A run-up of thirty meters and then a leap and final hurling of body and soul. In that split second these supersonics have gone from being a sprinter to a gymnast and then a discus thrower. It is significant that I mention discus as opposed to javelin.
Increasingly players like Starc, Hazlewood, Siddle, Hilfenhaus and Siddle have pushed their bodies to breaking point.
When pitches are as flat as yesterday’s lemonade, speed is the factor that makes a difference. It also helps if you have a sense of direction.
What are the coaches doing? In their obsession with wrist and reverse they are neglecting the conditioning and maintenance required to keep the pacemen on the park. As Dennis Lillee remarked it may be a simple matter of running on the beach that is the answer.
It is the same story in India and England. Ishant Sharma was heralded as India’s next wunderkind as a nineteen year old. He was approaching speeds of 145kph and seaming it both ways. In the mad scramble for the dollar administrators and captains worked him like a bonded labourer.
He was spelled and is now making a hesitant comeback. Brett Lee was also whipped and driven on the endless circus of meaningless ODI’s. Simon Jones and Darren Gough had their careers circumscribed in a similar manner.
It is more than thirty years since we thrilled to Lillee’s mesmeric gold chain glinting in the sun. His trademark forefinger flick of sweat directed disdainfully at the mighty Viv.
The barbarism of Thommo making batsmen quiver like jelly. Holding’s kiss of death and the malevolence of a Robert’s bouncer.
Speed thrills and these men are a distant memory. Dale Steyn to Dravid and Tendulkar, recently in Durban and Jo’burg showed us what we have been missing.
It is not surprising that bowlers like Nannes, Tait and Lee have forsaken the longer forms. It is perfectly understandable that they have chosen to play for the big money in the shorter forms in the twilight of their bowling life.
How then do we keep this exclusive breed playing at optimum levels? This is especially pertinent in the case of Patrick Cummins. At seventeen he is the most exciting prospect to have emerged since Craig McDermott almost twenty years ago.
Brian Taber, a NSW selector, has reservations about Cummins going to the Academy in Brisbane. And he is right.
John Benaud, in charge of Cummins at Penrith, recently labeled current Australian cricketers as “molly-coddled”. He believes Cummins is ready to play Shield now and will rise to the challenge.
The men with glasses, whitecoats and clipboards could cruel Cummins before he has found his real wings. He is young and still growing. He needs to be monitored by the people who know him best.
These people would know they have a winner on their hands. They would know the areas of core strengthening that need to be worked on. They would know they must keep the action as natural as it is now.
Patrick Cummins should be groomed to be ready in 2013 when Australia next visits England. Even then, he should only go for the experience. He should play the rest of this season in Shield bowling to the best batsmen in the land. He has been an integral part of NSW’s run to the finals of the Big Bash and should enjoy the riches that will come his way.
But if he wants to be remembered as a great then he has a lot of work to do. He must be mentored to look ten years into the future. He must temper with patience the natural inclination of youth to want everything instantly.
Australia is a big country and we must resist men with small vision. In this compromised world we have seen the Tiger driven to extinction. We have seen our tennis courts subsumed by developers. Sardines in tins will always remain thus.
I would like to see Patrick Cummins and Mitchell Starc play their first test at the ‘Gabba in 2014 when England visit next. Three years may seem a long time now and there will be people pushing for these two to play Tests immediately.
Administrators need look no further than Dale Steyn. He is at 27, at the peak of his powers. It has not been an instant meeting with fame and fortune. He has been harnessed and nurtured. He also had the foresight to recognize Twenty20 for the hit and giggle that it is.
He is not the highest paid in the IPL as he has indicated he will only play part of the season. He knows his destiny is to be the greatest fast bowler to come out of South Africa and he is determined to fulfill that.
Steyn made his debut in 2004 and it was 2006 before he got his first five wicket haul. It was 2007 before he got 10 wickets in a match. He then repeated this in the next match.
It was in December 2008 at the MCG against Australia that he got his next 10 wicket haul. A further 2 years and he struck again at Nagpur against India.
He has proved himself in all conditions and against all opponents. With 238 wickets at an average of 23 and a strike rate under 40 he can claim to be the most penetrative bowler in the history of the game.
Patrick Cummins, are you ready for the sacrifice? Can you see your destiny and are you ready to confront it? Australian hearts will certainly wish you well and Godspeed on your journey.
Adstar
Guest
I believe the modern game of Cricket needs a change from the concept of the Team to the concept of the Squad. With the workload now placed upon national representatives we need to have larger numbers of bowlers in the national Squads and a policy or rotation. Something akin to play two games have a game off, or keep a overs count for each of your bowlers and keep your quick bowlers at a similar over count. I believe you would need 8 fast bowlers in your national squad.
Lolly
Guest
I saw him interviewed and he looked relaxed and sounded smart. I couldn't believe he was a young quick bowler actually.
Lolly
Guest
Considering the record of our bowlers being injured over the past two years, I'd really rather prefer that he was kept as far away as possible from the national level and academy coaches. It seems to be the kiss of death to even come under the 'radar' of that lot.
Adam
Guest
Vinay, lets hope that CA don't get their clumbsy hands onto P. Cummings and break him like they have a number of other young fast bowlers recently. They thought it would be a great experience to take J. Pattinson to India for the last test tour there (which it would have) and he broke down with a crook back. Indian dust bowls have the potential to break the best of bowlers and yet in their infinite wisdom CA persisted with the idea. A fast bowling mentor like Stuart Clark, Andy Bichle or Glen McGrath should be assigned to each the young quicks to assist not only in their development and training, but to aide in the decision making on their workload and playing future. Selectors and player managers have too many other priorities and alterantive motives to have the best interest of the young quicks at heart. I say good luck to the lad and pray that he manages to remain injury free.
Abhorsen
Guest
"Australia is a big country and we must resist men with small vision" Well said. One gets the feeling that CA and the selection panel are full of such myopic types, who are only interested in covering each others asses.
Vinay Verma
Roar Guru
Maths Guy,John Benaud is a no-nonsense man and is the best mentor Patrick can have. When you are young it is sometimes difficult to see ten years down the track. But take someone like Nadal. At 15 he was slugging it out on the practice courts with Carlos Moya. Smith and Hughes could do with a mentor like benaud.
Rickety Knees
Roar Guru
Thanks MG this is music to my ears as this kid IS something special.
Maths Guy
Guest
It's worth mentioning what Cummins himself said after cleaning up Queensland: "I like to think I am not a short-game specialist," Cummins said. "In the short game you can get lucky and get a few wickets or not, but in the big games it is when the skill comes into it. Don't worry, I will be focusing on the four-day game and I grew up watching Test cricket and love the battles that get played out in Tests _ that's the toughest cricket going around." A great quote which probably went mostly unnoticed. Adding to that, you'd have to assume the former national selector John Benaud - who's probably seen much more of Cummins's development than most - is in a very good position to judge both the kid's talent and the kid's maturity for the next level.
Rickety Knees
Roar Guru
Ultimately Vinay, it going to be a clash of cultures. Will it be the modern day "show me the money" ie 20/20 or will it be that I want to be the next DK Lillee. The lure of the BMW and the harbourside mansion will be hard to resist. Alot will depend on whom he confides in, what advice he gets and what his ambitions are. I would love to see Cummins brought through over time - his body is still very much evolving - and developed into a fit, strong, robust athlete. Somebody that can terrorise Test batsman for over a decade, as Lillee did and is now regarded as a legend of the game. But then I see Test Cricket as equivalent to a game of chess, ODI's as checkers and 20/20 as Uno.
Brett McKay
Guest
Vinay, Stuart Clark had some interesting comments regarding Cummins, essentially saying it's great that a 17yo has burst onto the scene that can bowl 140+, but perhps the worst thing that could happen to him would be to throw him straight into the blender of professional cricket. Clark's obviously learnt from similar excercises with Starc and Hazelwood - as exciting as 17-18yo quicks are, injured 19-20yo quicks don't offer much. 'Gently, gently' has to be the way forward for Cummins. Bring him up through the Futures League and get him used to bowling on three consectutive days (which would be a big step up from two Saturdays of 1st Grade, or even the odd Sat-Sun), and make sure his body is strong enough to cope. Play him in the BBL and Ryobi Cups next year, by all means, but ease him into Shield workloads, rather than just pitching him straight in. Most importantly, just let him bowl. There should be no major work on his action while he's still growing, and perhaps this is what NSW are afraid will happen at the CoE. Nothing would surprise me any more. Some of the tales I've heard of how young bats have had their stance and grip completely rebuilt on arrival into a state squad are just mind-boggling. They've discovered these kids displaying raw natural talent, and the first thing they look to do is robotise them...
Vinay Verma
Roar Guru
Kersi, yes Pakistan picks them young( birth certificates can be bought) and some then get put on the "spot"
Kersi Meher-Homji
Expert
Vinay, I'm surprised that you have placed Dirk Nannes in the same category as Tait and Lee who have foresaken the longer form of cricket. Poor Nannes, age 34, was never selected in a Test, played only one ODI, 17 T20Is and 23 first-class matches. He did not forsake the longer form. He was not picked. Now for 17 year-old Patrick Cummins, if he has talent and speed (and he has) he should be picked and not wrapped in cotton wool. Pakistan picks youngsters at Test level and they don't let anyone down in on-field performances. Akram for one. Among batsmen, Hanif, Mushtaq, Miandad.