Originally Posted by Flanflinger 13-06-2005, 11:14 AM

Giles has bowled some very good attacking spells recently. I must admit that when he first started using the tactic it was defensive, and I hated it. But recently he has pushed the ball onto the leg stump, turning enough to hit the top of off and he has done that often enough to prove it is not a fluke...

Originally Posted by Andy Mellon 13-06-2005, 10:43 AM

I wonder if Tezza has watched Giles bowl in the last 2 years. Since Nas stepped down as captain, the negative leg theory bowling has gone out the window somewhat. If that's what he's expecting, I'll be happy to hear him eat his words when Giles gets a wicket or two.

Originally Posted by DaveGillespie following Martyn's dismissal. 14-08-2005, 06:11 PM

I wouldn't have said that Lemming, given that SLA bowlers traditionally bowl [around the wicket] aiming to spin the ball away from the right handers off stump. It was, however, the quintessential Ashley Giles dismissal - up there in his three along with Cairns vs NZ and the 100th wicket ball again Lara. A delivery which completely vindicates his style and makes a mockery of anyone labelling him as a "negative" bowler.

Originally Posted by cricinfo

All international bowlers will swear by the need for skill and perseverance for long-term success, but they'll probably also mention that one needs a slice of luck. There are some bowlers who have the happy knack of finding the edge, or forcing batsmen to hit rank long-hops to the lone man stationed at deep fine leg, while others toil away, keep beating the bat or finding the edge, but at the end of the day, have figures of none for 100 to show for it.

It's commonly assumed that it all evens out in the end - a bowler might take a five-for despite bowling poorly, and might go wicketless after a great spell - but does it really? Cricinfo's ball-by-ball data suggests that there are some bowlers who are more adept than others at converting potential wicket-taking deliveries into actual wickets. Since September 2001, each and every ball bowled in Test cricket has been mapped along several parameters, including line and length, and how the batsman tackled it. Every time a batsman played and missed, edged, or was rapped on the pads, it went down as a potential wicket-taking delivery. Based on those numbers, there are some interesting revelations which come up.

Among bowlers who have taken at least 25 Test wickets since that period, Ashley Giles comes out as the unluckiest of the lot - he has bowled plenty of potentially wicket-taking deliveries, with minimum reward.