Spin bowling is an area where English cricket has always lagged behind other teams and although Greame Swann provided them with all the natural guile and variations, he was more successful in tests than in the shorter formats of the game. Spin bowling will be the key in India as the pitches will surely help the slower bowlers get turn and bite and as the tournament goes deeper, the assistance will only increase thus making good spinners genuine impact players for any team. England, for once, has all the bases covered and boasts of a very decent spin bowling line up for the ICC WT20 2016 with a leg-spinner, an off break bowler and a slow left arm orthodox bowler, all in their ranks!!
Adil Rashid
Adil Rashid is a leg break bowler who has been on the radar of the English team since a very long time. He has a big turning leg break and a treacherous googly which makes him more than a handful for any batsmen. Throw in his changes of pace, the variations of flight and the dip that he generates – he becomes a menacing and a real threat. He has played 111 T20 matches picking up 124 wickets at an average of 22 and an economy rate of just over 7.
He has been in good form with several eye catching performances against the South African team both in the recently concluded ODI’s and the ongoing T20I’s. He has been economical in the middle overs while keeping his own against the likes of attacking batsmen like de Villiers and Duminy, pegging the run rate back while also picking up important wickets. He is also a handy lower order batsman capable of hanging around and hitting out when required.
Impact Rating – 7/10
Moeen Ali
Moeen Ali is an off break bowler who for all practical purposes is considered to be a part time bowler but he is in reality much better than that. England used him as an opening bowler in the last WT20 regularly and he did not bowl that badly. Moeen has the ability to turn the ball occasionally with his quick arm action but he usually darts the ball into the batsman’s pads, not providing him the room to swing the bat.
He has formed a potent partnership with Adil Rashid and both of them have been key figures for the English in the middle overs helping them keep the opposition in check and at the same time also picking up key wickets denting the opposition. The fact that he is also a very clean striker of the ball and can bat anywhere in the order, provides England both great flexibility and room to play around with.
Impact Rating – 7/10
Liam Dawson
Liam Dawson is a slow left arm orthodox bowler who is perhaps in the squad only to cover for Rashid and Ali. He has been given a chance after catching the eye of the selectors with his performances for the England Lions team, both with the ball and the bat.
Impact Rating – 5/10
England definitely has the goods to become a nuisance to other teams with this line up of spinners. Adil Rashid and Moeen Ali will be the key men for them and Morgan will hope that the duo can keep up with their recent impressive outings against the Proteas.
This blog post is inspired by the blogging marathon hosted on IndiBlogger for the launch of the #Fantastico Zica from Tata Motors. You can apply for a test drive of the hatchback Zica today.
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