Copycat bowling actions

[Arachnodouche]

So I'm thinking...almost every off spinner to have come out of Pakistan since Saqlain has ripped off his action. Shoaib Malik, Mohammad Hafeez, even Ajmal to an extent. I'm sure I'm forgetting a couple others too. Obviously a testament to Saqlain's huge influence on the trade in his country.

Walsh was a more laboring, poor man's Holding. Caddick definitely modeled himself after Hadlee. I reckon Shoaib would've counted Waqar as a role model too...his action always used to get slingier when there was a toe crusher coming up, much like Waqar.

Any other obvious ones?.

 

[weldone]

Munaf Patel -> Glenn McGrath

Don't agree with Walsh-Holding one personally. Courtney Walsh was a unique bowler in almost every way.

 

[Arachnodouche]

I think he definitely tried to replicate that loose, nonchalant run up that Holding had but was obviously a far lesser athlete than his fellow Jamaican. The swaying shoulders, especially..way more open chested though.

 

[weldone]

I think he definitely tried to replicate that loose, nonchalant run up that Holding had but was obviously a far lesser athlete than his fellow Jamaican. The swaying shoulders, especially..way more open chested though.

Have you seen Courtney Walsh bowling live his loong spells with full venom in tremendous heat in the Subcontinent?

He was, if anything, a better athlete than Holding - had stamina of an absolute beast..and I dare say, a more complete bowler IMO...

Holding had a smoother action though.

 

[Dan]

I remember reading that Ray Lindwall mirrored Harold Larwood's action to a degree.

 

[smash84]

He was, if anything, a better athlete than Holding - had stamina of an absolute beast..and I dare say, a more complete bowler IMO...

.

I doubt this part though.

Holding was as natural an athlete as they come and probably a more complete bowler. Lesser height than Walsh (I think) but more pace definitely.

 

[vic_orthdox]

Walsh --> Merv Dillon

 

[kingkallis]

Waqar Younis <---------> Ravindra Pushpakumara

 

[kingkallis]

Venky Raju <---> Nilesh Kulkarni

 

[weldone]

I doubt this part though.

Holding was as natural an athlete as they come and probably a more complete bowler. Lesser height than Walsh (I think) but more pace definitely.

The number of matches Walsh played as a fast bowler and more importantly the number of years he played test cricket for and the burden of bowling he carried on his shoulders (in terms of overs bowled) throughout different parts of the world is almost unmatched in the modern history of the game - indicates the fitness of a machine, and the stamina of a beast.

Yes, Holding had more pace, but more pace doesn't equate to being a better athlete or being fitter. Otherwise, Shoaib Akhtar would've been the best athlete among all bowlers.

 

[Arachnodouche]

Well, yeah but there is a difference between Usain Bolt and your average long distance Kenyan runner. Endurance and explosive atheleticism are two different things. It's not just about Holding's pace; one look at his run up and you'd be hard pressed to say he wouldn't have made a pretty good track & fielder himself.

 

[weldone]

Well, yeah but there is a difference between Usain Bolt and your average long distance Kenyan runner. Endurance and explosive atheleticism are two different things.

Can agree with this (yeah fitness and athleticism are two different things though there's a thin line between the two), but think that the qualities of Walsh are required more for a bowler.

Give me a Glenn McGrath over a Shoaib Akhtar (or a Kapil Dev over a Shane Bond, for that matter)...

Back to the thread topic, I don't think that Walsh copied Holding's action tbh. The loose and nonchalant run up was common to many bowlers from the Carribean - and Holding had the smoothest action of them all obv.

 

[Agent Nationaux]

Rubel Hussain bowls a little like Malinga.

 

[ganeshran]

Vinay Kumar in IPL <--------> Malinga

 

[Bonnie Prince C]

Rubel Hussain bowls a little like Malinga.

While he has a slingy action like Malinga I would say they are quite different. I would have probably said Hussain is more like Edwards than Malinga.

 

[Z-Man]

Saqlain Mushtaq <------------------> Shoaib Malik.

 

[smash84]

Can agree with this (yeah fitness and athleticism are two different things though there's a thin line between the two), but think that the qualities of Walsh are required more for a bowler.

Give me a Glenn McGrath over a Shoaib Akhtar (or a Kapil Dev over a Shane Bond, for that matter)...

Back to the thread topic, I don't think that Walsh copied Holding's action tbh. The loose and nonchalant run up was common to many bowlers from the Carribean - and Holding had the smoothest action of them all obv.

Quite an unfair comparison equating Holding with Akhtar.

As I said earlier Holding was as natural an athlete as they come and tbf Walsh probably prolonged his career much more than he needed to (somewhat like Dev and Botham) which you can't say for Holding

 

[Arachnodouche]

To casual appearances, I suppose he seemed like a spent force towards the end, but he was MUCH better than Kapil and Botham at the fag end. His stats aren't too shabby either.

 

[Nomanculture]

While he has a slingy action like Malinga I would say they are quite different. I would have probably said Hussain is more like Edwards than Malinga.

Agree. Both Rubel and Fidel initially give us the impression that they're going to deliver with a slingy action and then bowl with a straightish arm. But even then their actions are pretty much different.

 

[Nomanculture]

The run ups of Merv Hughes and Paul Reiffel? Actions I dunno...