Pacers to watch out for during the WC

(Appeared in Playing11.com)

Many experts are saying that this will be a World Cup where the spinners will make all the difference. The media attention is on the likes of Harbhajan Singh, Daniel Vettori and ‘surprise package’ Imran Tahir.

Well, there are some who would like to disagree. And they are the fast bowlers. They are the ones who take charge of their team’s attack. They would argue that they are the ones fighting on the frontlines. They would also suggest that it’s their bouncers and yorkers that leave the batsmen ripe for the picking for the spinners.

Here are some of the lethal brigade who on-song could make a whole world of difference to their teams and the viewing experience.

Dale Steyn (South Africa): He’s fast and that along with his ability to swing the ball makes him one of the most respected and feared pacers in the business right now. He is familiar with Indian conditions and has excelled in them despite the tracks. His accuracy also makes him difficult to dispatch during the death overs. This 27-year-old is sure to put the fear of God among his opponents.

Lasith Malinga (Sri Lanka): ‘Slinger’ Malinga may add to the already long injury list of cricketers with his lethal toe-crushing yorker. There are other contenders to the throne abdicated by Waqar Younis for being the best proponent of the toe-crushing yorker. But Malinga will surely get my vote for being the best out there. His unusual bowling action also makes it hard for the batsman to pick up deliveries early.  He is also one of the finest death over bowlers of this era.

Umar Gul (Pakistan): To be one of the most consistent performers in an inconsistent outfit makes him special. He can bowl Yorkers at will and can choke the batsmen to the point of suicide. His ability to bowl bouncers on the flat sub-continent tracks also makes him stand-out from the crop of fast bowlers and makes him one to watchout for.

Zaheer Khan (India): Zaheer is the fulcrum of the Indian attack. Having taken over the mantle from Javagal Srinath and Kapil Dev, this left-armer knows his role and enacts it to perfection. His precision and disciplined bowling in the first fifteen overs is worth going miles to see. He has been in fine form and leading the Indians in attack will surely get a lot of early breakthroughs.

James Anderson (England): He has become England’s Zaheer Khan. When fit and on-song, there are few bowlers who can emulate Anderson’s immaculate line and length. His ability to swing the ball may prove decisive in the day-nighters under the lights. Having become the leader of the English pack, he understands his responsibility and this seems to have only made him a better bowler.

Brett Lee (Australia): Lee may not have the pace of his youth, but he has substituted that with the guile of age. His performance in the just concluded ODI series against England proves that he’s back and getting back to his peak form. A brilliant tactician, he understands the game better than most cricketers. To counter the placid sub-continent tracks, he is working on adding more weapons to his armoury. He’s a man on a mission to prove his detractors wrong and so is can be more dangerous than the others.

Kemar Roach (West Indies): He brings back memories of the West Indian pacers of yesteryears with his hostility and pace. Add to the mix accuracy and it makes for a lethal concoction sure to leave the opposition in tatters. He may be comparatively new to the international arena, but has shown within that limited period that he is the spearhead of the Windies attack.

Hamish Bennett (New Zealand): He is raw and inexperienced, but that may work in his favour at the World Cup. Bennett is the latest fast bowling prospect to emerge out of New Zealand and the Kiwis need him to click for them to have a successful campaign. With South African legendary pacer Allan Donald coaching the Black Caps, Bennett may just be the ‘unknown’ who becomes a star at cricket’s greatest tournament.

Doug Bollinger (Australia): He may not be the quickest, but can beat the best in accuracy. It’s difficult to shine in a line-up of stars like Mitchell Johnson, Brett Lee and Shaun Tait, but the fact that Bollinger has managed to emerge from their shadows speaks volumes for his ability. If his dodgy knee stands up to the vigour of the World Cup pressures, then he will definitely prove to be one of the more effective pacers. Being a left-armer, his angle and swing make his difficult to face. His ability to pitch the ball in the right lengths also makes him a tough opponent, even on sub-continent tracks.

Morne Morkel (South Africa): He along with Steyn are South Africa’s ‘deadly duo’. Like the great West Indian pacers they hunt as a pair. His 6 feet 5 inch frame makes him difficult to handle on any pitch. His talent of being able to pitch the ball on the right areas makes it virtually impossible to launch into his deliveries. This ability to frustrate ultimately gets him a lot of wickets. It’s this ability of being able to bowl consistently in the ‘corridor of uncertainty’ that yields him so many wickets and should continue to do so for him in the World Cup.

So there they are my pick of the ten pacers most capable of destroying the opposition. Now it remains to be seen if they live up the expectations or flop like a bad soufflé at the World Cup.