Speed Treat- Shaun Tait - Mandakini
Tuesday, September 07, 2010 7:02:09 PM
It is rare to find interests being pursued and turned into professions. But this achievement is not always satisfying for those whose passion takes a stronghold on them. Australian quickie, Shaun Tait, has been iron-gripped by speed and that is why he is the only one of the seemingly extinct species of "genuine fast bowlers" left to terrify any batsman around. He had a short-lived Test and ODI career, for his body could not take up the strain of exhausting fixtures and that too at the cost of his fiery speed. Thanks to the fast-evolving T20 games, Tait found a platform where he was not required to compromise either his interest or his passion.
Tait, a part of the much-loved IPL team - Rajasthan Royal, is now all set to compete in Champions League 2010, but this time not in blue but in red, representing South Australia Redbacks. He was a major force behind the success of Redbacks in Big Bash Tournament, enabling the team to seal its place in Champions League 2010. His statistics in IPL is not very convincing, since his stint as Rajasthan Royals mainstream bowler is restricted to only one IPL season in which he played 8 matches, picking up 10 wickets at an economy rate of 8.47, but his overall T-20 statistics is that of a true T-20 professional with 70 wickets in 50 matches.
Lately, the injury-affected Australian side pulled Shaun Tait from his indefinite break from ODI to fill its pace attack. Ponting's smartly weaved strategy was well executed by Tait and Australia reaped the fruits of his consistent and accurate brutal pace bowling. He played the last three ODIs of the Natwest Series, gathering 8 wickets at an average economy of 3.90. Tait's recent performance in ODIs and T20 tournaments stands out, making him a must-watch player in the upcoming Champions League 2010. Two more promising Royal blokes, John Botha and Aaron Finch, will participate in the league but Tait's latest unnerving accomplishments have made him everybody's favourite. We fans wish him luck and hope that he continues to fly as fast as a spine-tailed swift; a talent rarely displayed in today's cricket.