29/11/2007

How not to duck a bouncer.

I have watched quiet a few batsmen struggling to weave away from a bouncer. Obviously, Gavaskar and Boycott comes to my mind for their copy book style of leaving a bouncer alone. Bat thrust down, eyes on the ball and letting the ball pass in front of their face.

At the other extreme I have seen both Azhar and now Ganguly negotiating a bouncer like a cat on a hot tin roof. Even Tendulkar has an ungainly technique, he just squats. But this I think this is the worst one can ever imagine.

Look at the bat stuck up like a periscope and his eyes focused not on the ball but on his groin.

Never have I seen someone ducking a bouncer like this. Mind you, this is from Marvan Atapattu, the most technically sound batsman in the Sri Lankan team.

Who would you say has the best technique for handling a bouncer?

No comments: