Bowling primer
The purpose of this page is not to teach you to bowl -- that is sadly beyond our scope -- but rather to allow you to gain some instant expertise on some of the most oft-mentioned bowling highlights of recent cricketing history.
If you actually do want to brush up on your technique, an excellent place to start is this three-part video featuring the late Bob Woolmer.
Geoffrey Boycott clean bowled by Michael Holding
Was this the fastest over ever bowled? That will probably never be settled definitively, but one thing’s for sure -- if you want to annoy Geoffrey Boycott, remind him about this spectacular display by Michael Holding during England’s first innings in the third Test on England’s Caribbean tour of 1981, at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados -- as mischievous radio summarisers often do, in order to get him grumbling. He managed to, somehow, resist the first five balls. But the sixth was simply unplayable and Boycott stood there, astounded, as his stump travelled something like 20 feet. Read more about the over here.
Shane Warne’s ball of the century
Warnie couldn’t believe what happened. Dickie Bird couldn’t believe what happened. Mike Gatting certainly couldn’t believe what happened. This triumph of spin bowling took place at Old Trafford on day two of the first Test in the 1993 Ashes. On his first ball against England, Warne produced a piece of leg spin bowling so devious that the batsman is left looking from side to side, utterly bemused. Unkind souls have remarked that anyone who can cause a ball to spin the width of Mike Gatting has every right to be named the greatest bowler ever.
Here’s a video that’s a bit fuzzy but which contains the crucial behind-the-wicket shot essential to understanding what happened. If you find the fuzziness too much, try this version instead which also includes a few words from the great man. Or read about it here.
Shoaib Akhtar versus Ricky Ponting
In December 2004 during the First Test Match between Pakistan and Australia a the blindingly quick Shoaib “Rawalpindi Express” Akhtar took on Ricky Ponting at the WACA ground in Perth. The result was what Ponting’s colleague Justin Langer described as “the fastest over ever bowled” and it’s certainly true that the lethal Akhtar was bowling at more than 100mph at his finest. Langer, who witnessed the over from the non-strike end, says in the following clip that he was laughing at the battering Ponting was facing -- and even Ponting was seeing the funny side. Judge for yourself below.
Sreesanth faces off with Andre Nel
And now one where the batsman wins. Before his retirement from international cricket in 2009, Andre Nel was one of the most keen and dangerous bowlers that South Africa could muster. One batsman who didn’t appreciate his behaviour was Indian fast bowler Sreesanth. On walking into bat during the First Test in Johannesburg in December 2006, Nel allegedly told him: “I can smell blood. You do not have the guts.” Sreesanth, a volatile character himself, proved him wrong by hitting a six -- and celebrated with a happy dance which amused tem-mates, opponents and commentators mightily. And has been amusing fans ever since. Watch a video clip or read Cricinfo’s story about the incident here.
