Watch your back, James Pattinson. That’s all I’m saying. You may have made a spectacular debut, ripping through the Kiwis like a hot machete through a carpet python, but all you’ve done is draw attention to yourself.
You’re now bound to come under attack from whatever shadowy cabal of assassins it is that has apparently dedicated itself to crippling Australian fast bowling.
The evidence is well established.
Who has been the best-performed Australian fast bowler of recent times? Ryan Harris, of course, a man whose rubber band knees go ping every time he so much as thinks about playing two Tests in a row.
Shane Watson dared to stick his head above the parapet in Cape Town, taking five South African wickets in a devastating burst that would be remembered as match-winning if only Australia hadn’t lost.
And now Pat Cummins, the mighty teenager who applied such an effective chokehold to the Proteas in Johannesburg, has followed up that one triumphant Test performance with an injury that started out as a bit of soreness, progressed to a bruised heel, is now a bone injury, and by January will probably be multiple bullet wounds. So we’re without him too.
We just have to face the facts: either someone’s out to hobble the Aussie attack, or God just hates them. The long-term injury of Mitchell Johnson now takes on a sinister aspect: having avoided malevolent attention thus far through his reassuringly erratic bowling, suddenly Mitch is out for the season? We can only assume he had been turning in some sensational performances in the nets, and the Fast Bowling Nemesis was not willing to take the chance of letting him loose.
Peter Siddle seems to have found an intelligent path: keep plugging away in an endearingly wholehearted fashion, never quite awful enough to make anyone want to drop him, but never anywhere near good enough to catch the eye of the hit squad. Mitchell Starc needs to take note – his debut was promising but inconsistent, and if he sticks to that he’ll be fine.
You may laugh, but it is genuinely baffling why every fast bowler who looks like he might be something is stricken by injury upon injury. Right now Harris, Cummins, Johnson, Watson and Ben Cutting are out of action – an entire team’s worth of quicks. Josh Hazelwood of New South Wales has only just returned from a long-term injury, and if he starts doing well, will no doubt get another one.
I feel like it wasn’t always this way. Surely fast bowlers of old didn’t so frequently break down? I know there was Bruce Reid, whose spine collapsed every time he walked through a spiderweb; and Craig McDermott once had his bowel twisted as punishment for disobeying Allan Border’s orders to pitch it up; but on the whole the fast men have been a hardy bunch.
Dennis Lillee broke his back once, but was back bowling in no time: it was his contention that a fast bowler didn’t really need a back anyway. He’d never have a bruised heel – his heels would be too scared of him to step out of line. And Merv Hughes bowled all the way through his pregnancy.
But it’s too easy to say that today’s fast bowlers are just soft, pampered nancy-boys who need to strap up their ankles and get out and bowl until their boots fill with blood and they grow a decent moustache. Modern fast bowlers are just as tough in their own way: let’s see Len Pascoe put in an hour on the stairmaster after a gruelling all-day Gatorade commercial shoot. It’s harder than it looks.
No, it’s not the bowlers’ fault: there’s something about the modern game that is just too much for our quicks to tolerate. Maybe the pitches are too hard. Maybe modern shoes provide insufficient cushioning. Maybe insane snipers in the crowd are firing paralysing darts into bowlers’ feet as they run in. I’m open to all theories.
But really, something has to be done. I suggest a comprehensive Bowler Protection Programme. First, we bolster all fast bowlers’ boots with several layers of cotton wool. Second, we provide motorised wheelchairs to transport fast bowlers everywhere: we do not want to see any quicks using their legs unless it’s on the field.
Third, we encase all fast bowlers’ arms in indestructible adamantium. Fourth, we make sure all wicket squares are completely covered in thick gym mats, to ensure a soft landing in delivery leaps. Fifth, nobody bowls at over 120 kmh, it’s just too dangerous.
Last and most importantly, of course, all promising fast bowlers are to be given new identities and relocated to safe houses under 24-hour guard, to prevent any more unfortunate incidents like Cummins’s ”foot injury”.
Yes, it’ll be expensive, yes it’ll be logistically tricky, but nobody ever said being champion of the world was going to be easy or sane. We will be on top of the world again, Australia. And no gang of fast-bowler-attacking thugs will stand in our way!
rl
Guest
Gee, that's a worrying trend for Harris. Shame, as he's only really just hit his straps. Probably the only thing working in his favour is he's a late bloomer, but then again it's not like he's been locked away all that time doing nothing. Plus did I see one of his former coaches saying his, shall we say, less than optimal attitude to fitness in the past (which prevented him from performing at the levels we see now) may be a contrbuting factor in the type of injuries we see him suffering from now? (ie carrying too much weight in the past has impacted his knees)
rl
Guest
Ben, firstly and before I forget: the Merv Hughes pregnancy line - GOLD my friend! Secondly, re your last point above - there's many different kinds of weight training, including for improved muscle flexibility & endurance. Are you (and Spiro) suggesting that despite all that is known about exercise physiology today, CA just decide to ignore all that and send the players off for weight sessions with The Governator, and protein shakes and Xbox the rest of the time? Mitch Johnson's recent improved endurance and physical performance (setting aside what's happening between his ears) can be largely attributed to the corrective off-field training work he has put in. If not for that, I reckon he would have been lost to the game.
rl
Guest
The great West Indian quicks never got injured because apart from bowling (frighteningly well), they didn't actually do anything. Barely moved between overs and NEVER threw themselves around in the field (Courtney Walsh's use of the feet a highlight). In fact, they barely moved between deliveries... guess which team started getting in strife with their over rate once that got introduced? Mitchell Johnson is expected to bowl like lightning, but unlike the Windies boys, also to sprint & dive everywhere to stop boundaries between overs, bounce up and fire a rocket return over the stumps, and repeat. Oh, and also expected to come in and thrash a quickfire 50 (what was Courtney, Curtly or Big Bird's batting averages, or even number of catches in Tests?)
Johnno
Guest
Tommy I disagree with you mate. In the modern game and Hadlee talked about it, and you se eit on tv bowling at the elite level is not simply bowling anymore. It is far more scientific and specific. Run ups are different some forms of the game you bowl different types of balls more, T20 spells are shorter but of higher intensity often as are often ODI spells, and just the course of the match is different to, test cricket the bowlers need more endurance as they may have to bowl up to 50-60 overs per match, over 5 days with say 2 days off in that time , .but then they have to bat and field for longer hours to, and all that comes into it as well fielding in the outfield for longer periods of time, and always swapping sides RH to lH in field, so all these things require specific training as each format is athletic demands on the body different and using some m useless more than others. I think Ryan Harris is finished at test level or within 1 year no more. Why well look at it like this. All fast bowlers over 30, once they turn 30 it is the beginning of the end, and they can break down or lose ability via the agin process at any time. And look at some statistics on aussie fast bowlers who had similar injury prone careers and at what age they retire, or at least form 1 form of the game. Brett lee. Last test age 32 Craig Mcdermoot last test 31 Jason Gillespie last test 30 o rmaybe 31, but really save for that 1 test vs Bangladesh he was dropped and finished by 30 Bruce reid 29 Mike Whitney 33 Merv Hughes 32 Ryan Harris is 32. All these players had injuries to. And Andrew Flintoff was finished at 32 as well. So Ryan Harris is competing aginst history here so that is why i have fears his test career is already over or will most likely be within 1 year.
Tommy
Guest
Johnno, I disagree with your comment about players playing 3 disfferent sports all at once. Cricket is cricket & bowling is bowling regardless if its 3 hours, 6-7 hours or 5 days. You can't compare to 7v15 man rugby etc. I agree with Russ in that bowlers need more bowling followed by more rest, a bit like training for a marathon. Build up week by week but then reduce your workload every 4 weeks. The problem is its really more of an art than science. The only person who really knows if they need to push themselves more or have a rest is the bowler himself. However the problem here, is that they are not going to tell the selectors because they're going to want to represent there country as often as possible. Therefore, coaches will just have to guess as best as possible & tell them when they must rest. Rotational policy is unavoidable in this sense. In practice, I think the issue of young bowlers getting injured is not as big as big a problem as we are making it out to be. Its part of maturing & every fast bowler will go through it. Cummins, Cutting, Watson will all come back better & stronger just like Hazlewood & Starc & a million bowlers before them are doing now. Johnson's injury was a freak occurence. Johnson is a prime example of someone who had injuries early but has now put almost 5 seasons of injury free bowling together. I have grave fears for Harris though. Like Lee & Merv Hughes & McDermott before him, some bowlers seem to get to an age where they just get injury after injury. Maybe the CA investigation should be aimed more at keeping the old blokes on the park rather than the young bucks who always recover & make it back?
Chris
Guest
Vettori's point is a good one. I really wonder what the point of ODI's is these days? Isn't their stated prupose better served by T20? I'd be interested in the thoughts of some of the great West Indies fast bowlers - they seemed to trundle in all day every day and rarely get injured.
Johnno
Guest
And this brings int he point Sir Richard Hadllee made,. About 3 forms of the game , and some muscles not being conditioned or underdeveloped.The human body has so many muscles and bones, it is hard to become conditioned in all 3 forms of the sport at once, as different muscles are worked. Im sure 7evens rugby and 15-a side rugby are different training plans just as indoor/outdoor soccer and volley ball/ beach volley ball all these examples the training programmes would be radically different. SO maybe soon we may only see players speicalise in 1 of the forms of cricket or 2 max, as the body is just not designed to condition itself for such a workload and over variety of muscles being worked. ANy reading today about stretching there are so many forms of stretching (eg static or dynamic, andsam with weight training different types of weight training isolated and core based, and multi movement. The exercise science staff have to be on the money. ANd the power of food, or right nutrition can not be underestimated either, eating the right food for an athlete is harder than one think,s but massively important to eat the right food.
Russ
Guest
James, well said. Spiro, injuries can happen in many ways; muscle work at the gym can is one of them. Simplified, the body has a large network of muscles, of varying strengths. Optimally, you want the muscle most closely aligned to the direction of force to provide the power. However, for a variety of reasons other muscles can become involved, and that can cause injuries. If that particular muscle is weak, either fatigued, recently strained, or just under-developed relative to the surrounding muscles, then the back, shoulders and leg muscles will be used to compensate. That can over-power the weaker muscle and snap it like an elastic band (what you'd call muscle tightening), or it can also cause a rotational force on the joints and damage them. Bowlers need a lot of bowling so their bowling muscles are developed enough to do the work required. Bowlers need sufficient rest so that those bowling muscles are not fatigued. Bowlers need core flexibility and strength so those bowling muscles don't damage other parts of the body. Bowlers need sufficient injury recuperation so that the weak, injured parts of their body doesn't just fail again. Captains need sufficient flexibility that they can manage a bowling attack without destroying it. The single best thing we could do for bowlers is allow substitutes (between the 2nd and 3rd innings) in first class (and test) cricket. At the moment it is all or nothing. Either a bowler can handle 40-50 overs in 3-4 days or they can't play. Substitutions would halve the workload of young bowlers until they had sufficient strength to handle it, and extend the careers of older bowlers. To return to the examples cited above, McDermott was regularly injured from about '92 onwards. Hughes played no significant part for Australia after the '93 Ashes when he shouldered a tremendous load. And my memory of both '93 and '97 is of bowlers dropping like flies. Reiffel was called up as a replacement on both tours because the squad depth wasn't sufficient (Shaun Young anyone?). Then there was the carnage that followed the 94-95 Ashes and preceeded the WI tour. McGrath, Reiffel, Julian - good attack - but the first choice was Fleming, Hughes and McDermott.
Jeb
Guest
haha been watching too many ab rocker infomercials. let me guess - you're elite at sit-ups
jameswm
Guest
Jeb there's no guess work in core streength workouts. Some of you guys have no idea. Ever played sport at an elite level?
jameswm
Guest
Spiro a lot of the gym workouts are flexibility based, like yoga or pilates. Going to the gym to build muscle mass is one thing, but it's only one of many things done in a gym. Saying all you need to do to get fit for bowling is bowl is ill-informed.
Johnno
Guest
Wow Brett, they are acknowledging this issue which is a real positive. I think Brett that will be the problem, conflict of interest and an independent review. But progress is being done, hopefully CA will find some positive results.
Ben Pobjie
Expert
Of course the thing is, bowling is not like weightlifting, or boxing, or even tackling or running in football. It's a pretty unusual and specific kind of contortion of the body, and I feel there's little direct correlation between sheer strength and bowling ability - the strongest players are rarely either the best or the fastest bowlers. So weight training, it would seem, may have limited benefits for a bowler's physique.
Jeb
Guest
I'd agree. IMO sports physiology and strength and conditioning outside actually playing is guess work at best. Nothing conditions you for playing like actually playing
Brian
Guest
I think Vettori has the right idea. Play T20 to make money, play Tests for your country and give up the meaningless rest. This cuts down the workload. Three forms of the games must increase bowler injuries it would be like traning for the 200m and the marathon. Again the problem would be helped if the ICC gave up on ODI.
Spiro Zavos
Expert
I was chatting yesterday with Richard Collinge, the burly and successful New Zealand left-arm opening bowler. He told me he played 160 odd first class matches, and innumberable club matches, in a long career and he missed - two matches in all the time he played. He, like Sir Richard Hadlee, never went to a gym. He also only once or twice jogged around the oval. He got fit for bowling by bowling a lot in the nets and bowling a lot in games. There must be a lesson in all of this. I reckon the use of the gym is the bane of modern sports, including cricket. The muscles are tightened rather than made flexible. The best thing for athletes is to learn the value of stretching exercises, something that Hadlee was fanatical about.
Brett McKay
Expert
Johnno, such an investigation started this week, funnily enough. It has been commisioned by Cricket Australia and/or the Centre of Excellence (and so it probably won't go hard on it's own practices and procedures), but it's a start nonetheless..
Johnno
Guest
There has to be an investigation into the whole management of our fast bowlers , format opt o bottom everything no stone unturned. -AIS/ State cricket academies -Naitonal team sport science strength and conditioning programs. -Everything form , ice baths -types pf stretching -types of weight training/body weight training(pushups, sit ups,chin ups) -type pf physio -yoga,pilates, -nutrion -overplaying/underplaying --rest recovery - ANd sir Richard Hadlee made a very good point which at least un my opinion is pivotal, but i am not a sports scientists expert, and i don't know if hadlee is either, but Hadlee has a theory that playing 3 forms of the game and increases matches was the problem. Having the body play, test,ODI,T20, incorporate different bowling styles, there for the bowler that plays all 3 is contantly having there body manipulated an multiple muscles groups that are not being used all the time have to be conditioned, and some muscles don't get the proper training preparation or rest. 1 thing i do know about weight training, and hadlee made the point he almost never went to the gym, I find heavy weight training does put pressure on joints and can hamper flexibility too, where as i have found natural body strength training(push ups,chin ups) feels so much more natural and i don't feel like my muscles are tight or inflexible or sore joints where as weight training often did. SO do go out and bowl fast bowling running with tight joints is asking for trouble. Shane Watson it seems does less weight training now and has more luck with the injuries but has picked 1 up today, but still has had less nice he cut down the weight training. May be a valid point but i am no sports science expert. And also steve waughs point about travel schedules may hold up too. Wow i hope the players can survive next years super 15 and the rugby championship.
Atawhai Drive
Roar Guru
There must be a happy medium somewhere between managed rest and recovery for our quicks, intensive gym sessions, and giving them the green light to just go out and bowl, in matches and in the nets. Richard Hadlee was on Inside Cricket this week. Clearly reluctant to come across as a "good old days" sort of guy, he none the less pointed out that in almost 20 years of top-level bowling with Canterbury, Notts and New Zealand, he scarcely went near the gym. He just bowled, and bowled some more. Courtney Walsh bowled an enormous number of overs in another 20-year career and rarely got injured. He has been quoted as saying he was afraid to rest. Steve Waugh made an interesting point just now in an interview on Fox Sports News. He puts a lot of injuries down to the hectic travel schedules the modern elite cricketer has to endure.
Brett McKay
Expert
It gets worse, Shane Watson has now picked up a calf injury during rehab for his hammie, and so he's no closer either...