Left arm bowlers

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chunkyshanhawk53

chunkyshanhawk53

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watching Starc, Johnson, Boult etc got me thinking.

Given 1 in 9 of the population are left handed, why have england produced so few left arm bowlers, seamers especially? (Giles and Monty as spin options are noted, as is Richad Illingworth)

In my time watching cricket, early 90s, I would argue only Sidebottom has been remotely successful at international level. Granted we have had some country trundlers; Mark Illot, Alan f***ing Mullally, Harry Gurney, Simon Brown (great for us), Mike Smith etc

When you compare it to LHB with Strauss, Thorpe, Trescothick, Fairbrother, Cook, Stokes, Modern Ali etc (some who bowl right handed), why is there such a difference?

I understand that there is a perceived advantage for lefties batting, the angle, this is equally true for left arm quicks as we are seeing right now.

So why don't we produce them?
 


If you think about the perceived advantage for left hand batters verses right arm bowlers, the same advantage exists for right hand batters verses left arm bowlers. And seeing as the majority bat right handed, it's tougher for lefty quicks.

This Aussie one-day side is almost unique in history with it's 3 lefty quicks.
 
Steak Pie said:
If you think about the perceived advantage for left hand batters verses right arm bowlers, the same advantage exists for right hand batters verses left arm bowlers. And seeing as the majority bat right handed, it's tougher for lefty quicks.

This Aussie one-day side is almost unique in history with it's 3 lefty quicks.
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I get that, but there are a canny few left hand batters these days
 
Left arm bowlers are like leggies,highly effective when they get it right but highly expensive when they stray in line and length. Because they're expensive they tend not to be persisted with when young so pack in or concentrate on batting. Jamie Harrison is the only left arm seamer we've produced in 20+ years,he's expensive but devastating when he gets it right. Let's hope he makes a full recovery; we've got good bowling coaches at Durham who could really develop him.
 
Parkside said:
Left arm bowlers are like leggies,highly effective when they get it right but highly expensive when they stray in line and length. Because they're expensive they tend not to be persisted with when young so pack in or concentrate on batting. Jamie Harrison is the only left arm seamer we've produced in 20+ years,he's expensive but devastating when he gets it right. Let's hope he makes a full recovery; we've got good bowling coaches at Durham who could really develop him.
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yep agree, worth sticking with, got a new long term contract didn't he?

young quickies to get injuries early in their career, lets hope he recovers
 
chunkylover53 said:
I get that, but there are a canny few left hand batters these days
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There are, at the top level. But coming through a bowler is going to be bowling at right handers the majority of the time, making everything that bit harder.

Lefty batters have a natural advantage = more of them than there should be statistically.
Lefty pace bowlers have a natural disadvantage = less of them than there should be statistically.
 
No one mentions Mark Footitt of Derbyshire.
No coincidence that after some time with Graham Welch he had a fantastic season in 2014.
Genuine 90mph bowler who swings it.
84 first class wickets at 19.19, 106 wickets in all competitions.
In his prime at 29.
Also, Keith Barker, another Welch production. Medium pace but swings it and has variations.
Always causes problems for Durham, especially the left hand batters.

chunkylover53 said:
watching Starc, Johnson, Boult etc got me thinking.

Given 1 in 9 of the population are left handed, why have england produced so few left arm bowlers, seamers especially? (Giles and Monty as spin options are noted, as is Richad Illingworth)

In my time watching cricket, early 90s, I would argue only Sidebottom has been remotely successful at international level. Granted we have had some country trundlers; Mark Illot, Alan f***ing Mullally, Harry Gurney, Simon Brown (great for us), Mike Smith etc

When you compare it to LHB with Strauss, Thorpe, Trescothick, Fairbrother, Cook, Stokes, Modern Ali etc (some who bowl right handed), why is there such a difference?

I understand that there is a perceived advantage for lefties batting, the angle, this is equally true for left arm quicks as we are seeing right now.

So why don't we produce them?
Click to expand...
What is a left hander ?
The batsmen you quote, I believe, are all naturally right handed.
They all throw/bowl with their right hands.
There is a school of thought that using your "dominant" hand as your top hand is the way to go.
There are very few cricketers who bat left handed and throw/bowl left handed as well.
Warner started off batting right handed before switching after a poor run of form as a youngster !
Stoneman, Jennings, Borthwick and Mustard all bowl right handed.
Jamie Harrison bowls left but bats right handed !
 
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badger55 said:
No one mentions Mark Footitt of Derbyshire.
No coincidence that after some time with Graham Welch he had a fantastic season in 2014.
Genuine 90mph bowler who swings it.
84 first class wickets at 19.19, 106 wickets in all competitions.
In his prime at 29.
Also, Keith Barker, another Welch production. Medium pace but swings it and has variations.
Always causes problems for Durham, especially the left hand batters.


What is a left hander ?
The batsmen you quote, I believe, are all naturally right handed.
They all throw/bowl with their right hands.
There is a school of thought that using your "dominant" hand as your top hand is the way to go.
There are very few cricketers who bat left handed and throw/bowl left handed as well.
Warner started off batting right handed before switching after a poor run of form as a youngster !
Stoneman, Jennings, Borthwick and Mustard all bowl right handed.
Jamie Harrison bowls left but bats right handed !
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Interesting post

And yes it's odd. Why aren't they many left handed throwers?
 
Plenty of left arm seamers around the country, vast majority are meduim pace swing bowlers who's main weapon is to swing the ball back into a right handers pads. Actually come to think of it the vast majority of bowlers in this country are meduim pace swing bowlers.
 
Mark Illot was unplayable at county level for about 10 years.

Worth mentioning Pakistan have a precision of Left arm quicks too.

johnson said:
yep agree, worth sticking with, got a new long term contract didn't he?

young quickies to get injuries early in their career, lets hope he recovers
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FFS
 
Anyone not think Sidebottom would have been a better pick than Broad for the World Cup?

Parkside said:
Left arm bowlers are like leggies,highly effective when they get it right but highly expensive when they stray in line and length. Because they're expensive they tend not to be persisted with when young
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Nail on head. Same with spin in general, get it wrong you get carted all over, you get taken off. The whole cricket set-up in England rewards formulaic mediocrity.
 
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His career was a lot longer than 10 years though...... Iirc he pretty much topped the averages for what seemed like years on end.

Everyone loves to be pedantic over relatively fuck all on here :lol:

To not agree or to disagree, that is the question.
 
Mackem DJ said:
His career was a lot longer than 10 years though...... Iirc he pretty much topped the averages for what seemed like years on end.

Everyone loves to be pedantic over relatively fuck all on here

To not agree or to disagree, that is the question.
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Seem to remember there were 2 stages to Illot' s career. He was a very fine bowler for several years then he developed a form of the yips from which he never recovered. Which proves you can have been virtually unplayable and still end up with a career average of 27+.
 
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