Cricket365

Can Shoaib Add Spice To The IPL?

Tuesday 6th May 2008

The best thing about the IPL so far?

No, not the cheerleaders you frightful hairy-palmed oiks.

Nor the fireworks nor Bollywood stars nor Rajasthan Royals' quite remarkable progress on meagre resources (unless you're South African: Shane Warne's leadership master class can only be great news for the future captaincy of Graeme Smith).

For our shilling at least it was early in the Mumbai Indians innings against Kings XI Punjab ten days ago, and in particular Brett Lee's opening spell.

Lee looked like he could have won the Melbourne Cup at that moment: charging in with thunderous steps, whinnying and neighing to the sky after each delivery as his body shuddered at the expense of energy.

The Australian was as unplayable as any bowler can be in Twenty20, demonstrating the speed and accuracy to not only unsettle but terrify the great one-day batsman of the age.

Sanath Jayasuriya's eyes were as wide and radiant as floodlight bulbs.

Or at least they were for his 14-minute stay at the crease.

After seven balls, one run (hardly in keeping with the Master Blaster's career S/R) and several near-misses, the Sri Lankan was caught and bowled in another whirlwind of energy.

The very next delivery new batsman Robin Uthappa dropped his bat on a 90mph missile and - in a transparent attempt to get off strike and stay there - called Luke Ronchi for a kamikaze single; Lee raced on, scooped and threw, and his countryman was back in the dugout.

Some have been disappointed that so few games have gone to the wire - the T20 brand hints at every match finishing in a flurry of sixes or stump-shatterings at the death.

But, of course it doesn't always do so and if matches stubbornly refuse to last the distance then the next best thing is passages of play in which nip and tuck, give and take are at the fore.

Lee's unique bowling strength provided this - but the day after exercising Jayasuriya's bowels he flew back to Australia.

It is worth repeating that the Australian is unique, perhaps even underrated after so long at the top of the fast bowling tree.

But a Lee substitute would be more than welcome.

With Dale Steyn's tournament figures not stacking up to much (1/105 and an economy rate headed for seven), the South African does not look the man just yet.

Enter stage right, Shoaib Akhtar.

As the shambolic PCB releases him to play in the IPL, the man who has spent a career straining to eclipse Lee now has his chance.

It is not a good sign when even Shoaib admits that, "I haven't been able to train as much as I should have done."

On that basis he may arrive as bloated as the fixture list, and any attempt at a Ronchi run out requires the protagonist to be able to touch his toes.

But while his arrival may offer a chance for corset manufacturers to get in on the sponsorship act, it could equally restore some glamour to the bowlers' union.

Yes Shoaib will look a buffoon starting his run-up in some agreeable suburb on the outskirts of Kolkata.

And yes it is laughable that the PCB takes less seriously his drugs test episode than defending Nasim Ashraf's honour.

But he can match Lee for menacing pace and snorting testosterone levels, and the maximum allocation of four overs ought to be acceptable even to his fragile frame.

In a celebration of cheap thrills, it seems right that Shoaib Akhtar will be in attendance.

And he is the best hope we have of meeting the need for speed.

Peter May