The world keeps spinning
Peter Roebuck writes in the Sydney Morning Herald about Australia's search for a slow bowler to match the impressive stocks in other countries, after spin was not so long ago "supposed to be as relevant as letter writing".
Brydon Coverdale
25-Feb-2013
Peter Roebuck writes in the Sydney Morning Herald about Australia's search for a slow bowler to match the impressive stocks in other countries, after spin was not so long ago "supposed to be as relevant as letter writing".
Debate is raging about playing four fast bowlers and forgetting about the slow stuff altogether. After all, the West Indies followed this practice in its dominant years. But captaincy suffered, and once the supply of great pace bowlers ran out, the game was up. The idea also ignores the current emphasis on spin and the empty stands.
In the Herald Sun, Michael Horan looks at one possible candidate for the vacant spin position, Bryce McGain, who at 35 and with only ten first-class matches to his name would be a left-field choice.
And back in the Sydney Morning Herald, Justin Langer explains how he is fascinated by his Test replacement Phil Jaques.
During his twin centuries against Sri Lanka it became apparent that while his stance isn't classical, the position he gets into to strike the ball is very sound. As interesting is the way he watches the ball. One of my favourite sporting images is of Roger Federer hitting a tennis ball. In that shot, it is amazing how closely he watches it - right onto the strings of his racquet. Likewise, I was struck by how Jaques watched the cricket ball right onto his bat during the first two Tests.
Brydon Coverdale is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo. He tweets here