issue 19 MAY 2009

Cricket Australia Ambassador Where Bowlers Look and Southern Stars Bowler ore than thirty years ago, Northcote all-rounder Now, this was well-known in Melbourne club Delissa Kimmince in action (now Fairfax columnist), Brendan McArdle, received a cricket and a source of mirth to all except the You can bowl last-minute call-up to make his first-class cricket debut. eventual 273 batsmen he dismissed in first grade. MIn the second innings of the match at the Adelaide Oval, he But, it does raise a point: where should a bowler a spot on the wicket. Perhaps, but the spinner has to contend them, trap them opened the bowling with good friend, Ian Callen, and took three look when he prepares to deliver the ball? Or, as McArdle with another variable - the batsman’s feet. lbw, have them wickets as Victoria beat South Australia outright. seemed to prove, does it really matter? Former Test spinners Shane Warne and Greg Matthews are Nothing unusual except the looks on the faces of the Cricket Australia’s coaching guide, Australian Cricket Coach, two advocates of teaching young spinners to concentrate on caught behind South Australian batsmen including rising star, David Hookes, advises the bowler to run up, “head steady, eyes fixed on the an area of the pitch and working on specific plans to combat – whatever. as McArdle reached the wicket. For, in his delivery stride, the target”. But, the “target” isn’t actually defined and, of course, it’s batsman leaving their crease. strongly-built swing bowler’s head pointed to mid-on and his not always the stumps. There are other modes of dismissal. “Spinners don’t have the same area of error as a pace But, where do eyes were closed. In baseball, it’s much simpler: the pitcher aims at the bowler because the ball is coming slower, so it gives the bowlers actually catcher’s glove. But, in cricket, the ball is allowed to hit the deck, batsman a longer period of time to adjust,’’ Matthews said. Mitchell Johnson which makes it so much more interesting. So, I look at the area, I picture that in my mind, then I look when looking to take In the old days, we used to hear about bowlers who could watch the batsman’s feet because I’m conscious of his foot they deliver a wickets for “land it on a threepenny bit”. And, during last season’s one-day movement. If he gets out at me early, then obviously I have Australia tri-series, the Nine Network promo showed Nathan Bracken to change my length.” ball, and why? apparently doing just that. Even pace bowlers need to take account of the batsman’s Doug Ackerly This would seem to infer that a bowler runs in and aims at a movements. Or do they. spot on the pitch, a logical methodology embracing all the basic Former Australian fast bowler Rodney Hogg used to decide investigates. modes of intended dismissal. on a whim whether he would bowl an out-swinger or “knock But, it’s not that simple. In fact, if you’re a pace bowler, it’s a batsman’s head off”, while former West Australian and Kent just not on, according to former Test player and respected coach, coach, Daryl Foster, who established the MRF Pace Foundation Ross Duncan. in India with Dennis Lillee, suggests bowlers who had trouble “I started out trying to watch a spot and it’s nearly impossible bowling a consistent line and length to look at the base of off because, as you’re running in, your head’s moving and the spot stump and adjust accordingly. changes and you really can’t see it,” he said. According to Duncan, the pace of the wicket, prevailing “When you bowl, if you bowl often enough, you know where breeze and the height of the batsman are other variables on a good length is: you know that because you’ve practised a particular day. But, in the end, it seems it’s a “feel” thing. enough. Once you’ve got the line, you know you can bowl a “You look at Glenn McGrath: the lines that he bowls are length that you want.” critical. He bowls the length. I am sure he can shut his eyes: Duncan says that line and length will be one that enables a you can’t tell me he’s watching a spot on the wicket. I just bowler to “hit the top of off stump” with his stock delivery. The think he knows if he shut his eyes, he could still do that. off-stump becomes a reference point – but not a target as such. He’s peripherally watching the batsman, watching his feet, But, what about slow bowlers? Surely, with their shorter and just trying to give himself some little bit of an edge.” more leisurely run-up, it is easier for them to concentrate on Maybe McArdle knew what he was doing after all.

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