Facing Holding's fire
With the documentary Fire in Babylon releasing across the world, Mike Selvey writes in the Guardian of his experience of facing Michael Holding, and rues the lack of enough quality pacemen in modern cricket.
Dustin Silgardo
25-Feb-2013
With the documentary Fire in Babylon releasing across the world, Mike Selvey writes in the Guardian of his experience of facing Michael Holding, and rues the lack of enough quality pacemen in modern cricket.
It was not until other occasions that I realised the trick was not to focus on Holding until he was actually approaching the crease. For now, in the distance, I saw him duck his head in that way a thoroughbred might on the Newmarket gallops that he inhabits now whenever he can, and begin his majestic run. It was mesmerising, for as he strode, Holding's head, held high, swivelled slightly from side to side. The cobra, I am told, hypnotises prey in a similar swaying manner.
Dustin Silgardo is a former sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo