Given
the amount of Cricket played by International Cricketers these days, it’s no
wonder that the coaches and management staff are casting a favorable eye on
extended squads and player rotation policies. In a bid to keep their players
fit and available over a longer period of time and get the maximum out of them,
administrations are looking at implementing these policies, especially for fast
bowlers, because they are the ones whose bodies are subjected to the most
amount of stress.
Australia
is no exception in implementing rotation policies for their fast bowlers. Over
the past few seasons they have built up a formidable pool of fast bowlers at
international level. After the exit of McGrath, Gillespie, Kasprowicks, Bichel
and co., Australian fast bowlers have been plagued with injury problems. The
lack of quality players led to the current policy of building an extended fast
bowling pool. However, the questions to ponder are, has this pool been
practical and effective? Has it solved the problem of injuries to fast bowlers?
Listed
below is the current crop of fast bowlers in and around the international scene
over the past couple of seasons.
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| Lots of bowlers yet ... |
As
the above table suggests, Australia currently have in their ranks an amazing
number of fast bowlers. It is true that not all of them have been claimed by
injury and hence, was sidelined from national duty. The likes of Peter George
have fallen out of favor with the selectors. However, the majority of these
bowlers have been unable to make the team due to injury. Young, promising
bowlers like Josh Hazlewood, James Pattinson, and Pat Cummins have suffered
only after playing one or two matches. So it again begs the question, is this
rotation policy solving the issue?
There
are chronic cases, like Ryan Harris who are constantly plagued by injuries. If
not for injuries, Shane Bond might well have turned out to be one of the
greatest bowlers in the history of the game. To come back from injury, time and
time again and deliver the goods is a challenge. Just look at what happened to
the likes of Jeff Thompson and Ian Bishop. After injury, they were just not as
effective as before.
The
more you look at it, the more evident it becomes that this Australian injury
issue, is not about chronic injury cases or too much Cricket or even about
implementing the correct rotation policy for players. The Australians were one of the first to
establish a Cricket Academy. Afterwards, they seem to have fallen asleep. This
academy is the key to attending to this issue. Fast bowling is about correct
and suitable technique, not just in the sense of playing by the coaching
manual, but also in minimizing injury. You have to look at the bio-mechanics of
young bowlers and make adjustments to suite the individual. Weight training and
physical fitness to perform at the highest level becomes essential. What
Australia needs is to look at is how the West Indian greats, of the 1980s,
outperformed most bowlers and also ended up having long careers. Australia
should have experts analyzing every fast bowler coming through the ranks to
minimize these unwanted injuries. Hence, the solution is not to have a ridiculously
lengthy list of fast bowlers being selected according to a rotation policy, but
making sure that the best bowlers are properly trained and looked after.
