Warne, MacGill v. Sri Lanka ?

[Donny]

Warne, MacGill 'should bowl in tandem'

Fox

STEVE Rixon says Australian Test captain Ricky Ponting will have a potentially lethal weapon at his disposal against Sri Lanka - Stuart MacGill and Shane Warne bowling in tandem.

The NSW coach believes the Warne versus MacGill debate should be thrown out the window, with both wrist spinners chosen for the first Test against the Lankans on March 8 at Galle.

"There's every case in the world for doing that," said Rixon.

"I don't know where the myth has come from that you can't bowl two leg spinners together. In my book, it's garbage.

"Why wouldn't you throw them in? They're both special bowlers. They're both wicket takers, and they go about it in a different way so batsmen can't get comfortable. You've got a prodigious turner of the ball in MacGill and the economy and consistency of Warne.

"They'd be great over there. The Sri Lankan finger spinners get a lot of movement, so MacGill and Warne could do anything. They'd be a lethal weapon, in my opinion."

Australia's Test squad will be named on Friday. MacGill is a certain inclusion and Warne, provided he doesn't have a shocker for Victoria in the meantime, is likely to be rushed into the touring party just ten days after his return from a 12-month suspension for a drugs violation.

It's been assumed MacGill and Warne will then embark on a man-on-man battle for a place in the starting XI, but don't bet on it.

The absence of sure-and-steady paceman Glenn McGrath leaves free one bowling berth, and Ponting will be tempted to employ his slow men alongside speedsters Brett Lee and Jason Gillespie.

Sri Lanka, banking on Muttiah Muralitharan to torment the Australians, has already named six spinners in its 25-man squad in a sure sign the pitches will be prepared to provide wicked sideways movement.

Rixon claimed MacGill was unfazed during the week as Warne, probably the greatest bowler of all time, made his comeback amid a blaze of publicity, including his claim he was still the best spinner in the country.

"Stuart always plays his cards close to his chest, but from what I've seen it doesn't appear to have been much of an issue for him at all," said Rixon.

"He was the second highest Test wicket-taker in the world last year. That's all he has to worry about."

MacGill said last weekend it would be a relief to have Warne back on the field because he was sick and tired of being compared to the "legend" of Warne - an impossible situation.

Rixon said comparisons were pointless, anyway.

"You can't compare someone to the absolute ultimate, to someone who has refined leg spinning to the nth degree," he said.

"If you compare yourself as a bowler to someone like Shane Warne, you're always going to come up short. It doesn't matter who you are. Stuart MacGill is a great bowler in his own right, but they're two different creatures.

"Stuart is never going to have an economy rate like Warne, but he's going to go out there and attack and turn the ball a long way. Maybe he'll get hit for a few more runs, but he'll take a lot of wickets."

MacGill will play for NSW in an ING Cup game against South Australia at Drummoyne Oval tomorrow.

[Donny]

Even though this is coming from Steve Rixon and should be viewed in a similar light to what Greg Matthews said about MacGill, it does bear some consideration.

Your thoughts ?

[Donny]

Warne gets cracking after Victoria make 494

Wisden Cricinfo staff


Shane Warne boosted his prospects of a Test place for next month's series in Sri Lanka, by bringing out "all the tricks" on the second day of Victoria's Pura Cup clash with Tasmania at the MCG. Warne picked up 2 for 31 in a 13-over spell, as Tasmania slumped to 4 for 99 in reply to Victoria's first innings total of 494.


His captain and state wicketkeeper, Darren Berry, was certainly impressed – if a little surprised that the Australian selectors have not sent anyone along to the match to keep tabs on Warne's progress. "The ticket might be booked even though they [selectors] weren't here," said Berry. "All the tricks of the trade were out and it all looks well - two crucial wickets for us tonight. He's coming out of his skin to have another bowl tomorrow, it's going to be hard to take the ball off him."


Warne had Shane Watson caught at mid-off for 23 and then dismissed Michael Di Venuto for 33 with a ball which bounced and took the glove on the way to Matthew Mott at bat-pad. "He just outclassed Di Venuto tonight - he pushed a couple across him, then he spun a couple of sharp ones and the one that got him out was a beauty," added Berry. "He's bowling a lot better now than what he was when he came back last time from his shoulder injury."

[JLC]

Interesting to see more support from MacGill stems from NSW.

Warne could keep the pressure up at one end. The Sri Lankans will go after MacGill and he may pick up a few cheap wickets.

MacGill cant field either let alone hold a bat.

Personally i would not pick him.

jlc

[commonwombat]

Steve Rixon has the same propensity for talking shit and overstating his case as Hookes did for the Vics. Ergo, he's just pushing his own barrow and his comments viewed with that in mind.

[Donny]

I thought that's what I said, wombat.

I was interested in what you may think about Warne and MacGill bowling in tandem against Sri Lanka.