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Australia needs another Warne

10th November, 2016
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(AAP Photo/Jenny Evans)
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10th November, 2016
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As the dust tries to settle following Australia’s shock defeat to South Africa in the first Test at the Waca in Perth, the subject of spin dominated discussions in my neck of the woods.

Keshav Maharaj, the left-arm tweaker, shone on debut for South Africa. His selection, firstly to the squad, came as a surprise to many.

Imagine the shock when he was given the nod for the first Test – and it must have been a difficult decision for the selectors. Waiting in the wings is, of course, ‘chinaman’ Tabraiz Shamzi, another new kid on the block but, who at least has had a taste of international limited overs cricket.

In the end, Maharaj’s selection was probably a “horses for courses policy”, as his experience with franchise cricket, showed that besides his ability to keep opposition runs to a minimum and his wicket-taking ability, he is certainly no mug with the bat.

Much of the talk in our informal discussions around the dinner table centred around South Africa’s sudden glut of spin bowlers. This follows a long drought in this department, aided-and-abetted by captains past, who were loathe to throw the ball to spinners, when the heat was on for the Proteas.

Thankfully, – and rightfully so – this mindset has now been resigned to the dustbin of history in SA cricket.

However the subject of my post is – why is Australia battling to unearth a spinner of note, following the Shane Warne phenomenon? Warne might have been a one in a million leg-spinner – a talent that only comes once in a generation – but, surely, by now we should be expecting to see someone of his ilk do the job for Australia?

Do the Aussies see it necessary to undertake tours to the sub-continent season after season and sit with the conundrum of not having someone in their spinners’ battalion, who can dish out to the likes of Sri Lanka and India some of their own medicine?

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The supposed frailties of the Aussies’ batters against spin is also noted of course – but that’s a subject for another time.

Shane Warne

Have Australia’s cricket authorities missed the boat following Warne’s retirement some seasons ago? Cricket Australia’s thinking may have been that Warne’s presence and wizadry would simply rub off onto the generation that followed. I don’t know how it would work in practice, but surely ensuring Warne’s legacy would give rise to a new generation of spinners was a gilt-edged opportunity missed?

Watching Nathan Lyon trying to hit his straps and break the ascendancy – and dominance – of the Proteas in that second innings must have been too painful to bear for Australia’s fans.

We keep hearing about a spinner’s ability to “hold up an end”, as is the case with comments often made in Lyon’s direction. But, surely, it’s important to keep your team interested by taking wickets too?

Such is the refrain from commentators, pundits and former national cricketers when I see Lyon coming on to bowl. Commentators say: “He [Lyon] can hold up an end and stem the tide of runs”. Has this analogy been so drummed into the poor bowler’s psyche, that all he thinks his job is about, is stemming the flow of runs, by “holding up an end”.

I do not doubt Lyon’s ability but I believe it’s his lack of variation and flight that do nothing for him and the team when they are needing wickets. Nowadays variation is a serious weapon in a spinner’s armoury.

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Adam Zampa is probably the ideal answer to Warne, but he needs the mentorship to deal with the ups and downs of Test cricket. All the talk in the build-up was about Josh Hazlewood and fit-again Mitchell Starc.

When do we see a spinner’s name up in lights in the Australia set-up again? Warne was the light that shone brightly in every facet of the game. And my, when he was thrown the ball, fans everywhere over the world would drop everything and be transfixed on proceedings, whether at the match or watching it on television, in anticipation that something extraordinary would happen.

How many have tried to follow the Warne legacy (in Tests, that is) to no avail? Then there were the likes of Xavier Doherty, Bryce McGain, Beau Casson, Jason Krejza, Nathan Hauritz, Brad Hogg – and now Lyon!

Australia’s cricket authorities are certainly missing a trick, post-Warne!

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