I'm a child of the Warne debut ashes era.
I don't necessarily remember it being a night-and-day interest ignited by 'that' delivery...But until then interesting spinning was an entirely foreign concept. Sure you had defensive English ploddy spinners, and subcontinent guys had their bizarre movements that couldn't be figured out even with all the slow mo's in the world...And along came Warne, a non boring guy, who out-foxed batsmen. With a physique that was, erm, relatable.
In school, if you weren't quick you weren't anything. As an early developer, I was quick at 12 years old, but then everyone kind of caught up and overtook, and I was bored of bowling. Bowling effective spin (only off breaks by then) took too much practice, and too much luck of having a generous deck.
But warne changed all that. Tbh I couldn't give a damn if there was a batsman there in the net (how bonkers is that, to consider?!). I just wanted to put it 'there', and see some turn. Any turn. And, tbf, I studied Warnes wrist, and I managed to 'do' it. Maybe not every ball, but I couldn't care less. Every over I had 6 chances to pull off a sporting move that's the equivalent of the Trevor Sinclair overhead.
I then took too long out the game post Uni, and killed that muscle memory by flipping rolls of sellotape in the office thinking it was similar to the real thing. I also had a wrist condition that means I don't dare dream of taking it up again (my hands make me my millions! Cant afford to risk them).
But those few summers, if I found a captain patient enough to give me a a go...Beating a forward defensive on the outside edge meant EVERYTHING!
So I had 10 or so years out the game, and, sad as this sounds, was walking into a sports shop in Essex for the missus buying some shoes, and started nosing the bats (as you do - it never leaves you!). And I saw a M&H Distinction (first generation). I'd never heard of them before, and the craftsmanship, beauty, and stonking size of it made me take the game up again, and I sought out my local club.
Now I'm needing a third spark. I've moved out if the area, and fortunate to have a place to eventually set up a net and Bola, and hopefully that should get me 'back in the game'
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Topic: What got you hooked with cricket? (Read 6449 times)