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From: sanjiva@tesla.UUCP (Sanjiva Prasad)
Newsgroups: net.followup
Subject: Re: MW Gatting
Message-ID: <337@tesla.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 1-Mar-86 17:16:38 EST
Article-I.D.: tesla.337
Posted: Sat Mar  1 17:16:38 1986
Date-Received: Tue, 4-Mar-86 01:27:45 EST
References: <1140@abnji.UUCP>
Organization: Computer Science Dept, SUNY@Stony Brook
Lines: 43

> This past week, in the West Indies, Mike Gatting of England
> was nearly killed when hit in the head with a bouncer bowled
> by Malcolm Marshall.  He currently has a fractured skull, two
> black eyes, and a smashed nose  ( Parts of the bones in and around
> his nose were found in the cricket ball).
> 
> It appears that his career is over.
> 


Where did you get this report from ? I read about Gatting's injury in the China
Daily ( where else -:) but the article only said that he had a fractured nose,
that he was cheerful the next day even though he left the field with a 
lot of blood streaming from his face. The report did not say anything about his
career being over. Evidently, he missed a hook, or top-edged it onto his nose.

Gatting has impressed me with his doughty and gutsy approach to the game. 
Technically, he is not perfect, but had faced all the Windies pacers with 
aplomb in the English Cricket leagues. True, he doesn't bat with a helmet --
not usually, at least.

The match was being played in Jamaica, wasn't it ? I can't remember a major
international match played there which has gone without some form of trouble,
usually BLOOD -- which most touring cricketers have said is the only thing
the crowds there are interested in seeing. Kingston has seen some really bad
bloodbaths in recent history, often due to the pitch being fast, bouncy and
on the lower side of preparedness. 

The bouncer is a legitimate weapon for the 
fast bowler, but the extent which the WI use it kills half the pleasure in the
game except for those who really should go see a bullfight/ cockfight instead.
When fast bowlers usually talk about the beauties they have bowled, they talk
of out-swingers and in-swingers. I'm sure they really feel those are THE balls
to bowl, and use a bouncer to shake the confidence of a batsman who's settling 
down into a groove.

I hope MWG's career isn't over. He's a good batsman to see when he starts
hitting, and was one of the few good batsman in the English side --- what
with the likes of Ellison in the team ! 

Opinions ?

			Sanjiva ( SUNY at Stony Brook)