da stake casino： Troy Cooley, Australia’s bowling coach, believes that India’sinexperienced seam-bowling attack could give England’s batsmen a fewsurprises
Siddhartha Vaidyanathan in Chennai29-Jun-2007
‘You got to make sure you maintain a full length – not half-volley but the fuller length when you’re hitting the top of off’ – Troy Cooley © Getty Images
Troy Cooley, Australia’s bowling coach, believes that India’sinexperienced seam-bowling attack could give England’s batsmen a fewsurprises if they manage to hit the right length and generatereverse-swing in the forthcoming series. India begin the tour with justone experienced pace bowler, Zaheer Khan, but Cooley didn’t think it wouldbe a handicap.”Nothing fancy, just the basics work wonderfully there,” said Cooley, whocoached England’s bowlers to an Ashes triumph in 2005 before switchingsides and tasting glory with Australia the next year. Currently inChennai, coaching at the MRF Pace Academy, Cooley had a few suggestionsfor India’s largely unheralded pace attack, including two rookie pacers inIshant Sharma and Ranadeb Bose, ahead of their England series.”You can’t go there with any preconceived notions,” Cooley told Cricinfo.”I was quite surprised when I went out there in 1988-89 [to play leaguecricket]. I had taken along thermal underwear and stuff, thinking it wouldbe freezing but the summers are actually very pleasant. The wickets havechanged a bit in the last five years or so – they tend to get drier. If Iwas to bowl there now, I’d look to see if the ball is roughing up and tryto get in reverse-swing. We saw how well Simon Jones and Andrew Flintoffdid that in 2005.”But reverse-swing is just the back-up option. What’s critical is topractise with the new ball. Wickets at times are a little bit on the slowside, so you got to make sure you maintain a full length – not half-volleybut the fuller length when you’re hitting the top of off. It’s what thegreat Glenn McGrath mastered and just take a look at his record in Englandand you’ll know why. It’s hard work, but it’s the only way.”Cooley went on to list a five-step procedure to bowling in England, onewhich he felt would help India’s bowlers trouble the opposition. “Firstlymake sure the ball is in the best state for the given condition. Trytraditional swing first. Otherwise restrict with the new-ball and attackwith the slightly old one with reverse-swing. If that also doesn’t workyou’ll have to try to hit the deck and aim at the top of off. If that toois not working then get a bit of seam movement into it. Cover all thebases but do it one step at a time, not randomly. First hit the goodlength, then grow with the conditions.” India would do well to heed Cooley’s advice.