Leg-side bowling

[shahid6995]

I got this link from the CricInfo site about the tactics of leg-side bowling that Tendulkar used to good effect in the second ODI. The tone of the article is a little critical of this strategy, and I thought it might be interesting to have an opinion amongst the readers here about this. Of course I would like unbiased comments, but given that Tendulkar was the main bowler who benefitted, I dont expect the Indians here in the forum to be rational in their assessment .
(But who knows, I might be surprized.)
So read the article, and post your comments then.
http://www.hindu.com/2005/04/09/stories/2005040900831900.htm

 

[SaiSrini]

You are are not going to be surprised by my comment shahid.. ODI cricket is all about containing the batsman. If the batsman is really skilled, then let him find ways of counter attacking it. Why not take it as a challenge for the batsman instead of blaming the bowlers using that tactic? I cant see why a batsman cant find a way against this tactic. Sehwag came out of the crease to smack Giles who consistently bowled on leg stump. He signalled that such tactics can be negated. This way, many batsmen around the world can come up with some intelligent tactics. Thats what differentiates the best batsman from the rest!

A good tactic from Tendulkar. Had he used this in test matches, I would have slaughtered him for doing it. But it is ODI cricket that is being talked about

 

[squiz]

So why did they invent Twenty20 cricket? To be more exciting and to draw bigger crowds, bowling leg side lines ball after ball will hardly draw crowds, it's boring cricket

 

[SaiSrini]

So why did they invent Twenty20 cricket? To be more exciting and to draw bigger crowds, bowling leg side lines ball after ball will hardly draw crowds, it's boring cricket

if the batsman is able to score off those deliveries, then why will the bowler keep bowling at the same line??? i would also say that it should be used as much as the bouncer is. more than 2 deliveries an over outside the leg stump and its called a wide.

 

[bharat]

Afridi bowled leg stump line and almost every ball was a wide.
Danish bowled leg stump line and was smashed for boundry by sachin with the reverse sweep.

 

[DeLonge182]

yea, great shot.......but not everybody can bat as well as sachin.

 

[The Champ]

yea, great shot.......but not everybody can bat as well as sachin.

Ya there can be only one Sachin

 

[SaiSrini]

yea, great shot.......but not everybody can bat as well as sachin.

But Sachin has proved that some one can really do it. Now, its upto the other batsman to raise the bar and match Sachin in countering those tactics

 

[sohum]

Well the Ashley Giles debate resurfaces, eh? That was back in the England tour of India where Giles used the leg-stump line and was eventually even cautioned by the umpire. But one cannot blame him--what hope does an English spinner have against India in India? Anyhow...

As mentioned by some of the readers, in ODI cricket this is okay because the bowler has the aim of restricting runs and getting wickets. In test cricket you cannot win a match if you do not pick up wickets. I think this makes the game even more exciting because batsmen will have to play flamboyant strokes to counter the tactic. Take Sachin's super sixer off Kaneria as an example. Surely that brought some excitement. Besides, the batsmen have too much of an advantage in the ODI game today so I am all for it. That's all for my unbiased response.

 

[sachinisgod]

though this might be again called prejudiced but still, I think Sachin did a wonderful job...this is ODI cricket - and the interest is diminishing even there coz it gets lame somewhere in the middle...that is why Twenty Twenty was introduced...if you wanna keep the 50 over format floating - new tactics are needed alongwith new rules...thats what Sachin did...this kinda bowling doesn't warrant criticism...

 

[SaiSrini]

Nice to see my opinion being seconded here by other senior and much pro Indian lovers.

 

[DeLonge182]

pro indian lovers............is that meant to be a dig at me?

 

[SaiSrini]

No buddy.. I didnt mean to attack anyone!!!

 

[Nav-D]

There's no place for this form of bowling in cricket, its disgusting and against the spirit of the sport.

I want to see the skill of the bowler to outwit the batsmen, not sheer frustration. :

Indian fans put your biases aside and realise this is not how cricket should be played.

 

[SaiSrini]

There's no place for this form of bowling in cricket, its disgusting and against the spirit of the sport.

I want to see the skill of the bowler to outwit the batsmen, not sheer frustration. :

Indian fans put your biases aside and realise this is not how cricket should be played.

Sorry, we are not biased.. Thats what we feel. Even if this tactic had been used by any other team including Pakistan, we (at least I) would definitely support it. It not wrong at all.

And if repeated bowling of such deliveries is called a wide, then why does the batsman get frustrated? He can well get free runs through wides...