Mitchell Johnson joins the no-ball debate
Australian fast bowler Mitchell Johnson thinks that the bowlers need to sort out their no-balls by ensuring that they respect the bowling crease which would ensure that their hard work of setting up a possible dismissal is not wasted.
The Aussies found themselves in this situation on the second day of the Sydney test when debutant spinner http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Michael-Beer-c1949 had Alastair Cook caught by Ben Hilfenhaus yet to his horror replays determined that he had overstepped the bowling
crease resulting in the dismissal being negated.
The distraught spinner failed to claim any wicket in his spell on the day and would be ruing the missed opportunity which could have come his way if he would have been a tad cautious.
The hosts had their celebrations cut-off the moment Billy Bowden the umpire standing at Beer’s end at the time of the delivery asked the third umpire to determine if Beer had overstepped.
According to Johnson the wait for the call from the third umpire was an anxious wait for the hosts, the left armer thinks that the on-field umpire should call a no ball the moment he thinks there is one.
"If the umpires know it's a no-ball I think they should call it, instead of waiting to call it," Johnson said. Bowden had a hunch Beer had gone over but he waited for the catch to be taken at mid-on before requesting a replay.
"Everyone's going to have different opinions on it," Johnson said. "I suppose it's not a bad thing, but it can be frustrating. I suppose you've just got to get your foot behind the line."
The fast bowler added that the batsmen and bowlers in the Australian team have contrasting opinions on this point with the batsmen wanting the no-balls to be called strictly while on the other hand the bowlers want as much leeway as they
can get, even if it is case of a few centimeters.
"We always have this argument between batters and bowlers," Johnson said. "We always try to find a way to get behind the line. We all try and do it. Whether you feel enclosed with the nets being there, I don't know what it is. I still
bowl half a foot over in the nets but I don't know how we're going to fix that."
The Australian fast bowling coach Troy Cooley stated that the fast bowlers in the national team are time and again reminded of staying behind the line, he added that not overstepping the line was even more critical in the shorter varieties of the game where
a no-ball gives the batting team a free hit on the next ball.
"We think it's a very important part of our job to stay behind the line - even more so in one-day cricket,” stated Cooley.
Meanwhile the Australian bowling was once again under the microscope in the fifth and final test match at Sydney as the English team got off to a rollicking start.
The English captain Andrew Strauss was in prime form and took full toll of some loose bowling that was dished out by the hosts. Strauss raced through to a run a ball 60 that included 8 fours and 1 six.
He was eventually bowled by Ben Hilfenhaus who other than dismissing Strauss had an ordinary day in the field.
Peter Siddle and Johnson would have to play important roles along with Hilfenhaus on day three if the hosts are to strangle English batting line-up and push their claim of drawing the series 2-2.
They would also have to ensure that they keep their feet behind the bowling crease to ensure the legitimacy of their dismissals.
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