“If a batsman doesn’t play a shot, how many bouncers can you bowl in an over?” – Michael Holding amazed by bouncer-barrage in Lord’s Ashes Test

The second Test of the Ashes has eventually turned into a great context with the match eventually poised with Australia needing just six to take a 2-0 lead whereas England need more than 220 runs to win so that they can level the series. The Lord’s Test has raised the age-old debate that once plagued cricket and for which rules were twice changed regarding whether bodyline bowling is in the spirit of the game or not.

In a conversation with the Indian Express the star West Indian pacer, Michael Holding spoke about the short ball tactics which is been implemented by both sides. One of the most lethal fast bowlers of his time, Holding said that the short ball functions but can also get a little monotonous. However, their main goal is to find a way to triumph in a Test match. He also said that he doesn’t have any issues with it because, in his opinion, it is legal and doesn’t violate the rules of the game.

The West Indian pacer also pointed out that with 70 mph pace which the English bowlers were bowling is not intimidating at all. With that pace, it is not at all hard or threatening and the batters can easily score runs. He also recalled Viv Richards and Gordon Greenidge would be easy picking the ball up into the stands.

“Some of the batting wasn’t really bright. Let me put it this way. If this bowling was attempted at this pace to Viv Richards, Gordon Greenidge, or Desmond Haynes, you would be picking the ball off the stands! Not just them, I can think of many a batsman who would have told the umpires trying to step in, ‘Oh don’t stop them, let them bowl more short stuff,” Holding said.

Currently, chasing a total of 371, the England side are holding up well despite some initial hiccups from where the host lost four wickets for a score of just 45 runs on the board.