bits and pieces bowler query

   Specialist bowlers and all rounders obviously bowl fast, medium or spin. Turning to occasional bowlers  (lets define as players who bowl spells of 2-5 overs and would often go whole games without bowling at all - e.g. KP or sehwag or michael clarke) they bowl spin or medium pace.
 My question - has there ever been a first class or test player who didn't bowl often but when he did, he fired it down fast?
 i can't think of any, but if we stop and think about it there's no reason it should be impossible?

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bomber Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Trialist Joined: 08 May 2010 Location: United Kingdom Posts: 2	Post Options Post Reply Quote bomber Report Post Quote Reply Topic: bits and pieces bowler query Posted: 02 July 2011 at 3:16pm
	Specialist bowlers and all rounders obviously bowl fast, medium or spin. Turning to occasional bowlers (lets define as players who bowl spells of 2-5 overs and would often go whole games without bowling at all - e.g. KP or sehwag or michael clarke) they bowl spin or medium pace. My question - has there ever been a first class or test player who didn't bowl often but when he did, he fired it down fast? i can't think of any, but if we stop and think about it there's no reason it should be impossible?

Clobber Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Captain Joined: 03 January 2006 Posts: 8838	Post Options Post Reply Quote Clobber Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 03 July 2011 at 12:35pm
	I would guess that if guys aren't bowling regularly they wouldn't have the necessary conditioning in that part of their body to fire it down too quickly. I think Desmond Haynes was about the quickest non-bowler I have seen bowling but that was a while ago and in reality it was probably only military medium.

bomber Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Trialist Joined: 08 May 2010 Location: United Kingdom Posts: 2	Post Options Post Reply Quote bomber Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 03 July 2011 at 2:57pm
	if it did happen i'd guess it would be a guy who was an all rounder throughout his development until batting took over age 19 or 20. a quick bowling equivalent of KP who bowled more regularly until his batting really took off. if somebody did do this they might have surprise value, especially before they were well known

Sledger Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Captain Dickenson can marry my mother-in-law ! Joined: 08 August 2005 Location: South Africa Posts: 15694	Post Options Post Reply Quote Sledger Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 04 July 2011 at 6:15am
	I've been scratching my head over this and in 40-odd years of following the sport I can't think of a single part-timer who could be considered a quick bowler. Clobs is right , the core strength just wouldn't be there in a part-timer - attempting to bowl quickly would lead to more damage to the bowler than the batsman !
	Mental disintegration works for me !!

spin wizard Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Opening Bowler The world�s next great spinner Joined: 21 January 2006 Location: Saint Vincent Posts: 9453	Post Options Post Reply Quote spin wizard Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 05 July 2011 at 4:54pm
	Only place i've seen this is in club cricket, we have an opening batsman, hits the ball savagely. One game we gave him the ball and he fired them down quickly. Was bowling what I reckon to be somewhere in the mid 80's. Was the only game he ever bowled in as well haha
	In troubled times, being philosophical helps a great deal, it helps you to remain sane and not do any further damage.

Mikey Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List First Slip Joined: 28 March 2011 Location: Australia Posts: 949	Post Options Post Reply Quote Mikey Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 06 July 2011 at 9:00am
	Mark Waugh was easily clocking more than 130kph when he used to bowl pace, and his brother Stephen wasn't far behind. Can't say either of them were considered bowlers at any stage in their career, even if they did have success with the ball, they were both selected based on their top order batting - particularly Mark. In all fairness, when they both started to stop bowling a lot (or at all in some matches), Stephen would have been bowling in the low 120s at best and Mark was bowling off spin (due to back problems - again, the reason why a lot of batsmen don't bowl regularly - because it can cause unnecessary injuries). I've also seen Shahid Afridi, who is a regular bowler, but not of the medium pace variety, bowling at around 130-135kph (which is probably Medium-Fast) when occasionally trying his hand at pace bowling. Edited by Mikey - 06 July 2011 at 9:01am

zuhair_abbasi Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Visit Members Homepage Add to Buddy List Number 3 Batsman Joined: 19 December 2006 Location: Pakistan Posts: 6202	Post Options Post Reply Quote zuhair_abbasi Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 06 July 2011 at 1:47pm
	Steven Waugh was quite considered a bowler for a long time in his career I reckon. Ijaz Ahmed could bowl 130-135 in his early days under Imran. But I am not sure if we can call him a non-regular bowler as he started his career as a bowler only :-/

Mikey Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List First Slip Joined: 28 March 2011 Location: Australia Posts: 949	Post Options Post Reply Quote Mikey Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 06 July 2011 at 6:14pm
	Stephen was really always a batting all-rounder, but like a lot of 'all rounders', sometimes it's easier to gain confidence with the ball than the bat. Andrew Symonds in his first 50 ODIs justified his position with decent bowling and excellent fielding... he had only made 2 x 50s at a poor average. Then he came of age and his batting ability then showed up - his bowling was just a bonus. Guys like Stephen Waugh always want to be involved in the game, that's why they like to take the ball or field close in. Good cricketers to have in your side methinks. I absolutely believe that Stephen's batting was helped by his bowling, because the bowling kept him in the side until his batting rhythm was able to kick in... to the point where his bowling was a mere bonus (and then negligible).