Chris Cairns: It takes real courage to bend it like Malinga

Don't be surprised if there are 13 people in white when the Sri Lankans take the field in the first day of the second test tomorrow.

With skipper Stephen Fleming asking the umpires to place a white jersey over their black pants because Malinga was releasing the ball from such a low trajectory, it makes sense to me to have the umpires all in white, to act as a sightscreen.

The norm does not really apply to this unique Sri Lankan bowler and it appears all the batsmen are having difficulty adjusting. Sightscreens are placed so that, when a bowler delivers, it allows a batsman see the ball and make a judgement in the blink of an eye. Malinga delivers so low that traditional sightscreens have no value. His delivery is one of the stranger things I have seen occur in cricket.

It is often the teams of the subcontinent who provide bowlers who defy tradition. This is because there are so many players who come from non-privileged backgrounds and get no exposure to professional coaching. Their games are honed using tennis balls in the backstreets of Lahore or Mumbai, or on the coastline in Colombo.

They copy their heroes' actions and batting styles but, unlike their more privileged counterparts who are able to monitor their development by viewing themselves on video with coaches, these street players will never see how they bat or bowl unless they make the big time. Coaches in the main are crucial for the development of the game yet it can be the uncoached individual who shows things can be done another way.

While we try to work out Malinga, there is a young bowler who is making waves in Australia by the name of Shaun Tait. He's even made the Ashes squad. Remember that name as I predict he'll have some good battles with the Black Caps in the future. Uncannily his delivery is quite similar to Malinga - slingy and awkward. He is however 6ft 3in and quicker, making him twice as dangerous because he's far stronger than Malinga.

Having a unique bowling or batting style takes a lot of courage. People will look to pull apart a technique if it doesn't fall within the realms of the acceptable. But having individual traits can give a player an advantage as they know their technique inside out. Sometimes coached competitors become reliant on being told what to do and lack the ability to think for themselves. In the heat of competition, clear and concise wins the day, not what looks best.

- HERALD ON SUNDAY