Cricket: Reverse swing bowling may not fire in Dunedin's cool

Mark Burgess, Ewen Chatfield and Bryan Young - three players perhaps not previously mentioned in the same cricket sentence, yet each with his own memories of dealing with Pakistan teams heading into the three-test series this week.

Former New Zealand captain Burgess never managed to beat the visitors, but should know something on the basis of longevity. His 12 tests against them in a 50-match career, comprising two three-test series in both countries, is only matched by Sir Richard Hadlee.

Burgess says Pakistan has traditionally been one of the more mercurial teams in cricket, if not all sport.

"They're tough competitors with completely different sub-continental personalities compared to, say, the Indians. Basically tough nuts who can tend to be quite pleased with themselves. They're also a colourful outfit, so self-confidence can be high or low, but they don't tend to travel well, especially with younger, inexperienced players."

As far as strategic cunning goes from New Zealand Cricket, Burgess says the itinerary is spot on.

"A cold late November test in Dunedin would be good and I was in Wellington last Saturday, so with a bit of luck it'll blow like that again."

Bryan Young helped New Zealand to what remains the country's highest fourth innings total to win a test, contributing 120 in the 324-5 during the third test against Pakistan at Christchurch in 1994.

He agrees with Burgess on the carefully laid travel plans: "It's great they're taking them to Dunedin. It's a negative mindset, they don't like the cold, the ball will seam around early if they're sent in and New Zealand could easily knock them over. The swing's also negated in the colder conditions, so let's exploit that."

Young was a guinea pig in the reverse swing revolution which became de rigueur in the game after his then opponents Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis perfected it. So how did he manage?

"With great difficulty. There's an element of luck when it starts happening. You hope the first one's not on target. The key is understanding when it's likely to happen and which bowlers are involved. One advantage about sport now is that there are no secrets any more. No one turns up without having analysed their opposition."

In that regard the pairing of 17 year-old Mohammad Aamer and Umar Gul have shown they have the capability, Gul notably with his eyebrow-raising five wickets for six runs against New Zealand at the Twenty20 World Cup in June.

Young says there's no doubt the knowledge is being passed down the generations well.

"There's a lot of science in what they do to achieve the effect through pace, trajectory and release position, but you still have to put the ball in the right place."

Burgess says reverse swing has been developed substantially from rather rudimentary beginnings.

"I got the feeling some may have discovered another use for metal tops off bottles, back in the day. Sarfraz Nawaz could produce swing at unusual times."

Burgess has also liked what he's seen of Gul as an exponent: "He's handy. Even if he does look like an accountant running in."

One who knows how to play a straight bat to Pakistan, especially in Dunedin, is Ewen Chatfield. He was part of what was essentially a last wicket 50-run stand to win the third test in February 1985 at Carisbrook after Lance Cairns was hit in the head by a then 18-year-old Wasim Akram. Chatfield's tenacious 21 helped New Zealand secure the victory with "senior" partner Jeremy Coney facing less of the artillery than he did, during a stubborn 111.

"With Pakistan you've just got to hang in there, battling on, hoping they'll get frustrated. I don't think that's changed with teams from the sub-continent. You just have to keep putting them under pressure."

He hopes New Zealand Cricket doesn't get too lenient with its preparation of the University Oval.

"Just don't get out the heavy roller and flatten it too much - give the bowlers a chance."

Chatfield is pleased to see Shane Bond back as part of the attack and expects him to be assisted by Chris Martin and Iain O'Brien.

"Daryl Tuffey hasn't done quite enough for my mind and Tim Southee can be blooded again later in the summer after he's had more conditioning."

Burgess is also anticipating some venom from the man who's missed out on tests for two years because he chose to honour his Indian Cricket League contract.

"I love it when Bond's there. He's class with that extra pace in a similar way to Hadlee. Like Paddles, he adds an element that raises the level of confrontation. That gives you two world-class bowlers when he's with Vettori. It won't be that hot, so I would've thought you could get by with three seamers and the skipper using his wonderful control of length and pace."

Young's concerned with how the batsmen transform into test mode. He laments the lack of games that either party has to prepare.

"The huge diet of one-day cricket means the attacking qualities of batsmen are there for all to see. The flipside is that the technical adjustments are extensive and while run rates are big with 320-350 runs often scored in a day, the wickets also fall more regularly because of the aggressive nature of that approach."