If a stage was perfectly set up for Pakistani leg-spinner Yasir Shah to run amok, it is the upcoming three-Test series against Australia.
With the Australian batting undertaking a major overhaul with a focus on youth it smack of vulnerability after being laid to waste by South Africa’s outstanding bowling unit.
Key in this was the exploiting of the paper-thin batting techniques and temperaments by an old style assault of unyielding pressure, skill and real bowling smarts.
The Pakistani leg-spinner embodies this with his throwback traditional style. He has all the tricks, but rather than fall into the trap of many current spinners by bowling six different deliveries in an over, his major threat is the use of them as if they were killer punchlines.
Relentless in bowling his stock leg spinner, diverging its length and line, a bit quicker, more flighted, or flatter – all while spinning a captivating web of deception.
When what looks like another leg spinner bowled with no discernible change in Shah’s action goes straight, or the wrong way, hanging the batsman out to dry it is as if a canary has been delivered to the cat.
The major worry for the Aussies is how inept they were made to look when facing a similar traditional type spinner Rangana Herath in Sri Lanka recently.
The instant response will be that series was in Sri Lanka in spinning condition as opposed to Shah bowling in the predominantly spin barren confines of Australia.
Truth in this, but the counter is Herath humiliated Australia’s batting with his exceptional guile and peerless bowling craft rather than ripping turners. In fact, few of his left arm deliveries spun!
In the leg spinners, favour is the bounce and pace the pitches will afford making him a more lethal entity. If there is any evidence of spin Shah’s cleverness will come to the fore.
With him planting it in the batsman thought as if it is an afterthought, only to rip one violently turning it square. Leaving the batsman in the cold sweat of insecurity of what is about to come
Australia’s issues against spin resemble a Mark of Cain, accentuated with the adding of many green youngsters to the top 6.
Leading to the question how they hope to exist against his obvious threat?
No Aussie batsman inspire any semblance of faith against spin. Captain Steven Smith might have a reputation as a great player of spin, but this has little merit as evidenced by Herath toying with him in Sri Lanka.
The irony in this will be the role the high calibre Australian bowling unit has in limiting Shah’s influence. With Pakistan having a very suspect batting line up, if the Aussie bowlers can fully exploit their frailties it deprives a spinner one of its greatest weapons, scoreboard pressure.
It’s a factor allowing vultures in close to prey of any bat-pad scraps on offer as well as the duress they represent.
No batsman enjoys the incessant pukka of in their face chat in the midst of a real threat with it diverting mindsets leading to demise.
The flip side is Pakistan’s batting finding a way to be a factor as they did in England. If this happens, it allows Shah to resemble a type of prose Shane Warne was for the great Aussie teams with the leg-spinner allowed centre stage casting the quicks in support roles.
With Pakistan having a cast of very skilled quicks, highlighted by the returning Mohammad Amir it is not a scenario that will end well for the Aussies.
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