Jump to content

'Dragging' in cricket


vvvslaxman

Recommended Posts

I came across this term and did a little research on it.. Picked up couple of series from the WIKI http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umpiring_in_the_1946%E2%80%9347_Ashes_series http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umpiring_in_the_1958%E2%80%9359_Ashes_series In modern cricket the bowler is no balled if he bowls without some part of the front foot (either grounded or raised) behind the popping crease and if his back foot is not wholly inside the return crease. In the 1950s the front foot rule had not been written, so the requirement was that one foot be behind the bowling crease. The 1958-59 series was a catalyst towards the change as fast bowlers tended to drag the toe of their rear foot over the bowling crease in order to decrease the distance between them and the batsmen when they released the ball. If they timed it well the delivery was made when the toe was still behind the crease, but sometimes they would drag it over the line and they would be no balled. The dust raised by the dragging foot and the distance between the bowling hand and the dragging foot of some six or seven feet made it difficult for umpires to make the correct decision. You can go through the list There is a note about this bowler Gordon Rorke Gordon Rorke: Gordon Rorke's bowling action A six-foot five-inch "Blond Giant", Rorke was the fastest Australian bowler and accused of throwing by the English press, but this paled beside his excessive dragging. With his gigantic seven foot stride and yard long drag he could be only eighteen feet from the batsman when he finally delivered the ball and at times seemed impossible to score from.[5][22][23] Fred Trueman was no balled for dragging his foot a couple of inches over the crease and wrote "It was really annoying as this umpire seemed to allow Gordon Rorke to bowl with both his feet over the front line!"[24] One picture showed him with his rear foot past the bowling crease before he had even begun to drag[22] and Colin Cowdrey joked "I was frightened that he might tread on my toes".[25] Then there is another guy Ian Meckiff Ian Meckiff: Ian Meckiff's bowling action The biggest culprit in English eyes was the "jerky erratic Meckiff".[18] who took 17 wickets (17.17) in the series, but dragged his foot and his "action was generally conceded to constitute a throw".[18] Several former English and Australian Test players stated that his action was illegal; Jack Fingleton, Keith Miller, Alf Gover, Ernie McCormick, Ian Peebles and Johnny Wardle, as did many in the England team; Trevor Bailey, Jim Laker, Peter Richardson and Fred Trueman. Meckiff was defended by his captain Richie Benaud said he was "completely satisfied that his delivery was fair and legitimate".[19] and Jack Pollard, who wrote "Meckiff, in fact, went to the crease with a beautifully relaxed approach, paused momentarily with his arm absolutely straight, and then let the ball go with a blurred swing of the arm that was impossible to follow from 60 yards away, even with the aid of good binoculars".[20] The England manager Freddie Brown wanted to make an official complaint about Meckiff's bowling after the First Test, but captain Peter May declined as it would look like sour grapes. Instead they talked unofficially to the Australian chairman of selectors Sir Donald Bradman who retorted "And what of the action of the England bowlers Tony Lock and Peter Loader?" and that they should "first of all put their own house in order".[13] May never did make an official complaint, but "Englishmen who fell to Meckiff's speed and lively lift were hardly happy at being victims of deliveries that began with a bent arm and finished with a pronounced wrist-whip".[21] He was subsequently no balled for throwing twice in the Sheffield Shield, but his career was ended when Australian umpire Colin Egar no balled him four times in his first over against South Africa in the First Test at Brisbane in 1963-64. Some thought this was arranged for the benefit of sporting relations, but Meckiff never played cricket again. Another note about throwing In cricket to throw the ball when bowling is illegal and results in a no ball, but until 1960 it was undefined and it took a strong minded umpire confident of the backing of the authorities to call a bowler for this offence.[8] To accuse a bowler of throwing was to call in question his sportsmanship, in effect to call him a cheat, and could result in libel charges by the offended bowler. A bowler who threw the ball increased his pace, from slow to medium or medium to fast, and the whip of the wrist altered the line of the ball, variations that could easily dismiss a batsman.[9] When applied to short-pitched deliveries the speed and inconsistent bounce of a "chucker" could be very dangerous, as demonstrated by the feared West Indian fast bowler Charlie Griffith. Another difficulty for the umpires was that although the upright straight arm was the ideal many bowlers had a slightly bent bowling arm without throwing the ball, and of course leg spinners used a strong wrist action, so it was not easy to sort out the innocent from the guilty. Sir Donald Bradman said "It is the most complex question I have known in cricket, because it is not a matter of fact, but a matter of opinion and interpretation. It is so involved that two men of equal good will and sincerity could take opposite views".[10]

Link to comment

Reading about umpiring in the two series seems like Bowlers thoroughly enjoyed benefit in those era compared to this era where they are overly restricted. Chucking was free for all in that era it seems. I have read about Nari Contractor incident as well where non striker kept telling he was throwing.

Link to comment

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...