HANE WARNE accidentally or otherwise stepped into the debate over pitch preparation at Lord’s on Tuesday night.
It’s long been an open secret the Middlesex hierarchy have lent without success on their landlords the MCC in an attempt to get more result friendly wickets at the home of cricket.
And on almost certainly his last visit to Lord’s for the British Asian Cup Match with Middlesex, ironically an MCC organised event, the controversial Aussie leg-spin legend appeared to side firmly with Angus Fraser and company.
Australia's highest wicker taker in rest history challenged Mick Hunt and his team to prepare a few what the cricket world calls ‘bunson burners’ (big turning wickets) to play to Middlesex’s bowling strengths.
He said: "Obviously they have got Kartik, Shaggy (Shaun Udal) and the wristy (Dawid Malan) so they’ve got some good spin options.
"If I was the MCC ground-staff I would be preparing some turning wickets for all forms of the game and letting the spinners go."
The 39-year old also claimed claim the featherbed pitch in NW8 wasn’t the only reason for a dearth of spinners following in his footsteps.
He insisted slow bowling was a struggling art because too many captains were reluctant to bowl spinners.
It’s a mentality he has spent the last two years, when not playing either for the Royals or World Series Poker, as an Ambassador for Cricket Australia trying to address.
He added: "We talk about spinners not producing in first class or International cricket, but the biggest problem is one of captaincy with regards to spinners.
"Wrong fields are set, the bowlers are brought on at the wrong time like just bowling them for an over before lunch.
"A lot of people just want their medium pace bowlers bowling outside off stump with one slip and a ringed field, but I say back the spinners and show them they are important to the game no matter what the situation.
"I think a captain needs to show faith in a spinner rather than using them as an afterthought – i.e. the others have all tried now you have a go."
Warne’s post-match comments brightened up an evening where the cricket was too one-sided to provide much excitement.
Murali Kartik (1-18) was the pick of the Panthers’ attack and Malan took 2-23 as the Royals boosted by Dimitri Mascarenhas’ 32 in 16 balls posted 162-5.
Middlesex never threatened to make a game of it with the bat despite Malan 34 and some late blows from Gareth Berg (26 off 17 balls), finishing on 116-7.
