Dale Steyn - A Bowler of Perfect Blend

Nowadays, Global fast bowling stock appears to have deteriorated significantly with very few genuine pacers only playing. One cannot say people running from 30-40 yards and bowling military pace with an occasional fast delivery as Fast bowlers. 

“You can't make a fast bowler. You have to be born a fast bowler. You've got to have the rhythm and the coordination and everything else that it takes to bowl that fast. Strength, hard work and practice alone cannot make a fast bowler. It's not just physical - it's a lot of other things combined,"” said, the Jamaican fast Bowler Michael Holding.  

Fast Bowlers are on the verge of being endangered species. With the qualities stated above, large pool of currently playing bowlers will be cut off into a count of hardly 4 to 5 total across the globe. The Speed demons of this era include Dale Steyn, Lasith Malinga, Brett Lee, Shaun Tait.

With genuine fast and slightly raw who can move the ball both ways, Steyn is now a force to be reckoned. Dale Willem Steyn, the current “ROLLS ROYCE” of the South African Pace attack is the preeminent fast bowler in the world today and currently holds the No.1 test Bowler in ICC rankings. Ever after his debut at the age of 21, he occupies a prime position in Proteas bowling attack along with the likes of Shaun Pollock, Andre Nel, and Makhaya Ntini. Now, he along with Morne Morkel forms a venomous attack which can paralyze any batting lineup. 

He is frighteningly quick, Like the new-age bullet trains that ride on an air-cushion produced by the track rather than on the track itself, for this South African speedster, the surface doesn't matter all that much. He can bowl magnificently, be it on pacy pitches of South Africa, Flat Tracks of Sub continent, Bouncy Wickets of Australia, Swing Wickets of England. He is very street smart when it comes to subcontinent pitches. He has excellent rhythm in his approach, with abundant vigor and venom, all thunder and lightning like and electric storm.

His muscular body perfectly suits the pursuit of fast bowling. It is a privilege to watch his bowling stride, which gives the impression of most aesthetically pleasing bowling action in the world. He sprints to the wicket and hurls down the ball with aggression. He loves batsman ducking and weaving due to the pace in his delivery. He ensures that there is no respite to the batsman. for even a single ball. Along with the quickest possible delivery, he has many variations in his repertoire. He conditioned well to perform in adverse situations too. He is also a thinking bowler. He knows when to hold back, pull his pace down and bowl line and length, and when to attack with real speed and aggression. One gets the feeling that he can read the situations well. He can move the ball both ways and also cut it in both directions. He has an magnificent out swinger in his arsenal.

After the Australian Slump from invincible status, there are many teams ready with all ingredients to claim the supremacy. The title CHAMPION has swung like pendulum with no side with no side shedding the required domination. There is no doubt that there are many facets in making up a Dominant side. But with champion fast bowler like Dale Steyn to lead the Bowling attack, the chances of sustained success definitely be elevated.

Ponting: Rebound/Extinction?

He is considered as one of the finest cricketers in the modern era. He was involved in about 100 Test wins for his side. He has enjoyed many thumping wins, world cup triumphs and a lot more personal landmarks. He was compared with the likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Brian Lara. But it all turned upside down in a span of 2 years. Just like a mirage, the test century is eluding him since the last two years; it’s been a 12 inning long stretch without making a half-century. His average which was among all-time greats slid a long way coming down from a monumental 56.68 to a mere 52.72 in just 23 innings. After having played so many innings to drop an average by 4 points in 23 innings suggests something is badly wrong.

He is none other than Ricky Thomas Ponting nicknamed Punter. He has many ardent fans to wait for his revival, but not much time has left for him as he is approaching the tail end of his career.

During his worst slump, Greg Chappell once said he wasn’t batting badly, he was just getting out. Ricky Ponting taken that sentiment to a new level, declaring himself to be batting the best he has in these two years. But unfortunately he doesn’t have much runs from his willow to support that.

You may say, even Rahul Dravid also undergone this phase of their career. But noticeable thing is even when Dravid keeps on failing, Indian team is at its best which is not same in the case of Ponting. Australian Team is in a Period of resurgence and they are not in a position to give ample of time for him to restore his past form.

His Career seemed on the crossroads for this moment. Ponting has drifted well down from mediocre to liability now. Moreover, he's interfering with the grooming of talented youngsters. To make thing worsen, guys like Khwaja sit dumbstruck on the sidelines not knowing what they are doing wrong.

We've got to be sensible about whether the Ponting exit is going to be replaced by someone better and at the same time it should enhance for the team cause.

THE PRIVILEGE OF YOUNGSTERS

There was a time when every cricket freak felt apprehensive about the future of cricket once the likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Michael Hussey, Kumar Sangakkara, Zaheer Khan, Brett Lee retires. The admission of Twenty 20 cricket also made the gentlemen game feels the heat. Fear reached its pinnacle when they felt a danger of losing the elegance and charm of the game. The ICC and many country boards tried their best for the requital of the fame and glory of the game. They have changed many rules, made some amendments but nothing improved drastically.  Whole world of cricket is in utter dismay.

In this time of deterioration, comes the player like Pat Cummins, Virat Kohli, Steven Finn, Brendan Taylor, Malcolm Waller, Junaid Khan and many others. One common attribute among all these is great temperament, to make the team cross that Victory line. They have made people believe that there is still lot of quality cricket left apart from T20’s.

Patrick Cummins

The world first noticed Patrick Cummins in preliminary final of KFC Big Bash 2011, where he bowled magnificently before finishing with 4/16. Within no time, at the age of 18 he was given the license to wear Australian colors. In his tour to South Africa T20, he performed well equally with the likes of Bollinger and Johnson, which ended up placing him in the Test squad in what was said to be a meteoric rise. 

Pakistan has always been a fast bowling factory and the assembly line of fast bowlers is not going to end its production any time soon. Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Shoaib Akthar, Mohammad Asif, Mohammad Amir, Junaid Khan, Wahab Riaz, Sohail Tanvir, Tanvir Ahmed and the list goes on. I am sure no country has produced as much Pakistan has produced and no country has wasted as they did. The current Promising bowler for them is Junaid Khan who is very impressive in both the pace and swing departments. 

After winning the Emerging Player of the year Award in 2010, Steven Finn has a magnificent career. He has produced some crucial spells for the team cause. When all the English players struggled to contend the Indian batsman, Steven Finn bowled brilliantly to make them feel the heat. From years ago, there are many English players who bowled to the mark in their home conditions, who in turn failed miserably in Sub Continent pitches. In contrast Steven Finn looked very promising who need to be churned properly for bright future.

Given the right guidance, why shouldn't Cummins, Finn and Junaid continue to prosper – aside? Handled with care and honesty, protected from leeches and temptation, they can be every bit as good as we would love them to be. So long as those doing the guiding do so selflessly.

October 26, 2011 Zimbabwe enjoyed a splendid chase of 329 with the help of Malcolm Waller and Brendan Taylor. Brendan Taylor who scored two back to back centuries albeit losing cause has provided much required momentum to chase a mammoth score. But Malcolm Waller is the one who steal the show absolutely. He scored 99 of 74 balls by marshaling the tail to take the game down to the last two balls. He might have tried for an aerial shot which fetches him a century to remember forever, but he kept his mind cool and played for the team cause. As they lurched from defeat to defeat, victories like this will imbibe some amount of required confidence, belief in them.

Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli is one of the notified performers who are currently enjoying a prolific run. In and outside India he has become a run machine in the absence of Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, and Yuvraj Singh. It is very soon to call him as next Rahul Dravid for the team India, but he has made everything right till now to notch that position. 

From Vinod Kambli to Ajantha Mendis, scores of purported cricketing prodigies have turned out to be either profligate or prodigal. Winning the ICC Emerging Player award is fast becoming a guarantee of a brisk fade - witness Irfan Pathan, Shaun Tait, Ajantha Mendis and JP Duminy. Woe betides those burdened by stardom before experience has broadened their shoulders.