Never Mind Shane Warne, Here Comes Kumble To Put Us In A Spin (9 Oct 1996)

9 October 1996

NEVER MIND SHANE WARNE, HERE COMES KUMBLE TO PUT US IN A SPIN

Colin Bryden

The biggest threat to South African batsmen this summer could come from a legspinner - and it may not be Shane Warne.

The charismatic Warne will be up against Hansie Cronje`s men when Australia tour for a three-Test series in February.

First though, South Africa will have to unravel the mysteries of India``s Anil Kumble, who could be a match-winner when South Africa embark on their first Test tour of India next week. Kumble will be in action in a one-off Test against Australia which starts in Delhi on Thursday.

South Africa will come up against both countries in a triangular limited overs contest before getting to grips with India in a three-match Test series.

Sadly, a head-to-head duel between Kumble and Warne will not materialise in Delhi because Warne is still recovering from surgery to his spinning finger.

Kumble is anything but a conventional legspin bowler. While Warne is an extravagant spinner of the ball, capable of bewildering variations and sharp turn, Kumble bowls at a brisk pace, closer to medium than slow.

Indeed it is not obvious from the sidelines that the asceticlooking engineering graduate is a spin bowler at all.

When Kumble, as a 22-year-old, made his first appearance in South Africa in a match against a Bowl Xl in Springs four seasons ago, the late journalist Derek Amoore snorted contemptuously: "How can you people write that this man bowls googlies? He is a mediumpacer who couldn`t bowl a googly in a thousand years."

With the press box in Springs situated at square leg the comments were understandable. Yet Kumble does indeed mix a googly with his topspinners and legbreaks.

S.A. coach Bob Woolmer said: "The major difference between the two is that Warne is a much bigger lateral spinner.

"Kumble tends to make the ball bounce more and mainly bowls topspinners, almost like a bouncy inswinger. He obviously does generate a little bit of turn, otherwise he wouldn`t be so effective. He also has a very good quick ball.

"They`re obviously both high class wicket-taking bowlers. Warne has a superb flipper. The flipper and the variations of it are his danger balls. Kumble gets people playing back instead of forward because they misjudge the length."

Kumble`s greatest strength is his ability to bowl long and accurate spells. The nature of the pitch is not a crucial element.

At the Wanderers, with its extra pace and bounce, he had South Africa ensnared in 1992/93 when he took six for 53 in the second innings in 44 overs.

In India, Kumble is likely to get more turn than he would in South Africa and his harrying, hustling approach will be more effective by uneven bounce on grassless pitches, particularly in the later stages of matches.

When he toured South Africa in 1992/93 he had played in only one Test match. He was his side`s most effective bowler in that series, however, taking 18 wickets at 25.94. He is now recognised as his country`s leading bowler. In 26 Test matches he has taken 114 wickets at 26.28.

Coincidentally, Allan Donald, South Africa`s leading strike bowler, has taken 114 wickets at 24.87 in 25 Tests. Kumble will be looking forward to the series in India rather more than Donald, although the reverse may be true when the teams play a second series of three Tests in South Africa in December and January.

Although he has not had anything like the media attention that is showered on Warne, Kumble reached 100 wickets in two Tests fewer than the Australian (21 against 23).

The advantage of playing in India is underlined by Kumble`s record of 70 wickets at 20.77 in his own country. Wickets away from home have cost more than 30 runs each.

A season in England in 1995 enabled Kumble to polish his skills. He spearheaded Northamptonshire`s ultimately unsuccessful drive towards the County championship and was the only man in England to take 100 wickets. He eagerly grasped the opportunity to widen his bowling repertoire, experimenting with a slower delivery which achieved genuine turn.

South Africa will have to be at their best to counter Kumble. They may even find themselves facing double legspin trouble. Narendra Hirwani, the man Kumble displaced for the 1992/93 tour, is back in the frame. Hirwani had a sensational Test debut when he took 16 for 136 against the West Indies in Madras in 1987/88 but had not played internationally for five years before he took six for 59 against New Zealand in Cuttack last season. Hirwani was selected to tour England but failed to make an impact.

At home, however, Hirwani has the astonishing record of 43 wickets in six Tests at an average 14.39. A record like that may well make the Indian selectors consider picking two legspinners.

Whatever happens Woolmer says South Africans should not exaggerate the legspin threat. "From our point of view, they only bowl one ball at a time."

While Woolmer`s logic cannot be faulted, South Africa`s leading batsmen can look forward to a lifetime`s worth of legspin in one summer.

Concentration will be crucial.

Source: Sunday Times