Simple Change in style, Huge Change in form

[WCE2000]

Interesting to note that the two Australian openers have made a very tiny change to their batting style, and althought it seems minor, its one of the key points to their new found form.

The two are taking guard on off stump, instead of middle. This is very unorthodox as it puts all your pads in front of the stumps, increasing the chance for lbw.

But the plus side to but on off stump, is that when the (right handed) bowler comes into bowl, they cant see the stumps, and thus dont know where the off stump is - the guideline for each bowlers line.

So if they drift onto the stumps, Langer and Hayden whip them of their pads, and if its not on their pads (outside off) they leave it, unless the feel they can put it away.

This minimizes the danger of misjudging the ball, and if its on their pads (and the stumps), Langer and Hayden are easily good enough to put it away, without the worry of LBW.

Very simple, but its working unbelievably well.

Just a little tidbit i found out today when talking with a mate, who is very close to the Australia players.

[Dipper]

Well in the case of Hayden I can see why this would be a good thing as on the last tour to England he had the tendency on virtually every delivery to plant his front leg accross his stumps & then have to play round it which left him getting out LBW to the left handers sucker punch the inswinger from the right armer.

So by taking guard on off he's already blocking his stumps from being clean bowled, which is the whole idea of moving accross but he's not getting himself tangled up.

This to me is another sign of Australia being one step ahead of the game & being willing to try things that historically in cricket people would assume were suicidal,ie consistently putting the opposition in.

I read for one of Haydens centuries recently that he scored a massively overwhelming part of his runs on the leg side & that unbelievably he didn't score one run behind square on the off, this would explain it.

So WCE2000 how would you boqwl against a pair of left handed openers batting this way.

Would it be a good idea to come round the wicket, which personally I like doing against lefties anyway or could you try & sneak one round the back to bowl them leg stump-perhaps with an away swinging yorker bowled wide of the crease going over the wicket aimed wide of the leg stump.

[WCE2000]

their too good to bowl them around their legs, they'll put you away for four every time if you go that wide down leg.

The best way for a right handed bowler to counteract this little tactic would be to get the away swingers going. Bowling it on off, forcing them to play, and abit of away swing or cut, is a good method.

But at the moment, i think the best thing they've got going for them is their form. There just doesnt seem to be anything you do, but hope.

[Dipper]

I remember a couple of years ago Craig White was bowling pretty quickly at the time & he started bowling pitched up insingers to Brian Lara from around the wicket & he reckoned he was moving accross his stumps too much & he actually bowled him behind his legs in a premeditated way.It's a bit of a long shot I know but it's nice when something like that comes off & shows it can be doen.

But you're right they are both in just too good form at the moment.