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There was a drains-up on Five Live about England's Ashes woes the other night and Ryan Harris, who used to play for Australia and who is now a coach, said something very interesting which I think is relevant not only to cricket but to many sports, including football.
He argued that once a match starts, plans can go out of the window due to how unpredictable everything is, so what you really need out on the pitch is problem solvers, people who are able to think on their feet and adapt as situations develop.
My favourite story about spinners was told by the great South African batter Barry Richards. As an up and coming player, he ended up playing a match against a team featuring an established Richie Benaud.
Richards knew Benaud was a very decent player, so imagine his delight when Benaud's first ball to him was a long hop. He duly pulled it for four.
It was the same story for the next ball: Another half tracker, which Richards gleefully steered to the fence.
The third ball pitched in a similar spot, and, scarcely able to believe his luck, Richards shaped to play another pull, only to hear the ball clatter into his stumps before he had the chance to complete his shot. Richie had bowled him a couple of pies followed by an evil top spinner.
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