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Vettori's Spin Warning: Why Test Cricket Still Needs Its Magicians

Australia's spin bowling coach, Daniel Vettori, has defended the team's unusual decision to play without a specialist spinner in the Sydney Ashes Test. He insists this is just a temporary phase driven by current pitch conditions and the effectiveness of the pace attack. Vettori passionately argues that spin bowling remains a crucial and beloved part of Test match cricket. He predicts a return to more balanced attacks in the future, where spinners will once again play a leading role.

Key Points: Daniel Vettori Defends Spin Bowling Importance in Test Cricket

  • Australia fielded an all-seam attack for the first time in Sydney since 1888 due to Nathan Lyon's injury
  • Vettori believes current pace dominance is temporary and spin will regain its role
  • He cites diminishing results for spinners on recent Australian pitches as a key factor
  • The coach highlights a future where spinners could bowl the majority of overs in a Test
3 min read

Ashes: Spin bowling is incredibly important to Test cricket, insists Vettori

Australia's spin coach Daniel Vettori insists spin bowling remains vital to Test cricket, despite the team's recent all-pace Ashes attack at the SCG.

Ashes: Spin bowling is incredibly important to Test cricket, insists Vettori
"I think spin bowling is incredibly important to Test match cricket. I think people love watching it when it's at its absolute best. - Daniel Vettori"

Sydney, Jan 4

Australia's spin bowling coach, Daniel Vettori, has defended the side's decision to field an all-seam attack in the fifth Ashes Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) but insisted that spin bowling remains very important in the longer format.

With veteran off-spinner Nathan Lyon sidelined by a hamstring injury, Australia opted not to select a frontline spinner for the Test match in Sydney, the first time since 1888. It's also the third time Australia has fielded an all-pace bowling attack in the ongoing series.

"It's probably just a point in time. I don't think it's going to be something that's going to continue for years on end. I think spin bowling is incredibly important to Test match cricket. I think people love watching it when it's at its absolute best and when conditions can assist the spin bowler."

"But we're just in the stage now where that's not the case. I wouldn't be surprised that it changed in the future. I think at some stage it will get back to possibly how it was preceding these last couple of years," Vettori told reporters at the end of play on Day 1.

The former left-arm spinner, who claimed 362 wickets in 113 Tests for New Zealand, also felt Australia's recent preference for pace bowling in their Test matches does not signal the end of spin in Tests on home soil.

"Seamers have been so effective that it's hard to go away from them. It just feels like they're the ones who are going to be in the game most of the time, and spinners haven't been able to get into games on these types of surfaces.

"There's a real carrot for spin bowlers that they can be selected for series where it's incredibly important. You bowl 90 per cent of the overs and the seam bowler is reduced, we're down to one and maybe Cam Green is the allrounder.

"At some stage it will get back to possibly how it was preceding these last couple of years, but at this point in time it's about the fast bowlers. You've seen over the last three years it's been diminishing results for spin bowlers here, which is obviously not something that we'd like, but it's the nature of the surface.

"Both teams saw it that way, that the spin bowler hasn't been effective in the last couple of years. So the assessment was around looking to use seamers, which have been highly successful for us during the Ashes," Vettori concluded.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
It's interesting to see Australia without a spinner. In India, we can't even imagine a Test without at least two spinners in the playing XI. Shows how much home conditions matter.
A
Arjun K
As a cricket fan, I miss watching a good spinner in action. The battle between batter and spinner is pure art. Hope the pitches in Australia start assisting spin again soon.
S
Sarah B
Respectfully, I think this is a short-sighted approach by Australia. What happens when they tour the subcontinent next? Developing spinners should be a continuous process, not just for specific series.
K
Karthik V
Lyon's injury is a big factor here. Without him, they don't have a world-class spinner ready. In India, we have such depth in spin bowling. Different cricketing cultures, I guess!
M
Michael C
Vettori makes a valid point about surfaces. If the pitch doesn't help spinners, why play one? It's about picking the best team for the conditions. Smart cricket.

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