I am not a fan of Kevin Pietersen. I have never felt very happy about the South African mercenaries who have played for England throughout my adult life, not even Allan Lamb.
I feel an increased interest in the Test at the moment, with Cook and Collingwood at the crease – the first time in this Test so far when there have not been South Africans on the field on both sides. And Pietersen’s motives for quitting South Africa, at least as relayed by the media, seemed particularly unfortunate.
Having said all that, I have watched Steyn’s dismissal of Pietersen and replayed it myself in slow motion several times. There seems something very wrong with Steyn’s action – a very definite snap of the elbow at the end of the delivery. I haven’t really seen that snap of the elbow again in his deliveries since, at least not in such definitive form, although Morkel looks much purer.
Sky did not show the delivery side-on. There does not seem to be much internet chat about Steyn being a chucker. Does anyone else see it?
Don’t know what you’re talking about Craig. Selling out to Sky may have brought extra cash into the game but unfortunately it means also that hardly anyone now watches it.
I didn’t see the dismissal. As one of the worst ballers going maybe i’m not best to judge either. I do remember when Murali got accused of being a chucker by Australian Prime Minister John Howard, which I certainly thought was disgraceful behaviour. Maybe Gordon Brown should go on a Steyn offensive for us?
Here’s an interesting Murali balling analysis video which some may not have seen:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDxRhcpBZio
Its Malinga the Slinger that bothers me, that action ought to be banned.
I just played it back a few times – I think you are right.
Never seen it myself, but will use my Sky+ tonight to see if I agree with you.
Remember though that a 15 degree extension of the elbow is permitted, and from my watching of Steyn, he has a quite typical fast bowlers’ “snap”, through the elbow and wrist, to generate that genuine pace. I am a Saffer, however, so I won’t claim my view is wholly unbiased!
On Pietersen, however, I have very little time for him (contrasted with Jonathan Trott, for example). Few people I know begrudge him the success he has enjoyed playing for England. He made his choice, he’s done well, and fair play to him. But the harping on about affirmative selection which allegedly caused him to switch allegiance is tiresome and petty.
What’s indisputable is that South Africa did not spot the talent he had. This is obviously not same as dropping him of the basis of his ethnicity, although KP’s fragile ego cannot possibly cope with the idea that someone once thought he wasn’t good enough. And clearly, even if his ethnicity was the main reason for his lack of progress, KP has also chosen not to understand any of the context behind affirmative selection – in the mind of any South African with a passing appreciation of the need from all parts of society to do their part to repair damage done by apartheid – the whole system was a travesty because it impacted him.
His various jaundiced comments about South Africa – where he of course holidays at every possible opportunity – are childish rather than deliberately inflammatory, but every he time he criticises the SA cricket set-up, it shouldn’t surprise him that South Africans who have come through to represent the Proteas take exception.
Bottom line is that the current SA team, which is mostly white, came through a system which KP walked away from (instead of fighting to prove his talent). Maybe he’s insecure about this being pointed out, so be it.
Also, he’s not the sharpest tool in the shed. You can check this through google, but when the Indian 20-20 League was first set up, KP was thumping his chest about how he was totally committed to England (he was on tour in NZ at the time). Then the IPL auction was held, and top players landed multi-million dollar contracts, and KP was immediately, “you know, the ECB have to come to an agreement with me, er, I mean England cricketers”.
The less said about his brief foray into captaincy the better, and shortly thereafter he moaned from the Caribbean about how hard it was to be a professional cricketer and how tired he was… before jetting off to SA for his IPL cash, only to aggrevate his achilles injury and ensure he missed the Ashes. Of course the ECB still picked up the bill for his surgery and extended rehab, and then promptly selected him to go to SA despite there being serious doubt over his form and fitness.
With KP, it is all about, and only about KP. If he had half an ounce of sense, he’d take some cues from Trott. With KP’s ego though, I wouldn’t bet on it.
the whole “chucking”/throwing debate is one of the things that repels me from cricket. It is far too much open to subjective opinion.
So long as the ball gets from the bowler to the batsman without props or mechanical assistance, why should the bowling-action matter?
Except that chucking the ball allows it to be aimed more accurately than an orthodox bowling action – compare to baseball where the pitchers are aiming at a much smaller target. Chucking is quite rightly illegal. By the way, I am surprised at how many of you far lefties have Sky – apart from the expense, supporting the evil Murdoch? tut. tut.
“Except that chucking the ball allows it to be aimed more accurately than an orthodox bowling action – compare to baseball where the pitchers are aiming at a much smaller target.”
Fair enough. Surely accuracy is a good thing. Make chucking legal, level the playing field for all. So long as the ball goes from bowler to batsman, who cares how it gets there? Or is it just “tradition”?
Dale Steyn is NOT a chucker!
Steyn is NOT a chucker!
http://www.royalchallengers.com/player/dale-willem-steyn
More than once I have trawled the web looking for discussion about Steyns action. I can’t believe his action is not in doubt. I think he consistently straightens his arm at release and is illegal.
I am watching the IPL right now and can see blatant chucking imo from Dale Steyn. So I did a google search on “Dale Steyn Chucking” and here i landed.
There is a definite snap, even more obvious in slomo..
So yes I agree, Steyn imo is a chucker.
Dale steyn is one of the best fast bowlers of all time even at the age of 26, Steyn has the perfect fast bowlers action with his run up being one that should be shown to all fast bowlers as he has such great rythem. His ability to swing the ball in batsmen freindly conditions makes him a handfull and he is someone i look up too so to call him a chcuker does offend me