equatorIn most parts of the world leg spinners are feted as the Gods they are.
In Paris I received an extra mustard sachet upon the staff learning I was a legspinner.
Whilst in Northern Mexico (LA) I received a bus ticket with a smile, after a brief discussion about wrong’uns, as I left she said “Salga aquí de usted del mal uno” which means, live long and prosper oh god of the googly.
And I am not an internationally renowned legspinner, the higher up you go, the better your service.
7 years back Shane Warne was in St Petersburg service station trying to get some change, and the attendant blew him, Warne was so happy he signed an autograph for the young man.
However there is one place in the world that bucks the trend, Warne being the prince of legspinning knew this, and when he was supposed to go stay there for the best part of two months he decided to be take a one year ban for taking drugs.
That place, Potchestroom.
When translated into English means “You leg spinners are a bunch of shit eaters”.
I stayed away from potch when I was there, there were enough prejudices in South Africa, and I didn’t need any more.
Two young (um) legspinners didn’t have a choice this week.
They are my two favourite leg spinners in world cricket, and neither of them has played a test.
Cricket With Balls Own Nice Bryce McGain, and the Alice Banded Freak Imran Tahir.
My love affair with Bryce has been well documented on this site, but if you want to take a walk down memory lane, feel free.
Imran may be lesser known to you guys, he is on my players I like list, and from the first time I saw him I liked what I saw.
But the day he jumped onto the list was when I saw him destroy Nottingham’s county title hopes in one spell.
Samit Patel had been slapping him around, and Imran was bowling beaten up babies. Then Patel went out, and Tahir went through the Notts middle and lower order like they had never seen bats before.
It was wonderful.
Now he and Bryce are trying to play for test spots, Bryce for his country, Imran for his hot wife’s country.
And Potchy is fucking up their universe.
So far both men have been pummelled Robyn Given’s style.
It’s been brutal, heartless and unnecessary.
They have 4 wickets between them, two of which are contentious according to cricinfo.
Both men have gone at over 6 runs an over most of the time; Imran only saved by North and McDonald both battilng it out for the number 6 spot.
What sort of evil fucking pitch is this?
It’s an evil one, a evil fucking one.
Burn it.
And it shows that even today there are still prejudices in South Africa, this time against my kind, I say they should be banned from world cricket again.
At the very least Imran should be taken from them, fancy getting a ball tearing legspinner and then making him play at Potchy.
Bastards.
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UJ,
If India’s experience is anything to go by, Cape Town may be the only wicket where McGain will get any assistance from the wicket.
But, will he be the first choice spinner till then? Ponting does not do attacking spinners very well, you know!
Cheers,
H, the reason Ponting wanted McGain is that he can attack and defend. Krejza can only attack, and hauritz only defend, so unless something goes horribly wrong he will be in Cape Town.
Imran’s too good for those Saffers. I wish he’d do a Saqlain and marry an English woman, even if our selectors would never have the balls to pick him.
all i can say is jrod, welcome back. this is your golden run where every consecutive post is pure comic gold. you are the “rockstar of cricket blogs”!
This place is clearly much more friendly to the offspinners. Maybe Warne wasn’t the only reason I changed.
You must be really distraught. Right after your beloved leg spinners were belted, Marcus North picked up six wickets.
I can’t say I understand how you feel. New Zealand’s doesn’t have any legspinners.
If we did have any, they sucked so bad that they became offspinners.
0 overs for McGain in the second innings… You still think his captain knows how to use him?
H, McGain and Siddle had the runs, and not the cricket kind if you catch my drift. Also never said he knew how to use him, said he wanted a spinner like him.
Sunny, cheers, although it always worries me when someone says I am back in form, I never knew i was out of it. Now get out of here before i throw a TV at you.
@jrod – its like Lord Megachief of Gold…you are so damn consistent that even a slight dip from the standard is picked up as loss of form. its the price you have to pay for sustained excellence.
I will start wearing advertising on my face accordingly.