Already turning into a lively thread. Some very good responses, guys!
As others have remarked too, a magnificent assessment from
Howe_zat.
Look, I'd be lying if I said that I am not excited like a 5-year-old kid everytime I see a genuinely quick bowler with a smooth, rhythmic action steaming in and letting it fly. Such an athletic endeavour subconsciously scores high points with most of us and we tend to view such bowlers more favourably.
Simultaneously, it must not be forgotten that bowling genuine swing and extracting life off the seam is becoming a bit of a less practiced art too. And it's a delightful artform, which at least IMHO, ranks up there with the best and must be boosted to greater heights. Bedser's or Mahmood's style of bowling was very effective in that era and I am certain that, if practiced properly, it'll be successful in any era.
After a fair while, I just saw the 1989 Ashes video of Alderman decimating England, so it further affirms my belief in the merits of quality seam and swing bowling.
Cevno brought up Irfan Pathan's case a few posts back.
GingerFurball correctly pointed out that the man hasn't played f/c cricket in more than a year and coming directly from club cricket is a quantum leap.
What however isn't well-known outside the circuit is that the club scene under Baroda Cricket Association (BCA) is highly competitive and there are about 15-16 first-class players playing different club fixtures. Pathan has gone through the 2011 season and by all accounts, his bowling rhythm is back.
Anyone who's bowled pace and/or swing at any level would understand how important bowling rhythm is. It has to feel right in your action and you've got to go through the crease properly. When coaches and the management are tinkering with your action, approach, delivery stride and bowling acumen left, right and centre (especially mid-way through a series), as bowler you can get derailed.
It is my opinion, and solely my own, that Irfan was a victim of overcoaching. A natural swing bowler being asked to adapt to three different formats, asked to run his fingers over the ball and bowl cutters to contain them and bat higher up in the order ultimately took its toll. Player management (particularly fast bowler management) has never been the strongest point of Indian cricket. I mean, you can appreciate if a young athlete doesn't exactly know what's best for him but grey-haired folks should have known better. To differing degrees, Zaheer, Ishant Sharma and a lot of others fell prey to this lack of management at some point or the other.
This was just to add some perspective to the story. Pathan could well be ready to fire, but I appreciate that coming directly from club to international cricket is not done. He should be allowed to get some first-class form under his belt and then let nature take its course.
