Cricket-Match-Special ... A forum for discussion

Why are England batsmen taught to sweep instead of using their feet against spinners? https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/ian- ... rs-1253279

Interesting article - as a junior coach I'd say this is right. Even at county age group training I've seen the focus being on sweeping but have never seen training on advancing down the pitch

Root placing a big onus on the ball

"The ball had a big factor. The plastic coating compared to the red SG meant that it gathered pace off the wicket. If it didn't hit the seam it almost gathered pace and a lot of the dismissals for both teams were due to be beaten by pace not necessarily on the inside."

Spin is a dark art, which 700 years ago would have seen its exponents burned at the stake or drowned in the village pond, assuming that they'd managed to avoid being shot by an archer first

500 years ago exponents of spin would only have been burned at the stake if they were also heretics, so that would have been a good time to bowl spin.... unless, of course the church had one eye on your land or money

200 years ago there was no spin, because 'gentlemen' just wouldn't do that sort of thing. They'd have happily murdered, raped or stolen from people, but they would never have stooped so low as to try to deceive someone with a turning ball

I guess it's just hard to overcome historical and cultural perceptions.......
Seaming, swinging green top.... good (and almost certainly honourable)
Turning, spitting dust bowl.... bad (and probably a bit sneaky.... sort of thing the French or South Americans would do)