For about a year from May 2011 to May 2012, Craig McDermott was the bowling coach of the Australian Test cricket team. He took over a team that was winning about half of its matches, and losing the other half. He transformed the Australian bowling unit with a simple mantra "Pitch the ball up". The results during his stint were spectacular - Australia played 14 matches, won 9, and drew 3.
What McDermott achieved with his bowling unit was remarkable, but what is even more remarkable is how quickly the lessons have been forgotten by Australia, and how completely they have been ignored by other teams around the world.
Since McDermott's departure from the Australian coaching staff, they have played 3 matches, drawn 2, and lost 1. Apart from the results, what is noticeable is how much the effectiveness of the Aussie seam attack has dropped. In the series against South Africa, they bowled too short most of the time, and failed to be consistently threatening. Against Sri Lanka in the test match today, their two wickets have come with full deliveries, but overall they have bowled too short.
During the time McDermott was doing his thing, the whole world was watching and admiring what he was doing, but failed to learn from him. Almost all international bowling attacks continued to bowl too short in Test matches, with the exception of Dale Steyn. What is going on? Why have McDermott's lessons been lost on everyone?
Perhaps the answer is that it takes a lot of heart and courage to bowl full and risk punishment. The ball does not swing and seam in all conditions, and the full delivery invites drives and it can be demoralizing if you are consistently driven through the off side for boundaries. Ian Botham famously said about Mike Hendrick, the former English bowler - "Throughout his career he bowled a foot too short. Twelve inches further up and he'd have been a world beater. He stopped himself being a great bowler". Botham was an extrovert bowler who was willing to risk punishment for wickets - a magnificent test match performer.
I suppose ultimately it is a matter of nerve. The one Indian bowler who is not afraid to pitch it up is Sreesanth. It is not surprising that he is perhaps the most consistently threatening Indian bowler when he is healthy and bowling well. McDermott would be proud of him.
What McDermott achieved with his bowling unit was remarkable, but what is even more remarkable is how quickly the lessons have been forgotten by Australia, and how completely they have been ignored by other teams around the world.
Since McDermott's departure from the Australian coaching staff, they have played 3 matches, drawn 2, and lost 1. Apart from the results, what is noticeable is how much the effectiveness of the Aussie seam attack has dropped. In the series against South Africa, they bowled too short most of the time, and failed to be consistently threatening. Against Sri Lanka in the test match today, their two wickets have come with full deliveries, but overall they have bowled too short.
During the time McDermott was doing his thing, the whole world was watching and admiring what he was doing, but failed to learn from him. Almost all international bowling attacks continued to bowl too short in Test matches, with the exception of Dale Steyn. What is going on? Why have McDermott's lessons been lost on everyone?
Perhaps the answer is that it takes a lot of heart and courage to bowl full and risk punishment. The ball does not swing and seam in all conditions, and the full delivery invites drives and it can be demoralizing if you are consistently driven through the off side for boundaries. Ian Botham famously said about Mike Hendrick, the former English bowler - "Throughout his career he bowled a foot too short. Twelve inches further up and he'd have been a world beater. He stopped himself being a great bowler". Botham was an extrovert bowler who was willing to risk punishment for wickets - a magnificent test match performer.
I suppose ultimately it is a matter of nerve. The one Indian bowler who is not afraid to pitch it up is Sreesanth. It is not surprising that he is perhaps the most consistently threatening Indian bowler when he is healthy and bowling well. McDermott would be proud of him.
