Who's going to be the next good spinner?

[Richard]

Not neccessarily. Don't think Paul Adams can.

Anyway, seems the closest comparison we can have with Mendis is SF Barnes. What sort of speeds does he bowl at?

 

[vic_orthdox]

Was thinking more Ramadhin, not in that Mendis throws, but just from reading the pace, method of bowling.

 

[Uppercut]

Hmm okay, to rephrase, if he can bowl an off break, a doosra, a googly and an inswinger you'd think surely he'd be able to bowl a legbreak.

 

[Prince EWS]

Hmm okay, to rephrase, if he can bowl an off break, a doosra, a googly and an inswinger you'd think surely he'd be able to bowl a legbreak.

Well, I'm sure he can - hell even Murali bowls them to a decent standard. He doesn't tend to use that delivery at international level though, from what I've seen.

 

[chaminda_00]

He bowls leg breaks, googly, off spinner, doosra, slidder, flipper, inswingers and arm balls ftr.

Stop trying to find comparsions, he is just Ajantha Mendis nothing more nothing less.

If he was to bowl a stock bowl, what would it be? That is the real question.

 

[Richard]

Stop trying to find comparsions, he is just Ajantha Mendis nothing more nothing less.

I'm not trying to find comparisons in the usual "ooooohhhh!!!! oooooooohhhhhh!!!!!! he could be as good as <insert name>", simply to try and think of someone who he most resembles.

Of course, the high likelihood is that there's never been anyone quite like him before.

Was thinking more Ramadhin, not in that Mendis throws, but just from reading the pace, method of bowling.

Not sure anyone's ever known exactly what it was Ramadhin bowled. From some angles he looks like a stock-in-trade wristspinner who bowled Leg-Breaks and Googlies, from others a possible fingerspinner who bowled Off-Breaks and Doosras (not that that ball would gain that name for another 50 years).

BTW, it was only Ramadhin's quicker-ball (which I think was Afridi\Jayasuriya-esque pace) that he ever admitted to deliberately throwing. He's always said his two stock-balls were genuine to his knowledge.

 

[Prince EWS]

He bowls leg breaks

Haven't seen one yet TBH. Did he introduce them in the Asia Cup? I studies his bowling against the West Indies and he certainly didn't bowl one there.

 

[Prince EWS]

I'm not trying to find comparisons in the usual "ooooohhhh!!!! oooooooohhhhhh!!!!!! he could be as good as <insert name>", simply to try and think of someone who he most resembles.

Tendulkar?

 

[Richard]

Tendulkar's far too wayward, though.

 

[Prince EWS]

Tendulkar's far too wayward, though.

Obviously, but it could quite well be who he most resembles. It was partly in jest anyway, hence the "".

 

[Richard]

FTR, can't ever remember Tendulkar switching between seam and swing without changing his run-up. AFAIK, no-one has ever really managed that apart from Barnes.

 

[chaminda_00]

Haven't seen one yet TBH. Did he introduce them in the Asia Cup? I studies his bowling against the West Indies and he certainly didn't bowl one there.

He actually hasn't bowled many in the Asian Cup. He bowled a few in the Windies during his first match. But his leg break is pretty much a top spinners, same as Kumble. But due to being bowled with off spinners action, he hard to pick straight away even on TV.

He started his youth cricket (U19s and school boys) mainly bowling leg breaks (top spinners), googly, flippers, slidders and inswingers. It actually wasn't until he started playing U23s and first class that he developed his off break and doorsa. He actually had a lot better leg break before he changed his action to disguise it more.

One of reasons why he doesn't have a stock ball, is that his off break is still very new and when he bowled mainly leg spin, he bowled more googly then leg breaks. If he was to have a stock ball it would be a googly or doosra as they are his best balls and most developed.

 

[Prince EWS]

FTR, can't ever remember Tendulkar switching between seam and swing without changing his run-up. AFAIK, no-one has ever really managed that apart from Barnes.

I'd argue Bracken could be classified as a spinner when he bowls in the middle overs of ODIs given how much work he puts on the ball; his stock ball in some spells is quite often what you could quite easily interpret as SLA and he still has the faster one in his armory - he doesn't change his run-up. Obviously he'd be a very fast spinner but he'd be a spinner all the same. The same goes for Styris Mk III.

 

[Prince EWS]

He actually hasn't bowled many in the Asian Cup. He bowled a few in the Windies during his first match. But his leg break is pretty much a top spinners, same as Kumble. But due to being bowled with off spinners action, he hard to pick straight away even on TV.

He started his youth cricket (U19s and school boys) mainly bowling leg breaks (top spinners), googly, flippers, slidders and inswingers. It actually wasn't until he started playing U23s and first class that he developed his off break and doorsa. He actually had a lot better leg break before he changed his action to disguise it more.

One of reasons why he doesn't have a stock ball, is that his off break is still very new and when he bowled mainly leg spin, he bowled more googly then leg breaks. If he was to have a stock ball it would be a googly or doosra as they are his best balls and most developed.

Fair enough; I know which ball you're talking about. I don't know if I'd call it a "leg break" myself; it's more just a googly released slightly less out the back of the hand - as you said, essentially a toppie.

 

[Manee]

Anyway, seems the closest comparison we can have with Mendis is SF Barnes. What sort of speeds does he bowl at?

55mph.

 

[Richard]

I'd argue Bracken could be classified as a spinner when he bowls in the middle overs of ODIs given how much work he puts on the ball; his stock ball in some spells is quite often what you could quite easily interpret as SLA and he still has the faster one in his armory - he doesn't change his run-up. Obviously he'd be a very fast spinner but he'd be a spinner all the same. The same goes for Styris Mk III.

Should probably have said "switching from spin to seam". There've been plenty of good seamers who can bowl a good fast Off-Break, either as a one-off or over a spell.

Darren Gough and Craig White were two others.

 

[Prince EWS]

Should probably have said "switching from spin to seam".

......

His action really telegraphs it but his run-up doesn't change. A truly awful bowler though whose record flatters him immensely.

 

[Prince EWS]

......

His action really telegraphs it but his run-up doesn't change. A truly awful bowler though whose record flatters him immensely.

at his cricinfo write-up as well. Price is usually a very good source of info so I'd say he's mixing him up with someone else.

Has to justify views by some as the most promising left-arm slow bowler in Zimbabwe. He is also from Takashinga. Was selected into the Zimbabwe team for the Champions Trophy last year when he was hardly known outside his sphere, but has been kept out of it thereafter. He has no known background of junior cricket having been schooled in a township secondary school in Harare. He flights the ball well as a finger spinner and gets important breakthroughs, but tends to tire when overused thereby giving away extra runs.
Steven Price August 2007

He bowls flat leg breaks, right handed.

 

[tooextracool]

Doesn't Mendis have the ability to bowl Leg-Break and Googly as well as Off-Break and Doosra though?

I'd presumed that was why there was so much excitement around him. If he's just a routine fingerspinner obviously he'll never rank up with the very best. Unless they start to leave wickets uncovered again.

You know you can watch clips of him on Youtube, theres plenty of them, to get an idea of what he bowls exactly. I havent yet seen him bowl a leg spinner, hes bowled googlies, off breaks, straight ones, sliders and various forms of doosras. Like i said his bowling reminds me of Kumble in his early days as not only does he turn the ball about as much as Kumble does, but he also bowls about as quick and his deliveries often skid on to the batsmen.

 

[tooextracool]

Hmm okay, to rephrase, if he can bowl an off break, a doosra, a googly and an inswinger you'd think surely he'd be able to bowl a legbreak.

The leg break is one of the hardest deliveries to bowl accurately so I wouldnt be surprised if he didnt bowl a leg break either.