MacGill will learn from Warne's wiles (6 January 1999)
IN only their second Test match together, Stuart MacGill claimed a match winning 12 wickets while Shane Warne had only two victims (actually the same one, twice) as his measly comeback present
06-Jan-1999
6 January 1999
MacGill will learn from Warne's wiles
By Ian Chappell
IN only their second Test match together, Stuart MacGill claimed
a match winning 12 wickets while Shane Warne had only two victims
(actually the same one, twice) as his measly comeback present. Is
the tyro a six times better bowler now that the master has been
under the knife?
The answer is most definitely no. MacGill's stunning success (he
is closing in on 50 wickets in only eight Tests), may act as the
spur that provides Warne's career with a second wind. Warne is
such a competitive cricketer and his acute bowling brain appears
to have sharpened during the lay-off, so that there is no reason
why he should not be around for some time yet.
MacGill is a fast-improving bowler, in part, Warne says, because
he is more patient than when they last bowled together. However,
he has nothing like the subtle variations of the master and as
you would expect, the 300-wicket bowler is a superior thinker.
Nevertheless, MacGill has a great attribute - he turns the ball
prodigiously from the leg, probably even further than a young
Warne and in the last few days he has added to his effectiveness
by making the ball curve into the right-hander's pads. It was
exactly that sort of delivery which accounted for Nasser Hussain.
Now that Warne is fit to play international cricket again it can
only benefit MacGill. The opportunity to watch Warne and discuss
secret leg-spinner's business will help MacGill enormously,
especially in areas like using the crease and better disguise of
the skidding top-spinner.
If MacGill wants to see those two skills displayed at their best,
he only has to look at the way Warne disposed of Mark Butcher in
the second innings. It was classical leg-spinner's deceit.
The frightening thing for the world's batsmen is that MacGill has
achieved so much and yet he is still a relatively raw
leg-spinner. I doubt he will ever acquire the sophistication of
Warne, who is a rare jewel even when compared with precious
diamonds, but as long as MacGill retains his ability to spin his
leg-break sharply and pitch it reasonably consistently he will
bother the best batsmen.
In Sydney they both bowled well and the breaks went to MacGill,
appropriate for a man whose initials are SCG. On another day the
roles will be reversed. The bad news for batsmen around the world
is that they are likely to be a combination for some time - if
MacGill isn't in for the kill, they will be shorn by Warne.
Source :: Electronic Telegraph (https://www.telegraph.co.uk)