Munaf Patel is spinning the ball these days: Roberts

[Tiger80]

West Indian fast bowling legend Andy Roberts is baffled as to why young Indian pacers suddenly lose speed after showing early promise and start "spinning the ball", pointing out Munaf Patel [ Images ] as the most recent example. "When Munaf Patel came here in 2006, he had some pace," said Roberts wryly, "Now he is spinning the ball!" Roberts was speaking from his experience of having worked with Irfan Pathan [ Images ] briefly during the 2006 tour by the Indians after the then coach Greg Chappell [ Images ] requested him to look at the left-arm seamer's problems. "You have to remember this happens only once they make it to international stage. May be they are better off without these coaches. "These coaches turn you into line-and-length bowler. Not what you naturally are. These boys then lose their ability." Roberts, who picked up 202 wickets from 47 Tests at 25.61 average, is hailed as the father of fearsome West Indian fast bowlers of 70s and 80s. He certainly is not impressed by the fast bowling in world cricket presently. "Shaun Tait [ Images ] throws his arm. Dale Steyn [ Images ], whom I like, also occasionally throws his arm. Less said about the West Indian pacemen the better. The likes of Kemar Roach, Jerome Taylor [ Images ] and Fidel Edwards [ Images ] are not running in fast enough at the batsmen," he said. "They saw Curtly Ambrose run in smoothly and ping the ball. But he could do it because he was so very strong. Others must run in hard in their run-ups. "There are two ways to bowl fasteither you steam in or you have a lot of strength to bowl even if you are relaxed in your run-up," Roberts explained. Roberts is dismissive of the notion that today's cricketers play a great volume of cricket. "Too much cricket? They play mostly Twenty20s and one-dayers. It's 4 or 10 overs a match." http://www.rediff.com/cricket/report/west-indies-india-munaf-patel-is-spinning-the-ball-these-days-says-andy-roberts/20110614.htm

[urbestfriend]

We have won the ODI series with 5 spinners :yay:

[gaurav92]

Praveen Kumar - Spinner CHECK Munaf Patel - Spinner CHECK Amit Mishra - Obviously a spinner CHECK Ravi Ashwin - Spinner CHECK harbhajan Singh - A spinner who bowls Phaasht, but not too fast to be a fast bowler CHECK Alright, now my question is, why will they bowl fast if we know that West Indian batsmen struggle against spin ? :hmmm:. Any Sensible* bowling unit will bowl slow and try those cutters because their batsman can't read the turn even after the ball has pitched :hehe: * : It does not include the Powerhouses and the Brainless Dart Chuckers.

[saneindian]

Who cares. he is taing wickets and bowling wonderfully since his comeback.

[gaurav92]

Munaf is no express. He is a line and length bowler. Keeps it simple, bowls just back of the length around that off stump - a nagging line I must say. Any batsmen can poke at it and get a tickle straight to the wicket keeper. He has some good variations of pace that helps him outfox the batsmen. He has certainly bowled well in the last one year and its no surprise to me or to anyone else here that he has been the highest wicket taker in the year so far. Let Holding say whatever he wants to, he has certainly look good ever since his comeback. Another important area where he has improved drastically has been the fielding. Robin Singh and Johnty Rhodes must have had a real horrid time while training this fellow, but full credit to him, he has shown great signs of improvement and now he doesn't let the ball go through him that easily. With his efforts on the field, he looks a lot more dedicated now and seems to have understood the importance and value of the Indian cap, and would never ever want to let it come off his head. Good for Indian Cricket :isalute:

[Sachin=GOD]

Who cares. he is taing wickets and bowling wonderfully since his comeback.

This. I really cannot understand this obsession some ex cricketer seem to have with phaaast bowling - I mean, who cares whether a bowler bowls at 90mph or 70mph as long as he's taking wickets and bowling well.

[vamos_rafa]

Looking at how he performs in the Test series in WI, where he's the leader of the pack, he should be a good option in England as well behing Zaheer. If either of Ishant or Sreesanth dont hit the straps then I think Munna should be played there. He's bowling at an okayish pace with excellent line and length. He would get just that extra movement in England and with some extra bounce, he can really be a handful.

[Tiger80]

Who cares. he is taing wickets and bowling wonderfully since his comeback.

I think we all know quality of Cricket at present is very poor almost everywhere.I am sure if Venkatesh Prasad would have been Playing these days then may be he could have been world's best Meidum/swing bowler

[Sidhoni]

Who cares. he is taing wickets and bowling wonderfully since his comeback.

+1

[Sidhoni]

After Zak retires, our bowling will weaken a lot and a bowler like Zak is not found everyday, so to strengthen the bowling we already have swing and line-length bowlers like PK and Munaf, but having a really phaaast bowler will be needed definitely.

[Sidhoni]

Praveen Kumar - Spinner CHECK Munaf Patel - Spinner CHECK Amit Mishra - Obviously a spinner CHECK Ravi Ashwin - Spinner CHECK harbhajan Singh - A spinner who bowls Phaasht, but not too fast to be a fast bowler CHECK Alright, now my question is, why will they bowl fast if we know that West Indian batsmen struggle against spin ? :hmmm:. Any Sensible* bowling unit will bowl slow and try those cutters because their batsman can't read the turn even after the ball has pitched :hehe: * : It does not include the Powerhouses and the Brainless Dart Chuckers.

Why do u hate harby so much?:dontknow:

[vishalvirsingh]

Munaf is no express. He is a line and length bowler. Keeps it simple, bowls just back of the length around that off stump - a nagging line I must say. Any batsmen can poke at it and get a tickle straight to the wicket keeper. He has some good variations of pace that helps him outfox the batsmen. He has certainly bowled well in the last one year and its no surprise to me or to anyone else here that he has been the highest wicket taker in the year so far. Let Holding say whatever he wants to, he has certainly look good ever since his comeback. Another important area where he has improved drastically has been the fielding. Robin Singh and Johnty Rhodes must have had a real horrid time while training this fellow, but full credit to him, he has shown great signs of improvement and now he doesn't let the ball go through him that easily. With his efforts on the field, he looks a lot more dedicated now and seems to have understood the importance and value of the Indian cap, and would never ever want to let it come off his head. Good for Indian Cricket :isalute:[/quote MUNAF will suceed in T 20's and in One days sometime only when batesmen go behind him but i doubt whether he will get test wicekts this way unless he bowls pace in TESTS ..he is capable to bowl fast which he does occassionally. ONe needs shrewd fast bowlers or ZAheer type who are shrewd and clever but one does not need pace bowlers like Munaf of 2006 die down and turn into SPINNERS... if u r a fast bowler bowl fast and take wickets...it is not just taking wicekts that count .. even a leg spinner gets his wickets but he buys those wickets...a Fast bowler should be clean bowling batsmen or getting them caught by keeper slips or Gully.. not that a batsmen hits him for a 6 and then just to repeat that shot ,,, the batsmen gifts his wicket or the batsmen hits a full blooded shot and gets caught some where due to sheer bad luck.. I see most of munaf wickets not being won by the bowler but bcos Mailnga was a deadly bowler bowling with him and batsmen went behind MUNNA and lost their wicket or else Praveen was very Good so they went behind him and lost their wicket....I mean MUNAA always got wickets bcos his support bowler was WORLD CLASS. Andy is right Munna is a SPINNER...india already has good Spinners and INdia does not need a pacer to get converted into a spinner

[achilles]

Venky for WI bowling coach...... :giggle:

[gaurav92]

Why do u hate harby so much?:dontknow:

I don't hate me but he gives me every opportunity to have a go at him :agree:

[mishra]

I think Andy Roberts have a point here "These coaches turn you into line-and-length bowler. Not what you naturally are. These boys then lose their ability" May be ODI/T20 needs separate bowlers and Tests need separate bowlers

[WeStMiDz]

Roberts is spot on. Munaf has been spinning the ball brilliantly for the last 12-18 months. Who can forget his delivery to Abdul Razzaq in the World Cup? Pitched on middle and 'spun' away sharply to hit the top of off. Munaf, please keep up your great 'spin' bowling!

[The Realist]

It is a legitimate question. When Munaf Patel first started out he was fairly quick – remember his debut v England. However since then the pace has dropped markedly – this is either laziness or due to coaching. Whichever it is, it’s not a good development. At the highest levels you will get batsmen out via pace or swing – Munaf Patel does not have either. He may be a containing bowler and do ok at ODI level but at test level he holds no fears for quality batsmen.

[Ramzz]

Well Duncan F is known to prefer pace bowling quartets, so lets see if he can mold the thinking, attitude and fitness of our 'pace' bowlers into not slowing down.

[Fontaine]

It is a legitimate question. When Munaf Patel first started out he was fairly quick – remember his debut v England. However since then the pace has dropped markedly – this is either laziness or due to coaching. Whichever it is, it’s not a good development. At the highest levels you will get batsmen out via pace or swing – Munaf Patel does not have either. He may be a containing bowler and do ok at ODI level but at test level he holds no fears for quality batsmen.

In what planet do you live in? Do you share it with Andy Roberts? Munaf Patel had a fairly serious back injury as a direct result of this bowling action when he was bowling at high pace when he came onto the scene. He didn't drop his pace and change his action because he felt like it but plenty of experts advised him that if he didn't he would continue to get stress fractures. I suppose Imran Khan was a spinner as well because he had to change his action for the same reasons and at times bowl within himself as a result. And as far as pace or swing getting wickets? Glenn McGrath says you're wrong. And so does Munaf Patel who has more ODI wickets this year than any other bowler in the world except Zaheer.

[wobblydoggy]

This. I really cannot understand this obsession some ex cricketer seem to have with phaaast bowling - I mean, who cares whether a bowler bowls at 90mph or 70mph as long as he's taking wickets and bowling well.

I agree, McGrath was never express and just look at what he achieved with nagging line and length