The Art of Leg-spin (Wrist Spin) in a dfficult place ?

[SeamUp]

Obviously for a few years in South Africa there was the 'excitement' of Imran Tahir in the test team but I never fell for it eventhough he got wickets in England and South Africa domestically. The cost of them was so great at times in our 4-day series in SAF.
Sure it is difficult to bowl spin in SAF and other places but you have to do it to play test cricket for SAF or whoever else if thats your art.

I've never been one to say you have to have a leg-spinner as they are more attacking etc You still have to be a good spinner and today we see the likes of orthodox spinners (with the odd exception) in Panesar, Swann, Lyon, Vettori, Patel, Herath, Randiv, Ojha, Harbhajan, Ashwin, Narine (exception),Permaul, Ajmal (exception), Rehman and now Peterson come in and do jobs (take wickets and bring something to the team ito pressure).

I always have the belief that I don't mind the spinner going for 4 to 5 an over as long as he gets bags of wickets particularly in the 2nd innings. But even the wrist spinners in the game today who have got chances weren't getting the big hauls and weren't consistent enough to keep pressure on and bleeding runs.

You think of Adil Rashid (only limited overs sure), Brad Hogg, Bryce McGain, Piyush Chawla, Amit Mishra, Devandra Bishoo, Todd Astle (still deserves more chance of course so question mark still) come on to the international scene and not set it alight. The latest now in Imran Tahir. May be others I can't rememeber.

Suppose the last one to hold down a spot for a long enough period was Danish Kaneria for Pakistan.

Where is the next Albert Vogler, Aubrey Faulkner,Clarrie Grimmett, Subhash Gupte, Bill O'Reilly , Johnny Wardle (mixture), Richie Benaud, Bhagwath Chandresaker, Dennys Hobson, Abdul Qadir, Mushtaq Ahmed, Anil Kumble, Shane Warne , Stuart MacGill & Paul Adams ?

So who are the leg-break bowlers coming through in each country and is there potential there ? Because at the moment there is a difficult period for this part of our game it seems.

[benchmark00]

Usman Qadir.

[Prince EWS]

Lance Dry.

[SeamUp]

What about Cullen Bailey chaps ?!

Cameron Boyce and Adam Zampa the new hopes ?

[Spikey]

and james muirhead.

although i'm pretty sure that's just berry wanting to find himself a warne

[SeamUp]

From a South African perspective we have Shaun Von Berg and Eddie Leie who have played for Franchise cricket. They've done ok in the longer version when they have had the chance but nothing to stand out yet. Von Berg recently played a couple of limited overs games for the Titans but while he spun the ball nicely and had a top spinner was hit out the attack. So hard for flighted leg-spinners to do well in LO's cricket.

We have a couple of youngsters like Lionel Vaaltyn at EP amateur and Thomas Kaber (Northerns) but just haven't done enough at amateur level in Vaaltyn's case and behind our 'A' team 4-day spinner in Simon Harmer and Kaber hasn't gotopportunities as Von Berg is ahead of him as Kaber is still 20 but dominating club cricket.

[SeamUp]

Originally Posted by Spikey

and james muirhead.

although i'm pretty sure that's just berry wanting to find himself a warne

Oh yeah, saw him get into the one Vics squad. Suppose Jon Holland's injury may see him get a chance.

[kyear2]

Still not sure what Bishoo did to be discarded. Though he had quite a bit of potential.

[Pup Clarke]

I'm a fan of Steve Smith as a pure bowler - would like to see him get more backing from O'Keefe as I'd love it if he had some success.

[Prince EWS]

The whole Muirhead thing is hilarious. Does Berry have a daughter? Wouldn't be surprised if he offered her up soon.

I'm not sure which would make it funnier in the end - Muirhead actually being exactly as gun as Berry hopes but playing for Victoria instead anyway, or Muirhead moving to South Australia and being a huge flop at First Class level.

[Migara]

Wrist spin do bring wickets. But finger spin had added more varities and mystery. Now finger spin has become the greater art.

[NasserFan207]

Problem with leggies these days is they don't give it a rip anymore. You still get reasonably accurate blokes like Bishoo, but the trump card of wrist spin over finger spin has always been the amount of revolutions you can put on the ball. A leggie who barely turns it has no hope, I don't care how good their straight one is or how accurate they are

Tahir and Todd Astle are prime examples of this in the modern game

Pointless bowlers

[zorax]

Tahir does give it a rip, doesn't he?

Badree would be an ideal example of a new non-spinning leggie.

Legspin is hard work. You only really get good at it when your older, and the only way a young legspinner is going to persisted with is if pitches and conditions suit his bowling. A glut of limited overs cricket, flatter pitches, fast outfields, big bats, all do not help that.

[Chook Herron]

Graeme Cremer is averaging 30 in ODIs for Zimbabwe. His bowling average in tests is not so happy

[NasserFan207]

Well he doesn't turn it much. Only good thing about Tahir is his wrong-un, and 'supposed' accuracy.