Ajantha Mendis : the next Syd Barnes?
Chan
But the early reports about this rookie Sri Lankan bowler suggest
nothing short of a Barnesian career ahead of him:
From Cricinfo:
Although classified as a right-arm, slow-medium bowler, Ajantha Mendis
is a spinner who bowls a mixture of googlies, offbreaks, top-spinners,
flippers and legbreaks. Batsmen have been confounded by the variety of
deliveries he has up his sleeve and are at a loss to figure out what
his stock delivery is. Mendis was a prolific wicket-taker for Sri
Lanka Army in the 2007-08 season and had taken 46 wickets at an
average of 10.56 and strike-rate of 31 from six matches. His
performances did not go unnoticed for Mendis was called up to the Sri
Lanka squad for the tour of West Indies in April 2008.
Current Stats (cricinfo):
Bowling averages Mat Inns Balls Runs Wkts BBI BBM
Ave Econ SR 4w 5w 10
First-class 18 33 3400 1501 104 7/37 10/74 14.43 2.64 32.6
9 7 1
List A 19 17 794 424 37 4/14 4/14 11.45 3.20 21.4 2 0 0
Twenty20 3 3 42 33 3 2/15 2/15 11.00 4.71 14.0 0 0 0
104 wickets in 18 first class matches at 14.43, with a 2.64 econ rate
and 32 strike rate is nothing to be ashamed about.
Compare the description of Barnes:
Barnes played a total of only 27 Test matches, 20 of them against the
arch enemy, Australia, and he took 189 wickets for an average of 16.43
runs each- 106 wickets against Australia for 21.58 runs each and 83
against South Africa for only 9.85 each. He was six feet one inch in
height, lean but muscular, with long arms and long fingers with two or
three long, springing strides in his run-up, he delivered the ball
when it was at the highest point above his head. His armoury included
the leg-break, the off-break, in-swingers, out-swingers, top-spinners
although his chief asset was the leg-break. In all first-class matches
he took 719 wickets for an average of 17.09 runs each. To be added to
these are his 1,437 wickets for Staffordshire at a mere 8.10 runs
each, a feat without parellel in Minor Counties cricket and his 4,069
wickets in league and club cricket. In all classes of cricket, Barnes
took 6,225 wickets at an average of only 8.31 runs each.
Other tidbits about Mendis (from Dilmah forum):
"[as opposed to Barnes] Ajantha Mendis is a small fellow and has a
unusually long runup for a spinner to the wicket." [Underwood-like?]
"I have seen Ajantha bowl last December/Jan when I was in SL. He is
very unique. Comes off of a straight run up and bowls spin. The most
interesting part is the loop he generates. A bit like Salim Malik's or
Chis Harris's action and loop."
[space for wisecracks from Andrew here]
"The latest addition to the Sri Lanka One Day International team
Ajantha Mendis is a product of the Sri Lanka Cricket Academy. Mendis
who plays for 'Army' in the 'Premier - Tear (B)' competition has been
selected to represent the Sri Lankan 'National Team' to tour the 'West
Indies' in the forth coming (ODI) series.
Sri Lanka Cricket Academy coach Jerome Jayaratne said that the young
off spinner first caught their attention for his "unusual and freaky"
action.
Mendis graduated from the (2007/8) SLC Academy Squad and in July last
year, he toured India with the 'Academy' team which emerged champions
of the 'Maharastra Challenge Trophy'.
Jayaratne had high praise for the country's national spin bowling
coach Ruwan Kalpage who recently left the country to assume a coaching
assignment with 'Bangladesh Cricket Board.
"Ruwan was responsible for scouting this youngster who incidentally is
the only player from the tear (B) competition in the Squad. Mendis is
noted to be an 'Off Spinner'. Ruwan picked him on the basis that he
was unusual and freaky and both worked tirelessly in the nets over the
last seven to eight months, toiling to fine tune the variations of
deliveries Mendis already possessed." Jayaratne revealed.
"Then, Mendis stuck gold in the recently conducted Provincial Cricket
Tournament where he had some Sri Lanka players in all sorts of trouble
during the competition in which he caught the eye of the national
selectors. Since then he has not stopped his work at trying to impress
the selectors and currently is the leading wicket taker for 'Army' in
the Premier tear (B) competition at an amazing wicket taking average"
said Jayaratne
Jayaratne feels Kalpage and his assistant Piyal Wijetunge deserve to
be congratulated for their untiring efforts to mould Mendis into a
world class spinner and making options available to the national team.
"Only a few months ago there were some doubts whether this young lad
would come through the process successfully. However his performance
in competition cleared all doubts and the fact that he delivered the
goods with flying colours is a tribute to his mentors.
Mendis is unusual, freaky and has developed a ball which could be
described as a 'Flicker' which he releases with a snap of his fingers
which is very unusual compared to other orthodox Spin bowlers,
according to Jayaratne"
My only question at this point is: Will Ajantha Mendis get a game on
this WI tour?
- Chan
Chan
"I saw him in action during IP cup. He has an odd action for a finger
spinner but very effective. He spins the ball more than usual finger
spinner."
"Player of the Week: Ajantha Mendis
Ajantha Mendis isn't playing in one of Colombo's most influential club
sides and his team isn't competing in the elite Tier A but the less
glamorous Tier B of the Premier League. However, Mendis' spin bowling
is one of the main reasons why Army are on top of Tier B and could be
promoted to Tier A next season if they keep up their current form and
emerge champions.
"I had only two variations when I started to play for the Army but
within a period of one year I have managed to increase it to four. Now
I can bowl in six different ways," said Mendis, who bowls with an
unorthodox action. Mendis is the season's top wicket-taker with 46
wickets at an average of 10.56 and strike-rate of 31 from six matches
with five five-fors and one ten-wicket haul.
Sri Lanka's spin-bowling coach Ruwan Kalpage predicted a bright future
for him and said that Mendis should be nurtured carefully because he
was going to be Sri Lanka's next Muttiah Muralitharan.
"The most impressive aspect of Mendis' bowling is that he maintains a
consistent line and length while still bowling five different
deliveries in an over. To be a good bowler at international level you
need to have a lot of variations and Mendis has them," said Kalpage, a
former Sri Lanka off-spinner."
dodo
Why is everyone calling him unorthodox?
Is he like Paul Adams, or Malinga? or is he "double-jointed" and
causes optical illusions? or is there suspicion that he chucks like
Samuels?
Anything on youtube?
Villanova
You are casting aspersions and speculating about chucking
without ever seeing him bowl before.
Since when is unorthodox synonymous to chucking ?
--
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ben.g...@hotmail.com
>
> - Show quoted text -
I assume they're calling him unorthodox because he bowls in a number
of different styles. I doubt it has anything to do with his action.
Regards,
Ben.
Mad Hamish
wrote:
>On Mar 22, 8:22 am, dodo <dodo...@gmail.com> wrote:
>> > I can bowl in six different ways," said Mendis, who bowls with an
>> > unorthodox action.
>I assume they're calling him unorthodox because he bowls in a number
>of different styles. I doubt it has anything to do with his action.
>
notice the bit about the unorthodox action?
--
"Hope is replaced by fear and dreams by survival, most of us get by."
Stuart Adamson 1958-2001
Mad Hamish
Hamish Laws
newsunsp...@iinet.unspamme.net.au
dodo
> > Samuels?
>
> > Anything on youtube?
>
> You are casting aspersions and speculating about chucking
> without ever seeing him bowl before.
>
> Since when is unorthodox synonymous to chucking ?
>
> --
never said he was chucking ... he could be a chucker and be
unorthodox, or like malinga/adams who do not chuck but are unorthodox,
or like murali who is double jointed and unorthodox
Villanova
You posed a question if there is a suspicion that Ajantha Mendis chucks.
That is rather unnecessary speculation.
--
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ben.g...@hotmail.com
<newsunspammel...@iinet.unspamme.net.au> wrote:
> On Fri, 21 Mar 2008 17:55:55 -0700 (PDT), ben.gus...@hotmail.com
> wrote:
>
> >On Mar 22, 8:22 am, dodo <dodo...@gmail.com> wrote:
> >> > I can bowl in six different ways," said Mendis, who bowls with an
> >> > unorthodox action.
> >I assume they're calling him unorthodox because he bowls in a number
> >of different styles. I doubt it has anything to do with his action.
>
> notice the bit about the unorthodox action?
> --
> "Hope is replaced by fear and dreams by survival, most of us get by."
> Stuart Adamson 1958-2001
>
> Mad Hamish
> Hamish Laws
I did notice that, but I still think they're saying his action is
unorthodox because he bowls a number of different styles. I think
you're being a pedantic about the wording. I guess we'll find out soon
enough anyway.
Regards,
Ben.
acrana...@hotmail.com
Doesn't look like anything special in my opinion. He might be able to
keep the runs down in ODIs but I can't see him becoming a test bowler.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9UNcF2cINc
AC.
Paul Robson
> Doesn't look like anything special in my opinion. He might be able to
> keep the runs down in ODIs but I can't see him becoming a test bowler.
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9UNcF2cINc
Can't see him turning the ball on a flat wicket really. Looks like he's
spinning purely from the fingers e.g. no wrist (or elbow !) action to
accentuate the spin.
Chan
Thanks AC for posting this. Well at least we can conclude that he
doesn't chuck. Elbow looks perfectly straight to me right through.
Rather fast for a "spinner" too so stylewise perhaps he does compare
to Barnes. Let's wait and see if he is in fact able to trouble
international batsmen.
As for his success in odos vs Tests, his first-class performance at
home is stellar so it could very well translate to the Test arena.
- Chan
prabh...@hotmail.com
Looks like he could be a mediocre trundler at international level
going by the video...
Barnes?? bwahahaha...... How does his figures against first-class
batsmen count?
Cricinfo on SL batsmen at international level
http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/magazine/content/current/story/343322.html
Villanova
> On Mar 23, 10:22 am, Chan <chan.fons...@gmail.com> wrote:
>> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9UNcF2cINc
>>
>> Thanks AC for posting this. Well at least we can conclude that he
>> doesn't chuck. Elbow looks perfectly straight to me right through.
>> Rather fast for a "spinner" too so stylewise perhaps he does compare
>> to Barnes. Let's wait and see if he is in fact able to trouble
>> international batsmen.
>>
>> As for his success in odos vs Tests, his first-class performance at
>> home is stellar so it could very well translate to the Test arena.
>>
>> - Chan
>
> Looks like he could be a mediocre trundler at international level
> going by the video...
A mediocre trundler at international level based on
one video ?
Nice.
> Barnes?? bwahahaha...... How does his figures against first-class
> batsmen count?
>
> Cricinfo on SL batsmen at international level
> http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/magazine/content/current/story/343322.html
--
Hilal
commentators on duty as well.
http://www.hilalscricket.com/2008/04/video-ajantha-mendis-mystery-spinner-on.html
Chan
> Here he is on debut, troubled all and impressed the veteran
> commentators on duty as well.
>
Thanks Hilal!
Looks like he is indeed no ordinary spinner. He's got the likes of
Colin Croft gushing after one match. And what a debut too! He strikes
me as being able to hurry the ball off the pitch (perhaps he is just
faster than your average spinner), which is a great asset if he has
the turn, accuracy and variations to start with, which appears to be
the case.
Let's see how he goes in the remaining two matches. Imagine him and
Murali operating in tandem! I would dearly love to see him bowl
against the Aussies.
- Chan
subi...@notmail.com
comes in holding the ball in a strange grip. it is amazing how much
variation and turn he can get by using his forefinger and middle
finger. how he does long term will depend totally on whether batsmen
can read his fingers. they were totally clueless yesterday, and so, i
have to say, was the umpire, at least on the gayle dismissal, which
seemed to have pitched just outside leg. his doosra is cleaner than
murali's or bhajji's, imho. i'm looking forward to watching him, no
doubt, and chawla, as the spinners of the next generation.
Paul Robson
> comes in holding the ball in a strange grip. it is amazing how much
> variation and turn he can get by using his forefinger and middle
> finger. how he does long term will depend totally on whether batsmen
> can read his fingers. they were totally clueless yesterday, and so, i
> have to say, was the umpire, at least on the gayle dismissal, which
> seemed to have pitched just outside leg. his doosra is cleaner than
> murali's or bhajji's, imho. i'm looking forward to watching him, no
> doubt, and chawla, as the spinners of the next generation.
Possibly. Certainly an interesting bowler ! No doubt he isn't chucking.
I think the question for Ajantha is will he lose his potency once people
are used to him ? Odd bowlers - Iverson, Gleeson, Paul Adams are
frequently horrendous to face initially because it's unlike anything else
you've faced before (Colin Croft is another example), but once batsmen get
used to it the novelty wears off. No-one will have analysed him close up
on video. Yet.
I'd also be concerned about the amount of spin he might get on flat
pitches in tests. Murali can turn it on glass ; with the odd grip Ajantha
has (thumb and middle finger) there isn't much opportunity to leverage
extra spin as wrist spinners and Murali do.