'Ball of the Century'

[Burgey]

Gatt was on radio here this morning. He said the ball was great because, as Bahnz said, he knew what to expect - a big turning leg break. He said he also knew it would turn a fair bit because he could hear the revs on the ball as it came down the pitch to him. Was the drift that did it, and tbf if he didn't open himself up to defend it and actually played it as some lesser players of spin might have - by plonking their foot down the line of the stumps, he would probably not have got out.

 

[Top_Cat]

Would hazard that the pace of the ball helped too. Before Warne, leggies who could turn the ball were more loopy so a ball which drifted and turned that much would probably have missed the stumps entirely, the wrong 'un was your weapon for going after stumps/pads. Warnie was quicker through the air than most leggies, flatter trajectory, stumps go byebye.

 

[smash84]

That was brilliant, but as a single delivery taken in isolation, it doesn't really stand out. It's the preceeding inswinger that makes it so mind-numbingly brilliant. Warne's ball, by comparison, didn't need any trickery or setup. It was exactly the ball that Gatting was expecting - a big leg-break. Regardless of whether you take it within the context of the match, the over or just leave it to stand by itself, it still stands as the greatest leg-break in the history of televised cricket.

I think even as a standalone delivery it would have taken out most batsmen. Almost swung as much as Warne's delivery spun

 

[Coronis]

Simply brilliant.

 

[karan316]

The whole 'Ball of the Century' thing is Overrated, Warne has bowled much better deliveries than that one...

 

[greg]

Fair enough. I think by 93 McDermott was up there, certainly world class enough to trouble all the batting line ups around then. Merv was very under rated too.

Other quicks on that tour were BJ, Reiffel and Holdsworth iirc.

And Mark Waugh...

 

[Burgey]

And Mark Waugh...

Yeah, he opened the bowling in one or two tests on that tour iirc.

Tragedy that Cracker never got a test.

 

[Top_Cat]

Good lord it so isn't.

 

[wpdavid]

Fair enough. I think by 93 McDermott was up there, certainly world class enough to trouble all the batting line ups around then. Merv was very under rated too.

Other quicks on that tour were BJ, Reiffel and Holdsworth iirc.

Yeah, I had a look at the scorecards after I posted yesterday. Reiffel came in for the 4th test or so, so I wonder whether he flew in as a replacement for McDermott. Either way, he took loads of wickets but the series was pretty much over by then anyway. As someone else has said, you had Mark Waugh opening the bowling in at least one of the tests.

 

[Burgey]

Good lord it so isn't.

Nah, funny bloke. Worthy of a Baggy BBQ Apron.

 

[Top_Cat]

Yeah, I had a look at the scorecards after I posted yesterday. Reiffel came in for the 4th test or so, so I wonder whether he flew in as a replacement for McDermott. Either way, he took loads of wickets but the series was pretty much over by then anyway.

Should have been on the plane ahead of Cracker (**** off, Burgey). Was called as cover for McDermott but only got a go when BJ was injured. Criminally under-rated in those days was Pistol.

 

[Migara]

Terribly overrated ball to a terribly overrated player of spin. Warne cleaned up many better batsmen with absolute rippers. Best was against Basit Ali. Murali sent one to Sandagopan Ramesh, the absolute mirror image of Gatting ball, only thing was Ramesh was class above Gatting when it came to playing spin.

 

[Daemon]

Videos plz

 

[nightprowler10]

It doesn't matter if it was literally the 'ball of the century' though, the fact is that it instantly became part of cricket folklore because of the circumstances it was bowled under. The 'shot heard round the world' in baseball folklore wasn't literally heard around the world, but it doesn't make it any less special.

 

[Migara]

It doesn't matter if it was literally the 'ball of the century' though, the fact is that it instantly became part of cricket folklore because of the circumstances it was bowled under. The 'shot heard round the world' in baseball folklore wasn't literally heard around the world, but it doesn't make it any less special.

it instantly became part of cricket folklore because it was Ashes, not because of its overall quality.

 

[NasserFan207]

it instantly became part of cricket folklore because it was Ashes, not because of its overall quality.

I'd say it was more that Warne was announcing himself on the big stage, certainly it being the ashes also played a part though. Anyway it was a top delivery, obviously not the ball of the century but it was definitely a great ball.

 

[Howe_zat]

it instantly became part of cricket folklore because it was Ashes, not because of its overall quality.

Yes. Thank you for registering your need to feel bitter about that. Your complaint has been noted.

 

[Furball]

it instantly became part of cricket folklore because it was Ashes, not because of its overall quality.

If enough people gave a **** about Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh then maybe Murali would be rated number 1.

 

[smash84]

If enough people gave a **** about Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh then maybe Murali would be rated number 1.

So basically you agree with him

 

[Migara]

If enough people gave a **** about Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh then maybe Murali would be rated number 1.

Thanks, so we agree. Any **** in Ashes becomes folkfare.