16/08/2007 23:02

Article by Matt Freeman (Ventura Media)

Test cricket has never been an easy profession for Ashley Giles. Some quip he would have been well advised to stick with his love of studying modern art rather than the techniques of modern batsmen. Ever since his Test debut in 1998 against South Africa, when the visitors amassed an imposing 552 for 8 dec. and the affable Giles was roundly condemned for the unflattering 1^st innings figures of 1-136, he has had to prove he is worth an England spot. During the 3^rd Test that summer, his only success was against Daryl Cullinan, a player of exceptional talent, but as Shane Warne acolytes will tell you deep into the night hardly the master of the turning delivery. For nearly a decade opponents of the Warwickshire spinner have queued up to deride his bowling as inadequate and unthreatening, and on arduous tours of the sub continent, where his constant negative leg side bowling had old pros quietly muttering their disgust, his lack of penetration almost derailed his career when it should have been in its prime. 

Despite Giles having undergone recent surgery the prognosis is not good “I have to face the fact that the injury is career-threatening", the proud England player told the Mail on Sunday. If indeed this is true and we have no reason to think his management team has been in touch with Alistair Campbell as some kind of sporting double bluff, then this will have serious consequences for England’s chances of retaining the Ashes in the summer.

England has not had a world-class spinner since the days of Phil Tufnell when the relationship between Tuffer’s spin bowling and batting skills had the same fickle future as a celebrity wedding. However, the Ashes demonstrated last year that Ashley Giles’ batting has been just as vital as his bowling skills; a wall to protect an exposed tail, which although could sometimes lash out like a prize fighter on his last legs, its preferred disposition was to wobble like a man walking up the last flight of stairs to the gallows. An unfussy and upright style of classical batting has been the perfect foil for an aggressive middle order allowed to flourish safe in the knowledge that a dependable and unflappable No. 8 would boldly stroll to the middle as if on a brisk Sunday afternoon walk. His penchant for punchy cover drives on the front foot and controlled square cuts has negated his reluctance to pull with any conviction. Schooled in the art of playing to ones abilities, Giles has become an extremely useful lower order batsman and therein lies the problem now that his hip is hurting England more than a well directed Brett Lee thunderbolt.  

Containment has slipped in the side door as a necessary evil in cricket. With the standard of international bowling at its lowest ebb in years, captains have learned how to adapt their sometimes meagre resources and to take into consideration flat batting tracks, which if long enough could probably host land speed record attempts. In that respect Giles is the perfect product of the one day system; a model exponent of the ‘ I’ll bore them out eventually’ tactic. Pretty it is not, but it can be surprisingly effective if put into play against overly cautious or cavalier batsmen. Australia will be monitoring the recovery with great interest. Transformed overnight from buffoon to bamboozler, Giles proved he was worth his weight in gold during the recent titanic Ashes battle. Relying on reserves of patience and stoicism that would make Tibetan monks jealous, he conjured up vital breakthroughs throughout the series, most memorably during the 3rd Test when he prised out the wicket of Martyn just when the Western Australian stalwart’s tenure at the crease was looking as secure as John Howard’s prime ministership. Delivered from over the wicket to hit leg stump, the ball spun prodigiously, beat Martyn’s textbook forward defense and clipped the top of the off stump. For any left arm orthodox bowler it was the perfect dismissal and made uncomfortable viewing for waiting batsman.