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| Sunday, 27 June 2004 |
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Lack of opportunities held this great cricketer back ... : Spittell's advice: practice daily and bowl to a length by A. C. de Silva Want to be a successful bowler? Then practice daily and concentrate on length and length alone. That's the advice of former All-Ceylon cricketer and NCC allrounder Godfrey Malcolm Spittell to young cricketers. Malcolm was a medium fast bowler of repute, soon became one of Ceylon's greatest cricketing personalities, achieving his fame and glory by his medium-paced, relentless and nagging bowling. He was by far the best of his kind in Ceylon in his day, if not of all time and on his particular day, he became a world beater. It's just not mincing words. He proved it on two occasions, before the eyes of Sri Lankan cricket fans. He bowled Vijay Merchant with a 'beauty' - a ball of immaculate length pitching on the leg stump. It hit the top of the off stump beating Merchant's defensive bat. To beat Merchant, perhaps the most technically correct batsman in the world at that time with a sound defence, was a rare occurance. To beat Merchant and bowl him was the work of a genius and it was not the only occasion. Spittell with that self same ball beat that famous Australian Keith Miller once and trapped him plumb in front of the wicket, but unfortunate for Spittell, the umpire didn't rule in his favour. The double happening was in 1945 and both Merchant and Miller were really startled with Spittell's bowling and without any hesitation gave it world classification Spittell was an unselfish personality and he was ever willing to help the younger bowlers to achieve success. His advice: Fast and medium fast bowlers should not over-bowl at practice. Three-over spells would do. It is very helpful to pace bowlers to bowl with a new-ball at least once a fortnight. This will help them to gain control of swing and pace so essential to a pace bowler in the opening overs of a match. Physical fitness is also essential to pace bowlers and light exercises for the arms and body before or after practices - preferably after, will help considerably. It is also very essential that all pace bowlers wear boots that fit and with studs to grip the ground and thick hoseworn so that the feet would not slide inside the boots at the moment of delivery. Shoe-cuts and strained muscles usually result when bowlers wear ill-fitting boots without studs and without the protection of thick hose. That's as far as advice that he held out to aspiring cricketers and his bowling was characteristic of the man. No fancy frills. There was quietude in his manner, a decent modesty as of a man contented in the knowledge of his ability, yet controlled in his demonstration of it, and dignified. Perfect follow-through Spittell's follow-through at the close of his delivery was perfect, though it was after a short run-up. The lack of opportunity was what held Malcolm back. During his time, if he had the same opportunities that Tate and Bedser of England - the best in the trade at that time after the famous Sydney Barnes, Malcolm Spittell could well have emulated the feats of the pair and achieved similar greatness. Besides his bowling, Malcolm Spittell was quite a batsman too. He loved to hit the ball straight and hard and made good use of good eye-sight and sound reflexes and a good timing, he hit the ball most powerfully. He was at his best in hell-for-leather mood. Then he would play soaring drives off the best directed bowling and bowlers would be driven to distraction. Many an innings did he play in such manner, to infuse his character into a game either losing its appeal or already yielded to the opponent. He would walk into bat with powerful stride, pulling on his gloves as if dissatisfied with their fit. He had no need of them, really. The state of the game did not seem to matter to him. He seemed as if he couldn't care less. However, he found it difficult to gain selection to the Ceylon team, as far too many veterans were reluctant to get out of the team, Present day cricketers are luckier than past cricketers. A star-studded team that played for Ceylon against India in 1945 including players as: Sargo Jayawickrema, Pat McCarthy, M. Sathasivam, Russell Heyn, Vernon Prins, Robert de Kretser, Ben Navaratne, Gerry Gooneratne, was about the strongest to represent Ceylon according to Spittell. Athlete too Before coming on to big cricket, Spittell was at St. Joseph's and played for the team during 1934-36. He was an athlete of no mean repute and broke the Public Schools Pole Vault record beating the more famous athlete like Arthur Depp. He was also a high jumper. However, he never played junior cricket at St. Joseph's. But suddenly cricket caught his fancy. Among hid teammates at St. Joseph's in first eleven cricket were: Laddie Outschoorn and Sandy Outschoorn, Gerry Gooneratne, Kenneth R. L. de Silva, Fred Perera, David Arndt, Claude Wijesinghe, Alcon Powell, Ben Leonidas and Titus Medonza. Among his contemporary appoints were: Danold Fairweather, Alex and Betrie Wijesinha, Douglas Bartholomeusz, M. Sathsivam, Henry Duchwork, Stanley and Eric Jayasekera, Joe Misso, Roy de Silva, George Alles, Ton Melder, Normal Siebel, Pat McCarthy, Lucien de Zoysa, Ryle de Sousam Sunderam Pathmanathan, Rex Brekenridge, O. L. Izzadeen, John Halangoda, Cycil Dias were a handful among a galaxy of talent in school cricket in the golden era of the 30s. As a schoolboy, Malcolm Spittell was picked as the 12th man for the national team against Gubby Allen's Englishman on their way to Australia and three months later, he made three successive half-centuries against powerful International Team by Sir Julian Cahn. He won his first international against New Zeland, and within 12 months later when Sir Donald Bradman's Aussies came here in 1938 captained by McCabe, - Spittell was unlucky again and was relegated to the reserve list. However justice was done in 1950 when Spittell captained Ceylon successfully against Freedie Brown's Englishmen and then stepped down from international cricket. When Vijay Merchant brought a powerful Indian team here in 1945, Spittell bowled two snorters which he had reserved for the Indian skipper and Vinoo Mankad - the other opener. Spittell also hammered a quick-fire 124 and always commanded respect in international cricket. Outside cricket, he was a amiable character, always courteous and friendly and was a leading figure for his club - the Nondescripts Cricket Club. He later made Australia his home and opened up opportunities for his children. |
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