Get the kids from the sitters.
It’s exciting, but it still may not be the future of cricket.
I’m talking about Ajantha Mendis, the man who took India apart like they were a birthday cake.
This will fall on deaf ears though, because I told people not to get too excited before, and people ignored me.
Yes last night was amazing.
Yes we have never seen anything quite like this young man.
And Yes, the best players of spin in the world just got dissected.
BUT, yet again in capitals for effect, he is a mystery spinner.
Mystery Spinners are unplayable when they first get on the scene.
Eventually they get worked out, then the only ones who stay around are the ones who are just good bowlers.
Last night was the first time India had faced him, and they went him, even though they had no idea what he was doing.
He won, they lost. Big time.
What happens when all of his deliveries are worked out, when he is no longer a freak show, well then he will need to just be a good bowler.
He may be, but don’t think in 3 years times he will be taking 6 wicket hauls in one day games.
Let’s just sit back, so far he has not played against sides more than a couple of times.
There has been no time to work him out.
His domestic record is extraordinary, but it was in the second division of Sri Lanka’s first class system, which would be the equivalent of grade cricket in Australia.
So far he is doing everything right, and he is exciting, sexy, and doesn’t look like he throws, so it’s all good.
Let’s just see if he still doing this sort of stuff in 7 years like Warne, Murali and Kumble did.
Ask John Gleeson or Jack Iverson what happened once people worked them out.
For every Murali and Clarrie Grimmet, there is a bucnh of guys with a card trick or three that get wickets, but they don up the future of the sport.
So let the kid bowl, stop making him out to be the messiah.
He’s not even the best spinner in his country yet.
I’ve watched the video, I’ve got the woody, the kid is amazing, but once he can be picked he won’t be anywhere near as unplayable as last night.
There is even a chance last night will be the highlight in his whole career.
6/13 in a final is a pretty good highlight.
So lets just soak up the fact a young kid gutted India, and hope he continues to bowl this well.
It was goose-bump spreading but yes, the real test actually starts now. He does not turn it a lot and rather skids it, which is a worry because once batsman pick his action, he might find going really tough.Anyway, hail the latest from the Great Lankan Freak Factory.
Why you gotta break balls, J Rod? What else is there to get excited about these days? Shane Watson winning player of the series awards? Ugh…
I know u’ve had apprehensions abt him… for as long as I’ve been raving abt it. Ur right in ur place but bowlers like Warne, Kumble, and Murali with 3-4 variations have continued to trouble batsmen world over. This boy’s got 6 variations or even more. There’e a lower chance that batsmen will be able to pick all of them.On top Warne, Kumble, and Murali developed several variations during their careers, some even in the last 5-6 years so there’s no reason why Mendis won’t be able to.He uses his fingers today, could be wrist tomorrow.Agreed its still early stages but u gotta believe he can do it.
Jrod, are you sure you’re the right person to be urging temperance? I don’t come to CWB to hear that an issue has two sides.
Som, exactly, Afridi has proved it is hard to have a long career as a spinner if your main skill is skid. DS, You could get excited about Steyn, Ronchi, DJ Hussey, S Raina, I Sharma, Prince Brendan, and Bopara.Q, you are talking about three of the greatest spinners of all times. You are comparing them with a kid who no one has seen and thusly no one can play, lets see how he handles it when every international batsman has faced hi 5 times, and then we can get excited. Kym, I thought you came here cause I’m a contrarian. And I take my spinners very seriously.
I’ll get excited then as well Uncle J ;-)Btw, Afridi has had a career spanning 12 years now..
With a bowling averaged of 34 in both forms of the game.
Which has dropped to 28 for last 2 years – this only shows that with time skidders get better?
Yes, we all know that Mendis probably won’t take 6 wickets every time he bowls.Yes, maybe most of us suspect he won’t take 700 test wickets.And yes, we are all getting carried away.But what’s wrong with getting carried away? Performances like yesterday’s are the reason I like cricket.If he was Victorian, this blog would’ve been renamed in his honour by now…
Dale Steyn and Ravi Bopara? That’s what I’m keeping it up for? I’ll need P. Diddy-like levels of tantric endurance for that…
Tantric endurance?Sounds interesting DS..
Give me more performances like last night’s from Mendis, Q, and I won’t even need to force it… it’ll all come naturally. (In a manner of speaking.)
Q, if it is 28 in the last 2 years, does that mean it was worse than 34 before that. I think Afridi is a very good bowler, but skidding spinners don’t usually make the grade. Ap, the reason I don’t want people to get carried away, as he cannot keep up this level, and people are quick to turn, quick to forget, and quick to bag him when he is no longer a freak and is just a battling spinner. AS for as the Victorian comments, yuo may be right, but i would still be asking for reason, as I have seen what happens to mystery spinners once they lose the mystery. This kid will go from ferrari to donkey rides over night. DS, Bopara is a 23 year old who made a double ton in a list A game, and Dale Steyn arrogant little piss ant he may be, but watch him in full flight and tell me you don’t get wood.
You sound like a man who’s been hurt too many times, J Rod. Spinners will do that to you, I guess.Remember, as Mork says, it’s not your fault. It’s not your fault. It’s not your fault.
Yeah i think it was around 37-38 before that… the days when he used to be a batsman before the magic kicked in u know..I see ur point Uncle J. I know its too early. I know he will be figured out. He may or may not be successful. But he’s different, hence exciting, hence he has excited.Oh btw, Cricinfo has used the Jack Iverson example today – u did it before them! Shows whose better eh ;-)http://content-gulf.cricinfo.com/asiacup/content/current/story/360166.html
Well, I’m perfectly happy to get excited now and run the risk of having my hopes dashed later. We don’t have to pick a stance now and stick to it forever. We don’t know yet that there isn’t more to him than mystery. Also, if I can’t get excited about a 23yr old spinner from my country of origin ripping through some of the best players of spin in the world (with nobody moaning about his action) then when the hell can I.
According to Waqar Younis and Rameez Raja, India tanked all 6 wickets as a thank you for keeping Pakistan out of the final
Waqar Younis and Rameez Raja must be smoking the same thing that Asif and Shoaib do…It was tough to watch India lose a final once again, but yeah the Mendis kid was great fun.
Leela – no one smokes the kind of stuff Asif and Shoaib smoke, if u know what I mean..
Jrod, if you were just a contrarian, that would get dull, and quickly. You’re something else. You’re genuinely funny, and that’s rare. Cameron White playing as a 17th century poet is the funniest thing I’ve read for quite some time. Keep it up (as if you need to be told).
Kym, John Donne was quite a good leggie in his own right.
I was thinking more John Wilmot, batting at 6 and fielding at short leg.
It would be hard to squat down with a venereal disease.