Sunday, October 28, 2012

Botha backs the Doosra


SOUTH African spinner Johan Botha says the doosra should be encouraged, not vilified, as Australia continues to discredit the mysterious variation.

Cricket's most exciting off-spinners, including West Indian Sunil Narine, Sri Lanka's Ajantha Mendis and Pakistan's Saeed Ajmal, all use the doorsa that made Muttiah Muralitharan an 800-wicket Test legend to some and pariah to others.

National chairman of selectors John Inverarity on Friday reiterated the belief that a doosra could only be "chucked".

Botha, 30, countered the contentious delivery which turns from leg to off-stump is "good for the game".

Former Proteas skipper Botha said it would be a shame for any directive to ban the doosra from coaching manuals, arguing it could be bowled within the 15-degree elbow flex permitted. And the five-Test tweaker should know.

"If you can bowl it legally, definitely go for it. It is good to have some variation in a game," said Botha, who was convinced to switch from seam bowling to spin in 2004 by former South Africa boss, now Australia coach Mickey Arthur.

Johannesburg-born Botha had to endure three episodes of rigorous biomechanical testing at the University of Western Australia up to 2009 to prove his off-spin action was legal.

Botha spent 10 months in limbo after being cited in his debut Test against Australia in the 2006 Sydney Test and was again cited in April 2009 during a one-day game against Australia at St Georges Park.

Botha says slow bowlers should be nurtured rather than persecuted for pursuing the most unforgiving caper in the game on pitches increasingly favouring batsmen.

"Batsmen are still dominating so you want to see a bit of a contest," said Botha, who drew on a Christian faith to navigate his darkest period in the game.

"They have to look at what spinners have got. Spinners only have small variations, quicks have all sorts, bouncers and wickets these days are not always spin friendly.

"Spinners are only 80 or 90 km/h, they have to have some variation."

Australian Twenty20 skipper George Bailey went against the grain in noting how spinners with unpredictable doosras could have made a difference to his sides World T20 campaign.

"If you can do it (doosra), it is a great art and good for the game," agreed Botha.

Leg-spin great Shane Warne and Muralitharan revived interest in cricket with their seductive brand of tricks and showmanship.

New Redbacks captain Botha says it would be sad to see the doosra art lost.

"Spinners do have to work hard and guys like Mendis, Warnie and Murali have always been great for the game," said Botha.

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