Deliveries that changed the history of the game

[wpdavid]

Bosanquet's invention of the googly and the Saffers subsequently using it to such great effect.

Yeah, that was basically it.

 

[wpdavid]

Yeah, but it took a few years. Their tours of England and Australia in 1970 and, I think, 1971/72 respectively were cancelled relatively late in the day. That may have been as much down to security concerns as any sort of principled stand; by then, the SA cricket and rugby teams were attracting huge protests. To provide some context, SA had been out of the Olympics since the Gleneagles agreement in the early 1960s. SA had always refused to play any of the non-white cricketing nations, so WI, India and Pakistan were keen to see SA isolated and there may have been ramifications if the white cricketing countries had continued to play SA. Perhaps the attempt of SA to influence the selection of other sides was the tipping point. Apart from D'Oliveria, they had complained about having to play against Maoris when touring NZ. Either way, the sporting establishments in England, Aus and NZ were less than willing to support any sort of ban. Especially England; maybe I'm being unfair to Aus and NZ. Eventually they had no choice though.

I should have said that the Maoris playing against SA was in rugby union; nothing to do with cricket, before anyone asks. And of course the Lions toured SA as late as 1974. Without looking it up, I don't think rugby union excluded the Springboks until the 1980s.

And the Gleneagles agreement was in 1977, not the early 1960s.

 

[ankitj]

It was not specifically the SA cricket board...

Irony that a few years later bribing of WI players for rebel tour occurred....

I initially said SA but thought that's too much of generalization, so edited. It is still inaccurate. Thanks for pointing out.

 

[fredfertang]

Larwood's nasty delivery to Bill Woodfull in the Bodyline series.

On that subject the more significant might have been the delivery that Larwood bowled at Bradman at the Oval in 1930 when he flinched at a lifter after a shower had livened up the wicket

 

[vcs]

Darrell Hair no-balling Murali.

 

[Bijed]

Don't know that you can say it changed the history of the game as such, but Hollies bowling Bradman in his final innings

 

[fredfertang]

Don't know that you can say it changed the history of the game as such, but Hollies bowling Bradman in his final innings

Good call - being a particularly sad individual I once spent the greater part of an evening discussing with equally sad people whether, had Bradman hit a couple of fours before getting out, 100.06 would be as iconic a number as 99.94

 

[harsh.ag]

Title should be "Deliveries that changed the future of the game"

 

[Lillian Thomson]

Bradman claimed that he had a couple of fours that were given as leg byes. Whether he ever got given runs that should have been leg byes he didn't say.

A couple of slight ironies to the South African thing. The 1970 South African tour of England was replaced with a World XI. The World XI had several South Africans and one Australian, and the rest were black. Also through most of the 70's Derek Robins sent very strong international quality sides to South Africa.

 

[Starfighter]

Wasim Akram's preposterous use of reverse swing in the 1992 WC final - obviously wasted on Chris Lewis, but still a spectacular announcement of a new skill in the game.

Had a think about this one. Aside from the fact that Imran had been demolishing teams with it for over a decade at that point (and antecedents go back at least another decade), I'd think that the controversies over the '92 test series in England were more influential over actually ingraining the concept of reverse swing in the public's consciousness, at least outside of Asia.

 

[wpdavid]

Had a think about this one. Aside from the fact that Imran had been demolishing teams with it for over a decade at that point (and antecedents go back at least another decade), I'd think that the controversies over the '92 test series in England were more influential over actually ingraining the concept of reverse swing in the public's consciousness, at least outside of Asia.

You may well be right about the 1992 test series, but I couldn't narrow that down to one delivery so I cheated. And as you implied, earlier usage wasn't so widely recognised outside of Asia. Maybe in England that's because Imran didn't actually play in Pakistan's home series against England; we were skittled by Abdul Qadir on those occasions. And when Pakistan won in England during the 1980s, it was down to more conventional swing. I know that's a completely anglocentric perspective, and others may see things differently. Didn't Sarfraz bring about a famous win in Australia with what was subsequently recognised as reverse swing? But perhaps it's also due to the lack of TV coverage being available of tests in Asia prior to the 1990s..

 

[the big bambino]

Whomever it was that reasoned the value of the slower ball in one day cricket to put batsmen off from establishing a rhythm against a bowler's normal speed. I kind of recall it became a useful weapon for Australia's odi teams of the late 80s with back of the hand stuff being bowled by S Waugh and perhaps O'Donnell. Since then every pace bowler has worked to develop a slower delivery and newer varieties are being invented to deceive the batsman.

 

[Daemon]

 

[trundler]

Andrew Tye's knuckle balls

 

[AndrewB]

Some which felt significant to England in recent years:

In 1996, Nasser Hussain was on his 3rd or 4th chance in the England side, and a few bad games could have been the end of his Test career. In the first innings that summer, he was lucky not to be given out early on, and ended up scoring about 120 in a lowish total, which meant his place was safe for a while.... 3 years later he was the captain.

In 2000, England were low in the rankings, had just lost the 1st Test v West Indies by an innings, and seemed to be getting thrashed in the 2nd Test.
Then Darren Gough held a very good catch to get the first wicket in the second innings, West Indies collapsed to 54 all out, England just won the match (by 2 wickets) and went on to win the series.
That seemed to mark the start of England (under Duncan Fletcher) turning their form around and becoming a decent side.
Without that catch...maybe WI would have made a reasonable total, won the match, won the series; a disconsolate England then lose the winter series in Pakistan and SL, instead of the surprise wins; Hussain loses his job, Fletcher is sacked/quits in disgust.... or maybe it would have all been much the same, who knows?

And obviously that catch by Geraint Jones in 2005.

 

[h_hurricane]

Clive Lloyd hit on the jaw by Dennis Lillee at Perth in 1975-76 which prompted him to unleash the pace quartet against all comers from then on. The rest is history.

 

[the big bambino]

I thought he resolved that when India chased down 400+ against his spinners at Port of Spain in 75/76

 

[wpdavid]

I thought he resolved that when India chased down 400+ against his spinners at Port of Spain in 75/76

It was a combination of both, wasn't it? But even then they still played a spinner in two of the matches in England that took place after the India match. Maybe Holding's performance there sealed the deal. or maybe it was the emergence of Croft and Garner a few months later than made spinners redundant for Lloyd's team.

 

[mr_mister]

I thought he resolved that when India chased down 400+ against his spinners at Port of Spain in 75/76

Did that involve Gibbs dropping the ball? Because I know he lasted til '75 but must have been ancient by then

 

[Lillian Thomson]

The idea that Clive Lloyd suddenly decided one day to choose four fast bowlers and do away with spinner is not true. What he decided was that he would pick his best bowlers. After Gibbs retired they had Padmore and Jumadeen on the England tour. They played one Test each and were not up to the task. If he'd had a Gibbs he would have played him.
As far as the India 400+ is concerned it was after Gibbs retirement.