Australians Can Switch-hit, Too, If They Really Want To
The Age
Wednesday June 18, 2008
JOHN Buchanan says Australian batsmen have tried switch-hits at training and suspects plenty of cricketers have the power and skill to match Kevin Pietersen's exploits. The question is, do they have the balls?
The former Australian coach's vision of ambidextrous cricketers was realised in spectacular fashion when the right-handed Pietersen twice reversed his grip and position, effectively adopting a left-handed stance, and on both occasions hit New Zealand medium-pacer Scott Styris for six in Durham on Sunday.The shots have reverberated around the world. NZ legend Sir Richard Hadlee joined West Indies great Michael Holding in questioning the legality of Pietersen's strokeplay."It has created some serious issues in regards to the spirit of the game because the fielding side are dealing with a right-handed player and set the field accordingly," Hadlee told the Telegraph newspaper in Britain."The batsman has then changed that. If he is hit on the pad, is he going to be treated as a left-hander or a right-hander? There are technical issues with the laws as to where it pitches. What do you treat as his off stump and his leg stump?"Buchanan has little doubt Pietersen gained an advantage but spoke of the need for cricket to constantly reinvigorate itself, and for authorities to be wary of legislating against something proved good fun for spectators."It is a logical extension of the reverse sweep," Buchanan said. "The lawmakers have to be mindful of innovation versus convention, potentially what is good and entertaining and what is prejudicial to the game."Once it's been done successfully, there is plenty of other strong and powerful and skilled players who can actually do that."He has just set a standard at the moment that no one else has been prepared to try in a game. Others might have been prepared to practise it but he has actually taken the next step, had the courage to take that risk."Buchanan would not say which Australian batsmen had experimented with switch-hitting, a term taken from baseball. Adam Gilchrist faced up right-handed to an Indian journalist at a net session in New Delhi several years ago, and succeeded only in edging the ball into his chin."They are always trying different things like that, but it does take time. He (Pietersen) is prepared to be unconventional, and I think that's an important approach."The International Cricket Council's cricket committee wrestled with the issue last month, before it was referred to the Marylebone Cricket Club - custodian of the game's laws.Cricket committee members were polarised, some taking the view that batsmen, like bowlers, should inform the umpire of their intention to switch hands, and others that the flair of the few players capable of such extraordinary skill should not be stifled, for it was great entertainment.Buchanan said that whatever batsmen did, bowlers had to adapt to "and conversely, whatever bowlers come up with, batsmen have to adjust and react and come up with strategies"."That's the beauty of the game."
© 2008 The Age