Roger Federer’s backhand, Ernie Els’ golf swing, Simone Biles’ triple twist, Steph Curry’s three-point jumper, Brian Lara’s cover drive, Andrea Pirlo’s free-kick.
To that not quite exhaustive list of the most visually pleasing sights in sport, we must now add Alana King’s leg break, which is equal parts beautiful and devastating.
Delivered with perfect tempo and a classical leggie’s action, it whirrs down the pitch, drifting and dropping due to the spin imparted, then either darts sharply from leg to off or skids through unerringly at the stumps.
On King’s day, it is unplayable.
It’s also the embodiment of advice passed down for generations of leg-spinners, and best articulated by Richie Benaud in the precisely-typed letters he would send to prospective tweakers: “You should practice the hard-spun leg break 90 per cent of the time, the variations only 10 per cent.”
King’s spell – never has that word been more appropriate – against South Africa in Indore was one such day. At one stage she had the figures of 4-0 in 2.3 overs, before they finished at a startling 7-18, the best analysis ever returned at a women’s World Cup.
Alana King took seven South African wickets.Credit: Getty Images
The natural variation created by her leg-breaks on a helpful surface was summed up by how four of King’s victims were bowled, either because the ball turned past their bats on the outside or slid through on the inside.
In some ways, this burst of wickets was a reward for how well King had been bowling in the tournament, when teams like England tried to sit on her and were strangled (her figures were 1-20 from 10 overs) rather than swept away.
As King put it, these performances are part of a bigger arc of improvement that goes back a couple of years.
“The word that I’ve been using for probably the last 12 months, and people are probably getting sick of it, is it’s fizzing out,” King said.
Wicketkeeper Beth Mooney embraces King.Credit: AP
“As a leg-spinner, to feel that snap out of the wrist, that’s what I’ve been working on, and hopefully, long may it continue.
“I think probably from the start of the year, maybe late last year, I felt like I’ve found a really nice rhythm in my bowling, and I’ve tried to be really consistent in the length that I want to be bowling and being really consistent with my stock ball.
“I love ODI cricket because it’s the best format, and for it to come out in a World Cup as well is pretty special.”
There is also the opportunity for both King and Australia to make even more of her talents. King’s introduction in the 11th over of the match against South Africa was the second time she had been introduced inside the first 15 overs of this tournament, but a rare occurrence since her 2022 debut.
King has often been used conservatively by captain Alyssa Healy, sometimes not tried until after 25 overs have elapsed.
Occasionally, this has been based in match-ups, but there is now an argument that King’s skills must be injected into games when she has the opportunity to have an early impact.
It was stand-in skipper Tahlia McGrath who chose to get King into this game more quickly.
Shane Warne experienced a similar evolution as a leg-spinner in both Tests and white ball games: early on Allan Border often let the game evolve for 20 or 30 overs before trying Warne.
Alana King celebrates with team mate Georgia Voll after taking the wicket of Nadine De Klerk.Credit: Getty Images
But in his later years, it was nothing out of the ordinary to see Warne take the ball before it was even 10 overs old, the better to shape an innings.
“I’m absolutely rapt with how she’s bowled the last couple of games, to be fair,” coach Shelley Nitscke said of King.
“She’s a big-game player and when she’s up and about, she brings a lot of energy to the team.
“She burst onto the scene a couple of years ago and had a really strong Ashes for us and has continued to perform, particularly in this format.”
At the same time, Australia must now consider using King more frequently in Twenty20 matches.
Tellingly, King was a drinks waiter for last year’s T20 World Cup in the UAE, and so was powerless to help when the South Africans eliminated Australia from the semi-finals in slow, spinning conditions.
How differently might that game have panned out with King in the attack? It is impossible to say, but for now there is every reason to think that King should play any time Australia take the field. There is magic in her fingers.
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Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: www.smh.com.au
