Jason Holder must’ve Mankaded Mother Teresa in a previous life to be rottenly burdened with the West Indies captaincy. But to his credit, not only did he seem to moderately give a toss against Australia, he has also gave oxygen to one of cricket’s touchiest subjects.
Like aluminium bats and the untouched sprouts of a Colin Miller regrowth, the beanpole Barbadian is one of cricket’s rarest entities – a bowling captain.
In a number I just made up, the game’s history has seen precisely 143,698 batting captains compared to a quantity of bowling captains that wouldn’t exceed the carry load of a Suzuki Mighty Boy.
As these shameful numbers attest, bowlers in managerial positions have been grossly marginalised from the dawn of cricketing mankind and thus are as incongruous as the Ginger Jihadi.
For some reason, selectors have long viewed the two disciplines combined as a diabolical and impractical clash, with some complaining that simply speaking the pair together in a sentence can taste like a mouthful of Gorgonzola and Colgate.
Some countries even consider it a taboo subject altogether, much like a family tiptoes around one of dad’s poor financial decisions or that rogue son who dropped out of uni to pursue a career in card tricks. It’s embargoed from discussion, plain and simple.
Sure, a few exceptions have managed to rat-hole themselves in to positions of power for their country over the years, such as Imran Khan, Wasim Akram, Daniel Vettori, Shaun Pollock, Kapil Dev, Andrew Flintoff and that Zimbabwean guy who isn’t a Flower brother.
But don’t be fooled; these guys were pardoned in to the role thanks to their basic ability to get themselves off strike.
The real pioneers are your card-carrying nine/ten/jacks, like Bob Willis, Waqar Younis or steady Bishen Bedi. Where the bloody hell is the rest of their species?
Why is the bowling captain – also known as the captain who bowls, or in French as Le last resort – pretty much a last resort?
Is it their type can’t be trusted with the keys? Are they not smart enough? Or is there already too much on their plate?
Some astute analysts doubt the bowler’s ability to juggle field placings and maintain morale while they struggle with the brain-twisting complexities of staying behind the popping crease. Others just say its too tough to dish out encouraging bum-taps from the deep.
Others doubt the bowler’s ability to remember the names of fielding positions, while others doubt their ability to remember the names of fielders.
However, for the real reasoning behind cricket’s dismissive attitude towards bowling captains, one must look back to the historically significant ‘olden days’, a time when 2 Unlimited’s pumping anthems filled the change of overs from a stadium gramophone.
As written by Mike Brearley in The Art of Captaincy, bowlers are shunned by the game because cricket is nothing more than an elitist toff who looks down its nose at anyone who sucks with the willow.
“By far the largest proportion of captains, at least at the level of first-class cricket, has been provided by those who are predominantly batsmen. This pattern arises from the class distinctions I have spoken of: gentlemen batted, players bowled.
“Since captains came from the ranks of the gentlemen, it is not surprising that few captains were bowlers.”
As a man who’s written a book that agrees with what I’m saying, I’m 100 per cent on board with ‘Breaso’. Cricket always has, and always will, treat bowlers as second-class, mass-produced, expendable draughthorses who do as they’re told and are sent to the Futures League glue factory if they don’t.
So in summary, batsman are considered noble and privileged, while bowlers are servants. Not only is it apparent in leadership roles, but also through the prism of the nets. Do you ever hear anyone calling for extra net batsmen?
If cricket could have its way, it would permanently segregate all bowlers at fine leg forever so none of the aristocrat batsmen were exposed to their cooties.
DingoGray
Roar Guru
The notion has robbed Australia of ever experiencing the best captain Australia would of ever had...... Well that, a mobile phone and a few CA cronies... SK WARNE... The Great injustice with didn't experience captaincy other than in the pyjama game and in a few steamy Paparazzi shots.
Mad Mick fromQLD
Guest
Bowlers should not be in charge of anything including tying their own shoelaces! Just look at DIngo!
Scuba
Guest
AB de Villiers writes songs.
The Bush
Roar Guru
That's cause some cricketers are athletes, the others are batsmen...
The Bush
Roar Guru
Turn it up Andy. After Viv, barely anyone remembers the '80s Windies batsman, but names like Marshall, Garner and Roberts will likely live on forever.
Ironmonger
Guest
There's obviously a few reasons why bowling captains are rare. Concern around captains over/under bowling themselves and a need to have someone focused on all aspects of the game when in the field and not just their own bowling are two major points. I would also posit that the typical personality that makes a successful bowler is one that flirts with controversy through adversarial antagonism. Jason Holder, like Bob Willis (and Richie Benaud) don't seem to be cut of that cloth. Unlike Shane Warne, who I think could have been one of the great test cricketers. An absolute shame he was passed over and not given his chance to grow up and shine. I was also advocating (with a big dash of optimism) that Peter Siddle would succeed Punter and yet he was never even mentioned as a likely candidate.
Bryan
Guest
Don't see many keeper captains either
Don Freo
Guest
That other Zimbabwean that wasn't named Flower... Zim cricket was starting to fire under Heath Streak until he led them to strike until they got paid. Mugabe got mean and they had to get out for a while. I think Henry Olongo's life was threatened so he went to England to be a folk singer. I can't imagine a batsman being able to compose songs...unless he is a Marsh, of course.
Naveen Razik
Roar Pro
Steve Smith started out as a leg spinner in the aussie team, and james hopes was captain until this season at the Qld Bulls. It seems though, that selectors think that in the middle of a collapse a batting captain can make more difference than a bowling captain can if his team are being smashed around the place
Don Freo
Guest
What? The Windies quicks are among the most famous cricketers ever.
Andy
Guest
I reckon more people would be able to name great West Indian batsman than West Indian bowlers.
JoM
Roar Rookie
Haha, terrible fieldsmen aren't they? Who misses the most? It ain't the bowlers.
The Bush
Roar Guru
Bowlers aren't just sent to the boundary cause they can throw, have you seem some of these pampered batsmen try and just perform basic ground fielding in the BBL? It's a disgrace.
The Bush
Roar Guru
You don't choose to be a a fast bowler, it chooses you. Those not in the club don't understand. Anyone can throw a piece of wood around and call themselves a batsman. Only a special kind of human commands the level of fear that a real fast bowler does. There's a reason why we only remember the Windies '80s bowling contingent or Mitchell Johnson's destruction of England. No one cares who scored the winning runs...
fp11
Guest
Only? They are sent to boundary and that's all that matters. Nature of the beast, I'm afraid. Hence they can't captain from that distance effectively IMO. For the record I prefer watching great bowling spells rather than Warner and R. Taylor scoring 200+ on recent WACA wicket. No wonder M. Johnson decided to retire!
JoM
Roar Rookie
That's what I said. Batsmen (apart from Warner) cannot throw a ball clean to the keeper, aside from the fact that they can't throw from the boundary anyway, too far for them. Same as keepers don't catch so well when they don't have the gloves on.
Chui
Guest
Fast bowlers are only sent to the boundary because pampered no hair out of place batsman are lucky to throw it half the distance. Batsman are like wingers in rugby. Batsman save matches. Bowlers win them.
MikeTV
Guest
Our Primary School cricket coach used to reverse the batting order when a match went into the second innings. Everyone except the wicket keeper got a bowl too. That should be the system - we need to stop labeling people !
JoM
Roar Rookie
Oohhh, I guess it would be nice if the 1st class citizens actually scored enough runs for the 2nd class citizens to defend wouldn't it. They do sometimes, but.... Poor things get to field out on the boundary because they are the only ones actually capable of throwing a ball back to the keeper without it bouncing 10 times on the way (except David Warner). Back the bowlers!!
fp11
Guest
How the heck is a fast bowler suppose to captain from the boundary (long on and off or third man, long leg, square etc) where they normally field? You must be in the action, in the slips IMO and therefore only spinners have a chance of being good bowling captains. Example Shane Warne would have been a great captain as he fielded in slips plus he is a cricketing genius.