England's leg theory flayed

England's leg-side bowling tactics during the drawn third and final Test against India in Bangalore have sparked a mixed response from around the world.

In Bangalore, England's left-arm spinner Ashley Giles bowled over the wicket to Sachin Tendulkar, persistently maintaining a line into the rough outside the right-hander's leg-stump, denying the batsman the opportunity to play any shot except a risky sweep. He was eventually out for 90.

The tourists' coach Duncan Fletcher told reporters: "It was a policy that evolved as the tour went on. On a flat wicket, do you just bowl throw-downs and let him (Tendulkar) score or do you come up with a plan?"

Hussain wrote in his weekly column in The Sunday Telegraph : "I was more than a little disappointed to read the English press quoted back in the local papers and slamming our tactics.

"Not only do they expect me to come out here with an inexperienced side, they also expect me to ask their (India's) batsmen where they want me to bowl at them.

"I apologise for bowling out India for 290 and 230 on flat wickets."

Former India captain and opening batsman Sunil Gavaskar was, however, critical of England's tactics.

"England can say they (the tactics) worked as they got Tendulkar out for less than 100 but, in doing so, they once again confirmed they are a boring side that drives spectators to despair," he said.

STERNER STUFF

"Tendulkar could have gone on padding away deliveries...but he is made of sterner stuff and he thought more in terms of the crowd than his wicket and perished in trying to give the crowd something to cheer about."

Some of the most stinging criticism of England's bowling came from British newspapers, with former Somerset captain Peter Roebuck, writing in The Sunday Times during the Test series between Australia and South Africa, pulling no punches.

"The sight of Englishmen bowling leg theory to Sachin Tendulkar has provoked fury and confirmed the impression that Englishmen do not care about the game," Roebuck wrote.

"The English have produced bodyline-contrived finishes, the modern leg-before rule, declaration bowling and other regrettable cynicisms."

Former England off-spinner Vic Marks, writing in The Observer newspaper, called for the game's legislators to outlaw the methods employed by Giles in India.

"Once the batsman has padded away two deliveries pitched outside his leg-stump, the umpire should be obliged to call 'no ball' to any further deliveries in that over pitched outside leg-stump that are padded away by the batsman," Marks suggested.

"One run would be added to the score and an extra delivery would be required to complete the over.

"This is not breaking too much new ground. Already the umpire is obliged to call 'no ball' if a fast bowler has already bowled two head-high short-pitched deliveries in an over. The same principle could be applied to spinners."

Mail Cricket Editor