Nannes' need for speed
Dirk Nannes on the special feeling of excitement that watching a really fast bowler awakens
ESPNcricinfo staff
05-Oct-2013
Dirk Nannes, the former Australia international, writes over on All Out Cricket about the special feeling of excitement that watching a really fast bowler awakens:
I shared that 'buzz' of excitement and anticipation during the recent England v Australia ODI series when a resurgent Mitchell Johnson was sending down some genuinely quick bowling at English batsmen. It was a welcome sight, and I'm not saying that simply because I am Australian. To the naked eye, he was noticeably quicker and more hostile than anyone bowling in England this summer.
The 90+ mph club is not a very big one, and when a member is in rare form, it's a time to sit back as a viewer and watch something special. Sure, Mitch's five wickets at 28.2 is nothing special on its own, but it's the spectacle that quick bowling brings to a series that lifts everything in the game. Genuine fast bowling separates the men from the boys. It asks questions of both batsmen and bowler, all of whom need to be at the peak of their powers.