“It was fine when it left my hand,” was a response I occasionally gave to an exasperated captain after being hit for six. It always seemed a legitimate observation to me. A cunning off-break had been propelled that would pitch on a perfect length before being thumped over the boundary by some oaf at the other end. Being hit for six was, in my view, more an occupational hazard than a dereliction of duty. What more could I be expected to do – except anticipate my opponent’s plans?
In the recent one-day international series in the Caribbean Moeen Ali was entitled to say, “It was fine when it left my hand,” on numerous occasions, most of which coincided with Chris Gayle taking guard at the other end. Moeen has had a brilliant red-ball winter as an off-spinner; he was England’s best ODI bowler last summer but in the one-day series in the West Indies he had the unflattering figures of 19-0-167-0, a stark reminder that life becomes tricky for a spin bowler when his good balls end up in the stands.
Written by Vic Marks
This news first appeared on https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2019/mar/05/the-spin-england-odi-side-excite-exasperate-cricket under the title “The Spin | England’s ODI side exasperate and excite, but you have to watch them”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.
