Imran Tahir: How much success would he have in WC2011

[fineleg]

Tahir a challenge for de Villiers? Imran Tahir is being saved as a secret weapon by South Africa for use in next month's World Cup, but the opposition are not the only people he will catch by surprise. Wicketkeeper AB de Villiers has yet to stand behind the stumps to the Pakistan-born legspinner in a match situation. Adjusting to a wrist spinner, may prove a "challenge," according to Daryn Smit, who is the wicketkeeper at the Dolphins franchise that Tahir plays for in domestic cricket. Tahir only moved to the Dolphins this season and Smit said he learnt to keep to the legspinner by playing against him previously. "I was lucky because I was able to pick him when I was facing him and that helped me when it came to keeping to him." Tahir's biggest variation from the legbreak is his googly, which is also his wicket-taking ball. "The only way to pick it is to watch how it comes out of the hand," Smit said, indicating that it is not easily read off the pitch. "That's the real difficulty, because you can't be going one way for the legbreak and then he's actually bowling a googly." Even though Smit adjusted quickly to keeping to Tahir in the first-class competition, he still found it testing to do the job in the MTN40 limited overs tournament because of the number of day/night games. "Imran is harder to pick up at night, especially when he makes subtle changes with his hand," Smit said. "Against a black sight-screen and under artificial lights, it takes some getting used to." Three of South Africa's six group stage matches are day-night affairs, including the opening match against West Indies. Both their warm-up games will be played under lights, so de Villiers should have at least one opportunity to get used to Tahir in the dark. It appears that de Villiers has a tricky job ahead of him, but Smit is confident in his ability to adjust to Tahir, having known de Villiers since his youth. "A lot of people say AB is a part-time keeper, but I know that he isn't. At Under-19 level, I was the first-choice 'keeper and he was the back-up and he was a good keeper," Smit said. de Villiers is not the only one who will have to adjust to having Tahir in the side. South Africa have not had an aggressive spinner since Paul Adams and Graeme Smith will have to learn how to manage Tahir. "He is an attacking spinner and that means he is going to go for runs. It may mean setting slightly more defensive fields," Smit said. He advised that a little bit of risk, in allowing Tahir to concede a few runs, will go a long way because "every time he bowls I feel he's got a chance to take a wicket." While Smit is looking forward to seeing how Tahir fits into the South Africa side, the bulk of his anticipation is reserved simply for watching his team-mate make his debut. He said that everyone in the Dolphins squad is eager to see Tahir bowl on the international stage. "In this one-day series [against India], we waited for the starting line up every game to see if he was there. We all know what a matchwinner he can be and we know he will do well." Although Tahir has no international experience, Smit thinks he is more than ready to step up to the big stage. "He has over 500 wickets at first-class level and even though it is very different to international cricket, the years of experience will have set him up well. The conditions in the subcontinent should suit his bowling style. "If he offers the national team half of what he's offered the Dolphins, they'll do well."

[Feed]

Tahir will be secret weapon at World Cup: Smith More... Tahir will be secret weapon at World Cup: Smith PTI The latest addition to the South African squad for the ICC Cricket World Cup, Pakistan-born leg-spinner Imran Tahir will be the team’s ‘secret weapon’ at the mega event, starting from February 19 in the sub-continent, said Proteas skipper Graeme Smith. Smith explained that it was a conscious decision not to expose Tahir, who only received South African citizenship midway through the just-concluded tour of India, in the one-day series against the visitors. “(Tahir) is someone we want to keep fresh and not allow people the opportunity to see so much of. It was also a tactical decision, with our batting being slightly light in this series (against India),” Smith told SportsDay. Tahir, who came up with some superb performances in local games, is also familiar with the sub-continental pitches. “The conditions in India will be a lot more batting-friendly and we will need to adapt our mindset from a batting and bowling perspective,” Smith said. “The great thing about our squad is that it’s hard to predict what the line-up is going to be. It’s the first time we’re going to a World Cup with a lot of different options. “We need to assess the conditions going into our first game and pick the team accordingly. I don’t think we are going there with a set XI in mind. We are going to pick the best combinations for each game; players we believe can win that game,” added Smith.

[jf1gp_1]

didnt SA try something similiar with paul adams ?

[Sachinism]

Dileep Premachandran thinks extremely highly of him for some reason

[jf1gp_1]

Dileep Premachandran thinks extremely highly of him for some reason

mr premachandran usually saves all criticizam for Indian players and performance

[rkt.india]

he is not a bad bowler at all...he is originally a Pakistani..played for whole his life there and in county cricket...I have seen him bowling in counties and most of their batsmen look clueless against him..they usually don't differ his googlies and leg breaks...he turns both pretty well...lets see how he bowls against India, SL, and Pak if plays..

[Ram]

Its very rare for a wrist-spinner, especially the conventional type, to be successful in ODIs. You look at the list of spinners who have been relatively economica/successful in ODIs at various stages in the recent past and the name doesn’t really include many wrist-spinners at all – Vettori, Bhajji, Ashwin, Jadeja, Mendis, Murali, Afridi, Abdul Razzak (B’deshi ), Shakib-al-Hassan, Yuvraj, Botha etc. Technically, you can call Afrid a wrist-spinner and Murali isn’t really a conventional finger-spinner, but the pattern is quite obvious there. It is the finger spinners who are generally more successful in ODIs. Given that, it would be interesting if the South Africans think Tahir can be their X-factor. Its hard to say if that would be the case, until you see him in action. But from an Indian point of view, I am not sure any of our guys are quaking in their boots over the prospect of facing this rookie spinner.

[vvvslaxman]

If he plays against one of the subcontinent sides he could possibly be bullied into submission. I would introduce him against teams like Australia, England, New zealand.

[The Outsider]

Afridi and Murali would both be wrist spinners. ODIs offer huge scope for attacking wrist spinners if used properly - there are of course Kumble and Warne, then Mushtaq Ahmed was successful as an attacking option. Hogg, Chandana, Strang are other wrist spinners who have been successful recently. It's just that the total number of finger spinners are much more than wrist spinners, so in the overall numbers they tend to stand out more.

[kabira]

Well they should have tested him in match condition against India..

[thongale]

That would be the worst move, to expose your debutant spinner against India.

[kabira]

^He ain't rookie. He has played lot of cricket in three different countries. If you can't back him, when will you play him. Sorry I don't like this bull.***** of waiting to play weaker teams.. You need to quickly find if he good enough...

[Sir_Afridi]

That would be the worst move' date=' [b']to expose your debutant spinner against India.

Tahir might also have a dream series just like Mendis.He is definitely better spin option SA ever had in their entire history.

[saneindian]

Repeat of 1996 story for SA? Paul "the secret weapon" Adams replaced Allan Donald for the "easy" quarter final vs WI. And the rest is history.

[Manny_Pacquiao]

tahir is garbage. u know a cricketer must really suck donkey balls if he is rejected by one of the crappiest, talent-starved teams in the world like pakistan. sure, he has a good FC record, but he was taking his wickets in england and SA, countries where nobody has a clue how to play spin. cheap wickets against mediocre players of spin doesnt prove much, ask murali kartik. we'll never know until we see him play, but i'm not buying any ofthe hype around this paki reject

[thongale]

Tahir might also have a dream series just like Mendis.He is definitely better spin option SA ever had in their entire history.

Since re admission will be a better bet. Had some good spinners before apartheid.

[thongale]

Tahir might also have a dream series just like Mendis.He is definitely better spin option SA ever had in their entire history.

And Mendis is a red Herring. Debut spinners usually get smashed if they bowl against India.

[urbestfriend]

tahir is garbage. we'll never know until we see him play, but i'm not buying any ofthe hype around this paki reject

You've never seen him play yet you are dismissing as Garbage. :headshake: If anything, then its your post which is garbage.

[hitman1980]

He is a pakistani .. tht is more than enough reason for him to not have any success in WC .. lolzz But seriously if a player can't find a place in team when the team is 2-1 down in the last ODI series .. I don't think he will be any good .. and how can SA produce any spinner?? tht is like us producing 100mph bowlers :D

[Zero_Unit]

is it just me or did anyone else realise that he is sticking his middle finger up in his bowling picture !!!