against Australia and SA. SA played 11 tests before their first win and played their first test in 1879 12 years after Australia and England. SA won their first test match in 1906. So was he really awesome or was there the lack of quality batsman in that era batting with bats with a sweetspot smaller than a squash ball

 

[Migara]

I thought that Barnes combined finger spin (he flicked his third finger against the ball) with wrist-spin (he twisted his wrist as though he were 'unscrewing a light bulb') rather than bowl a mere 'leg-roller'. To perform this complicated procedure the ball would have to leave the front of the hand as the following photo and article imply;

Good observation. Then he would be the first of the kind of finger flickers consisting of Iverson, Gleeson, Herath, Mendis and Ashwin. But to bowl front of the wrist, using fingerflick, he'd must have use the fourth finger, insted of third. Now this will produce forward spin, not backward spin. And from all accounts, such deliveries will dip and drift in, but won't swing at all. Still my theory of swing and spin in the same delivery cannot happen stands.

 

[watson]

Good observation. Then he would be the first of the kind of finger flickers consisting of Iverson, Gleeson, Herath, Mendis and Ashwin. But to bowl front of the wrist, using fingerflick, he'd must have use the fourth finger, insted of third. Now this will produce forward spin, not backward spin. And from all accounts, such deliveries will dip and drift in, but won't swing at all. Still my theory of swing and spin in the same delivery cannot happen stands.

Dip and drift may not be swing from a technical point of view. But from a practical point of view I can't see the difference.

For example;

Shane Warne - Ball Of The Century - YouTube

 

[Spooony]

^ball of the century lol think a few quickies might disagree with that as beating a guy lie Tendulkar or Lara reflexes with pure pace is also a outstanding achievement by itself

 

[Migara]

Dip and drift may not be swing from a technical point of view. But from a practical point of view I can't see the difference.

For example;

Shane Warne - Ball Of The Century - YouTube

Drift and swing are different. Swing occurs perpendicular to the axis of rotation while drift occurs towards it. And swing has minimal impact with change of speed, while drift disappears when bowled quicker.

And that "ball of the century" is grossly overrated. Warne's ball to Basit Ali and Murali's to Sandagopan Ramesh are bigger jaffas easily.