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| Len Pascoe |
Sydney: Len Pascoe played only a handful of Tests and ODIs, but made a big impression nevertheless. The right-hander, now 57, used to be really quick and would breathe fire. His aggression, in fact, made him one of the stars during Packer’s World Series Cricket (WSC).
Pascoe, whose roots are in erstwhile Yugoslavia, spoke to The Telegraph on Saturday afternoon.
The following are excerpts:
On what keeps him busy
I’ve done a lot of things since retirement but, for the last 15 years, I’ve been running a sports entertainment business... I’m a venue consultant and provide work for a number of sportsmen and entertainers... My company puts together packages, be it for the corporate world or sporting organisations.
On whether, having been in an era when Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thomson ruled, he actually got the recognition he deserved
I came up in a period when there were many fast bowlers... Lillee, Thommo, Max Walker, Gary Gilmour, Rodney Hogg... I didn’t go on some tours, to the subcontinent in particular, and had to make comebacks at home.
On why he wasn’t available for the 1979-80 tour of India
Because the low and slow wickets wouldn’t have suited my style of bowling... I knew my limitations (in those conditions). I made it easier for the selectors by not being available...
On Indians best remembering him for hitting Sandeep Patil at the SCG on the 1980-81 tour
I was bowling from the Paddington End and was feeling strong... The grass wasn’t evenly spread and, so, some balls skidded while others took off... I don’t think Patil was wearing a proper helmet and the bouncer struck him behind the left ear... He collapsed and my first reaction was that I’d kiled him... It took me a while to come to terms with what had happened because there’s no game worth dying over.
On whether that made him review his hostility
Absolutely... It had quite an effect... I even had a one-on-one with Ian Chappell, somebody I respected immensely, and told him that I didn’t want to continue playing... Fast bowlers show bravado and want to create fear, but I didn’t want somebody to get hurt badly... Taking the other view, Ian asked whether the batsman would’ve felt sorry for me after smashing me for a six... I continued, but changed my line of attack... Instead of bowling bouncers to hit batsmen, I began bowling them away from the body... Till the Patil incident I had no qualms over wanting to hit batsmen... After all, if (Sir) Viv Richards kept smashing you, you’d want to break his arm... It’s another matter that I couldn’t inject fear in Viv.
On meeting Patil after he’d come off
Actually, Patil came to our dressing room with the biggest bandage we’d ever seen! Before I could say something, he said ‘I’m sorry my head came in the way of your ball’... That, believe me, was the only time somebody apologised to me after I’d hit him!
On whether speed is everything for a fast bowler
Well, a young fast bowler can afford to be all over the shop, but when one is 26-27, you’ve got to show maturity...
On the most courageous batsman he bowled to
Kepler Wessels, in the Sheffield Shield (now Pura Cup)... I broke his right forearm at the SCG, but he went on to score 175... The other one who comes to mind is Justin Langer’s uncle, Robbie, who played WSC. He never gave an inch.
On the most accomplished Indian he bowled to
Sunil Gavaskar and Gundappa Viswanath... Gavaskar never threatened you, but could execute his shots perfectly... He kept getting ones and twos even if he wasn’t getting boundaries... Viswanath was a lovely stroke-maker.
On how would he bowl to Sachin Tendulkar
(Laughs) Bowl short and bowl off-cutters...
On the most destructive batsman
Viv... He would destroy you mentally, physically and emotionally... Had he still been playing, he would’ve made mincemeat of today’s bowlers.
On his role model
When I was growing up, I wanted to be like Freddie Trueman... Later, everybody wanted to bowl like Lillee... My foundations were Trueman-like, but the finished product was influenced by some of the stalwarts...
On the finest compliment he received
From Harold Larwood (of Bodyline fame)... He came to see us off for the 1977 tour of England and remarked ‘I like the way you bowl... You’ve got the devil in you.’ That was to be my first tour and the compliment meant so much.
On his top five fast bowlers
Lillee, Michael Holding, Thommo, Bob Willis and (Sir) Richard Hadlee...
On where would he place Australia’s most successful new-ball bowler, Glenn McGrath
I’ve worked with McGrath, but wouldn’t have him in my top 20... The reason being he wasn’t a creative bowler... He was great with his line, but lacked that extra which the Lillees and Holdings had... He didn’t have their imagination... Stuart Clark is a lot like McGrath and that’s because both have come off the same conveyor belt.
On the finest Indian new-ball bowler
Kapil Dev, without a doubt.
On young Ishant Sharma, who has come in for praise from the Richie Benauds
He’s got a good future, but must do three things: (a) His left elbow should be close to the hip and pointing downwards instead of flapping about... He’s got to tuck it in... (b) When he’s running in to bowl, his head doesn’t rock back... It must... (c) His front foot shouldn’t be pointing towards cover...
On Brett Lee
I’m a big fan of his... His role has changed... Earlier, he would go flat out, today he has cut down on his pace and made his outswinger more effective... In fact, I’d suggested he do that, bowl around 145kmph instead of at 155... That way he’s going to last longer too. Brett’s a good finished product and has responded well to a fundamental change in his role.
On Shoaib Akhtar
If I had anything to do with him, I’d cut down his run-up by one-third... That would conserve his energy... Also, I’d get him to bowl a shade slower... He still has a role to play and his country needs him...
Finally, his message for emerging fast bowlers
A batsman wants to put his foot next to the pitch of the ball and the bowler’s primary job is to deceive him... Keep that in mind... Also, the wicket determines the length that needs to be bowled.
