Reverse swing remains king
● Like most natural disasters, reverse swing exists subconsciously in batsmen’s minds. When it makes landfall like a hurricane, it lays waste to whatever is in its path.
South Africa’s tail was the unfortunate landmass in Mitchell Starc’s path at Kingsmead. The same applied to Australia’s middle order on Friday when Kagiso Rabada got the old ball to hoop in the opposite direction.
Conventional swing with the new ball is a difficult proposition but the old ball is cricket’s heat-seeking missile in the right hands in perfect conditions.
Starc’s the man for Australia. For South Africa, Kagiso Rabada’s growing control of the scuffed-up leather grenade is admirable.
The manner in which the latter dismembered Australia’s middle-order on Friday shows how quickly he learns.
Former South African paceman Meyrick Pringle said reverse swing has long lost its mysterious qualities, but when an expert practitioner comes along, it’s a joy to behold.
Pringle was part of South Africa’s early post-isolation teams that suffered repeatedly at the hands of Pakistan’s sultans of swing, Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis.
“You don’t often come across left-arm fast bowlers and you don’t often get left-arm fast bowlers who get reverse swing right.
“Some teams are fortunate enough to have a left-arm fast bowler and they adapt better but it’s difficult for those who don’t. The ball comes in at a different angle and it’s a massive advantage,” Pringle said.
“Brett Schultz was dangerous when fit and Starc is the torchbearer at the moment. England’s David Willey is also dangerous but he isn’t as fast. However, it’s clear every team seems to battle with left handers. Australia are fortunate to have Starc bowling at them in the nets.”
Though rain saturated the St George’s Park outfield, the oldest test ground often aids and abets reverse swing.
The continuing drought in Cape Town may provide the perfect sandpaper surface to scuff up the ball quickly.
The series has already shown that the team that gets the ball to misbehave first is the one that gets the leg up on proceedings.
Though Pringle’s happy with Rabada’s quick learning, he felt Starc would remain a force to be reckoned with.
“The left-arm around the wicket angle when the ball is reversing makes the art so lethal.
“It’s so unbelievable. It just makes life so difficult. Starc has such a strong wrist action and every bowler who’s mastered the art shares the same characteristic. The strength of the cocked wrist is it gives reverse swing life,” Pringle said.
“Rabada is getting it right but it’s now just a matter of when to do it and picking the match moment in terms of getting it right. He’s got it though.”