14 Wednesday 9th July, 2008 NEW DELHI: length which bamboozled India's best? ets had Jayawardene not removed There is little And here you thought subtlety had him," says former Indian captain and Playing across magic remaining disappeared from the game. acclaimed spinner Bishan Singh Bedi, in this world, so Fact is, what Mendis advertised on "What Mendis bowls looks complicat- the advent of the big stage on Sunday isn't some- ed, but it is not. And that is subtlety of the line to Ajantha Mendis thing new. The genesis of the 'carrom- a high order. He's a bit like the early comes as a breath of ball' spinner, or flicker, if you will, '90s Anil Kumble except he has much Mendis proved fresh air. With a seem- can be traced back to Aussie Jack better control. But it's wrong to say ingly casual flick of his Iverson in the 1950s, who developed Mendis is totally unorthodox. His immensely powerful the method of gripping the ball grip is freaky, yes, but his run-up (a to be fatal middle finger, the 23-year- between his thumb and middle finger, busy, shuffling gait), delivery stride by Anil Kumble old Sri Lankan spinner powerfully flicking the latter either and follow-through are technically seemed to hypnotize some very way at the point of delivery. very sound. Also, his biggest strength It was disappointing to see India capable players of spin in the Asia John Gleeson perfected the art, now, the straighter one which is clos- go down in the final after playing so Cup final against India. and much like Mendis, they were all er to a flipper than a top-spinner, is well throughout. But if I have to draw Faced with an unorthodox self-taught, mesmerizing bowlers. As possible only because he bowls with some consolation, it is the perform- the shoulder, and has a perfect long- ance of Ajantha Mendis, a fellow arm release. It's incredibly impressive spinner, and all credit to him for the and correct. He doesn't resort to the way he bowled. On flat pitches, laxity in the ICC's elbow flexion rules bowlers have had a tough time and for effect. He's a delight, the first per- for someone to run through a batting Bedi excited son after Sachin Tendulkar I would line-up was a big achievement. pay to watch." India’s top order made runs in the That's high praise, indeed. Mendis tournament and going by the way has now risen from the ranks of a they played Mendis, it’s obviously not Tier B domestic team, the Army SC, easy to pick him. When you’re strug- with Mendis’ to the top of the bowling charts in the gling to pick a bowler out of his Asia Cup. And single-handedly turned hand, the usual thing is to play him "Of course they'll figure around a crucial final. But he's not off the wicket. What was surprising the finished product yet, and a Test was that many Indian batsmen did him out the more he plays," debut beckons. What next? not pick his length early enough. The talent says former spinner "Of course they'll figure him out safest option, when you’re not quite Maninder Singh, "But his the more he plays," says former spin- sure which way the ball will turn, is rise is testimony to Lanka's ner Maninder Singh, "But his rise is to play straight and some of our bats- practitioner who testimony to Lanka's unique coach- men made the mistake of playing seems to have unique coaching system. ing system. They don't mess around across the line and paid the price. uncanny control They don't mess around with natural talent, unlike our coach- Mendis uses a grip that you see over his craft given with natural talent, unlike es who seem obsessed with correct- quite often in tennis ball cricket, but his age, Dhoni and Co. reacted ness. Mendis is a freak, that's why he to master this with a cricket ball like bunnies out of Mandrake's our coaches who seem is so good. It's great for the game to takes some doing and he’s obviously hat: dazed and confused, but somehow obsessed with correctness. finally have a spinner who seems to managed that. He bowled wicket-to- all part of the act. Such was Mendis' Mendis is a freak, that's have the talent to hog the limelight in wicket and employed subtle varia- overwhelming presence on a vulture's the Kumble-Warne-Murali mould." tions. It’s not that he spun the ball head of pitch at the National Stadium why he is so good. It's Gleeson, though, after a very suc- appreciably but he showed that when in Karachi that even an intently great for the game to finally cessful series against the West Indies you are accurate, all it takes is small admiring Muttiah Muralitharan was have a spinner who seems in 1968-69, was worked out by bats- movement to beat the stroke. made to look pedestrian in compari- men, and Mendis might have his task With India going to Sri Lanka son. to have the talent to hog cut out. Bedi, however, feels the next for a full series, we need to So even as cricket romantics the limelight in the Kumble- bowler has the goods to survive over- watch Mendis. But Test cricket is a rejoice, batsmen and their latest Warne-Murali mould." exposure: "He is intelligent enough to different ball game as batsmen have 'caddies', the computer analysts, raise his game, add newer varieties, more time to assess a bowler and have a problem on their hands: and his youthful enthusiasm is an come up with a method to tackle him. Just what is Ajantha Mendis? Is Dhoni pointed out, it's simplistic to asset. You can watch computers all In limited-overs cricket, you’re it possible to read him from the say the Indians played some bad shots you want, but he doesn't know always looking to score and this can hand? He is a finger-spinner, in the final: it was Mendis' guile English, so how will you get him to induce the mistake. but how does that explain the which induced it. His three best dis- talk about his bowling? Also, he does- Taking 6 for 13 in a final is a great variations? The one that fizzes missals came against the left-handers n't seem like a bowler who is interest- spell, but the match was not about on straight but cannot be called Yuvraj, Raina and Pathan, who had ed in dot balls. He needs wickets. All Mendis alone. When India picked up a top-spinner; the off-break; leg- no clue. The arrogant Sehwag and this talk of his real test coming now Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela break, googly; even something Rohit Sharma, who played for the leg- is a bit over the top. I think he's up to Jayawardene cheaply they had made resembling a doosra? Without break and found the ball cutting in, the task." the ideal start but Sanath Jayasuriya any change in action? His and RP Singh were duped. And eight The length of the wand, after all, showed just how big a part he can Ajantha Mendis bowls during the Asia Cup final breaks don't turn much, but overs and 13 runs later, it was all over. doesn't really matter. The magic is in play. India bowled well but Jayasuriya in Karachi. (AP) what about the in-between "He would have taken eight wick- the wand itself. ensured that even the early break- throughs did not hamper their progress. He’s the kind of batsman who can hit boundaries even in the middle overs, when the bowlers are British GP: Hamilton trying to keep things a bit quiet, and US system rules this made a difference. I thought Ishant Sharma bowled really well up front and we have been effect to be curbed talking about how important it is to by Kevin Garside do damage with the new ball. But out Tyson Gay is shaped by the media. India faltered in that they did not My neighbour is just the sort of back up this start in the middle overs. of the men's Today is a good day in the life of casual observer that Hamilton reaches They needed to keep getting wickets track and field Lewis Hamilton. He is back in the car at out to, one who does not invest emotion- and ensure the pressure was on Sri teams, said: "I Hockenheim to test ahead of next ally in grand prix racing but who pays Lanka. Instead, partnerships devel- believe in the week's German Grand Prix. On Sunday, attention because of the 'Hamilton oped and Tillakaratne Dilshan, system. At the in the British Grand Prix, he gave effect'. McLaren recognised the need for although playing second fiddle, made end of the day, another demonstration of his extraordi- change during the political meltdown an important contribution. there will not be nary flair in a racing car, much like he last year, which led to the departure of Sri Lanka might have only a person in this did in Monaco in May and Melbourne in Fernando Alonso. reached 273, but in a final that’s like gathering that is March. The communications department scoring 300. There’s always pressure going to say they Other days have not gone so well.