Akram gives tips to Indian bowlers
by Cricket Archive Staff Reporter
DateLine: 8th January 2007
If Indian medium-fast bowlers were able to achieve a concerning degree
of reverse swing on the third day of the final Test on Thursday, much
of it could be attributed to the advice given to them by Pakistan
legend Wasim Akram.
Akram spent time with S Sreesanth during the lunch break on second day
and shared his experience on "making" the ball to reverse swing.
Making the ball is an art of polishing one end up and keeping the other
go through the natural wear and tear so that when the air passes around
the seam, it starts tilting towards the heavier side, or the polished
side of the ball.
As Akram passed on his tips to Sreesanth, fellow fast bowler VRV Singh
and biomechanist Ian Frazer were at hand to soak in the wisdom imparted
by Akram.
"This is the right kind of surface, very dry, for Indian bowlers to
make use of," said Akram. "The boys sought my help and I don't mind
sharing my experience."
The impression that Indian boys gave to Wasim was that the team was not
very good in "making" the ball.
Akram helping Indian bowlers has not been a new thing though in light
of coach Greg Chappell's terse statement during the first Test, it
attracted undue attention.
