The last few years have seen the Australian Test batting order heavily dominated by left handers.
When I was growing up, there was a preference for a left handed opener to upset the bowlers rhythm in a right-handed dominant order.
Now most of our batsman are left-handers. There are also more left handed bowlers.
After the last few weeks of ‘top ten’ lists on The Roar, I got to thinking about which would be the stronger team.
The following are two teams, one made up of Australian left handed batsmen, the other made up of Australian right handers.
The team is made up of players who appeared for Australia from 1983 to now.
Who would win, the lefties or the righties?
Lefties: Matt Hayden, Mark Taylor, Justin Langer, Simon Katich, Allan Border, Michael Hussey, Adam Gilchrist, Rodney Hogg, Mitchell Johnson, Bruce Reid and Doug Bollinger.
Righties: David Boon, Michael Slater, Ricky Ponting, Michael Clarke, Steve Waugh, Dean Jones, Ian Healy, Shane Warne, Jason Gillespie, Merv Hughes and Glenn McGrath.
Although I am an unabashed Ponting disciple, I think the lefties have a stronger batting order (ignoring the last two of course).
However, the lefties would need that batting order as their bowling attack cannot compare to the righties, spearheaded by Warne and McGrath.
On the strength of the bowling, I award the righties as the winners.
Apologies to Greg Chappell, Dennis Lillee and any others who were before my time.
What do you think, Roarers? Did I forget anyone?
Vicboy
Roar Rookie
Bevan could play as a spinner, stats are good. But reckon he would nearly be offended. I feel he struggled with the bat trying to follow Steve Waugh (putting pull/hook away). He then became too predictable to the short ball. Brad Hogg was selected, although to be fair, it was the Shane Warne era. Brett Lee was unbelievable in the series we lost to Poms in England, but his Test figures are a long way from Merv. Being fat was OK back then (not now Cossie), as long as you performed. And Merv did the business against the lot. Dean Jones bowled like me, so was replaced after a bad tour against Sri Lanka, then easy beats. Waugh was a good bat and could roll out a few overs too, but Jones scored a lot of tough runs up the order. Would love to know the science behind the success of left handers at the highest level, and the data of us park cricketers that are right handed. To bowl to 2 lefties in the top 6 is unusual, little own 5! AFL is heading this way with left footers as kicking skills become more important.
Maggie
Guest
The power should come from your top hand which is why it is better to have your dominant hand at the top.Look at the way a tennis player holds a racquet. Dominant hand at top of racquet for a single-handed forehand, dominant hand at top for a double-handed backhand. Most right handers who bat 'left-handed' (and there are a lot of them) do so from 1. natural inclination (it felt right as a kid) and/or 2. because they got coached to play that way and/or 3. as a kid they imitated a top batsman (e.g Mike Hussey imitating Allan Border). In regard to coaching (and I don't know if this is just co-incidence) Michael Clarke, a natural left-hander, bats right-handed and Phillip Hughes, a natural right hander, bats left-handed - and they were both coached by Neil D'Costa.
Mango Jack
Guest
I don't get that. Doesn't the power in your shot come from your lower hand, which is therefore normally your dominant hand? Are you saying that most of these players deliberately changed at some point in their playing days?
Maggie
Guest
It's because the majority of them are not left handers - they are right handers who bat in the so-called 'left handed' facing position, which gives them the advantage of having their stronger hand at the top of the bat. As a cricket coach once said (as quoted by Roebuck in an article on this topic) imagine how many runs Bradman would have got if he had held the bat in a left-handed position.
Mango Jack
Guest
Agreed, fonz. Merv was a great support bowler and better than he is often given credit for, but Lee was a class act. As for Jones vs M Waugh, I think it's closer. Waugh was possibly the most naturally gifted batsmen we have seen, but too often fell short, typified by a highest score of only 153. Jones was not as talented but was tough. His effort in Madras in 86 was one of the all time greatest test innings for sheer guts. Since it's a fantasy team, I'd go with Waugh.
Arthur fonzarelli.
Guest
Sorry vicboy but I would have mark Waugh and brett lee ahead of dean jones and merv Hughes . We are very parochial north of the Mexican border .
Pope Paul VII
Guest
I'm a bit biased because I'm a leftie but I think Left handers from childhood are more natural pullers and hookers, as the more numourous righthanded bowlers get a bit legside because they take a bit of time adjusting from the more numerous right handers off stump. By the same token Righties are more natural drivers. Then again, Kepler Wessels. On the bowling front I'm hoping the two Mitch's get to team up and destroy someone, England hopefully, and put a hole in the Two Left Handed bowlers Bad myth.
Pope Paul VII
Guest
Hoggy's brain was left handed though
Jason
Guest
I reckon the rise of left handed batsmen is because it is easier to bat against right handed bowlers. It is also the reason why there are more left handed bowlers now ie it is easier to bowl to left handed batsmen. I do wonder if modern batting style of putting the front foot down the pitch and swinging freely is more conducive to natural right handers batting left handed. The stroke is not dissimilar to a double handed backhand for a righthander in tennis. I also wonder ift "handedness" is less important than eye dominance.
Mango Jack
Guest
Does anyone know why there is such a disproportionate number of left handers in elite cricket (actually, elite sport in general, I suspect)? I remember my dad explaining that in tennis, it may have something to do with the decisive game point being served to the left-handers forehand. which is generally stronger. Is it because it is harder for right handers to bowl to left handers, and for righ hand bowlers to face left handers because there aren't as many of them in club/school cricket, so lefties naturally rise to the top? Any ideas?
Nicko
Guest
absolutely
Old Creeker
Guest
Still two pretty good teams, though...
Bayman
Guest
AD, ...and bowled right-handed unless age is playing tricks on me.
Fivehole
Guest
Yeah, but then you'd have to drop Deano, and judging by the Authors handle, i don't think he'd be too keen on that!
Nicko
Guest
McDermott ahead both of them for me. In The lefties, yeah bin Hogg and Taylor, Kat and Langer to move up and add Lehmann and Bevan
Jason
Guest
And I'd prefer Fleming to Hughes.
Jason
Guest
Michael Bevan could be your left handed spinner. And are Lillee and Chappell excluded because of the cut off? Both played tests in 1984.
Nicko
Guest
Rodney Hogg was definitely right-handed. Did you mean Brad Hogg? If so, hope its a one-dayer. that would even the teams up a bit.
Pies&Beer
Guest
No Mark Waugh? He was as elegant as they come. Magnificent right handed batsmen, he really was Michael Clarke before Clarke came around.
Atawhai Drive
Roar Guru
Vicboy, interesting piece. But I could swear that Rodney Hogg batted right-handed.