Rowing gun puts workload intensity in spotlight

JUSTIN Langer reckons Mitchell Starc and Olympic rowing great Drew Ginn will find the middle ground in cricket’s great workload debate.

Australian coach Langer also believes it may be time for Australia to have a review of its fast bowling set-up, not because things are falling apart but because they are going better than ever.

Australia’s new high performance recruit Ginn has suggested Australia’s fast men, who are used to net bowling at 80-100 per cent with restricted workloads, should follow the lead of rowers and drop their intensity.

Starc said he was “not really one for bowling slowly’’ and said the body needed to be reminded what fast bowling was all about.

“I am sure if Starcy sits down with Drew Ginn who is one of the toughest, hardest athletes in Australian history who has learnt all about endurance and a champion mindset (they will sort it out),’’ Langer told News Corp.

“Steve Waugh tells me Drew is one of the toughest people he has ever met in his life. That is enough for me.

“I cannot wait to have the conversation with him. He is not coming from sports science or an “out there’ perspective. He is coming from a place where he is one of the toughest athletes we have ever had.

“He is hard core. You talk about old school. Dennis Lillee would love him.

“They will find a middle ground – I had not heard of that (Ginn’s comments) before.

“I cannot wait for him to sit down with Starcy and Cummins and Hazlewood.’’

Australia will start the summer with an unprecedented number of fit and firing fast bowling options, an endorsement for their management system.

“We had six fast bowlers jumping out of their skin in England so let’s review it now,’’ Langer said. “We have reviews when things are failing but that’s the dumbest thing I have ever heard in my life. Why not work out what has been the recipe for the success?’’