When was the last time Australia had a "Slow Left Arm" Bowler?.>

[Teatime FatCat]

Originally Posted by Maranello

Rangana Herath - a regular on home matches, and when Murali is on one of his frequent absences.

The names show that there are plenty of SLAs around TTFC, and in fact, there are more regular SLAs than leggies or right-arm offies; most of the leggies and ROB chaps you listed are not regulars at all, whereas at least five of the SLAs are first choice spinners for their countries.

Fair do's Maranello, I count 4.5 SLA's, only 3 offies and 5 leggies as regulars.

Although it is very important to note that there is absolutely no point to this discussion as someone said earlier, there hasn't been a plethora of same-type bowlers in test cricket since probably the late 50's (when just about everybody had two finger spinners in their side)


Ok then, here's a question - who was the best SLA bowler of our times - maybe since the mid seventies (for some of our older members!).

Underwood, Bedi, Tufnell, Vettori? Any others?

[CJ D]

Phil Edmonds was a pretty decent SLA and his career was sadly cut short by ... being a good businessman and making a ton of money outside cricket. (It was obviously only cut short if you look at finger spinners going on until they are 40).

[Maranello]

Originally Posted by Teatime FatCat

Underwood, Bedi, Tufnell, Vettori? Any others?

I would leave out Vettori from that list, and possibly Tufnell too. If we do include Tufnell, another name to throw in the hat is Iqbal Qasim; a portly SLA from Pakistan in the 1980s, and till recently, Pakistan's second most successful spinner ever (and still 8th in the overall bowling rankings for Pakistan).


PS: Qasim's career best figures: 42-22-49-7 - that was against Australia at Karachi in 1980; sounds like a different sport to the one the Australians have played in the last decade or so!

[Big Merv]

Is everyone forgetting Brad Hogg?

[Maranello]

He is a wrist spinner, not a SLA finger spinner.

[Big Merv]

Oh I thought you were talking about left armers in general.

[Aussie_Andy]

actualy australia have a slow left arm bowler right now! (not warne or MacGil) he is called Michael Clarke

[Paoli]

Too bad his back doesn't allow him to bowl!

The best left arm finger spinner in years gone by would have to be Richy Kaschula from Zimbabwe. Weighed a good 20-21 stone but gee, could he control the ball when bowling. Useless bat and field though.

TTFC, there is hope. I presume you don't tip the scales at 20 stone but hey...36 wickets @ 12 is phenomenal!