Courtney Walsh claims bowlers have to 'out think' big-hitting batsmen to avoid thrashing

Karachi, Jan 29 (ANI): Former West Indies Test team captain Courtney Walsh claims that bowlers have to be one step ahead of batsman like AB de Villiers, Aaron Finch, Chris Gayle, David Warner and Brendon McCullum and out think them to avoid getting thrashed. Despite not playing in ICC Cricket World Cup 1992 in Australia and New Zealand, Walsh claims that he might just know a little bit about the conditions in both the nations, having toured both countries on more than one occasion. In his column for The Dawn, Walsh claimed that he knows that the balance of the game has tilted in favour of the batsmen. However, he added that great fast bowlers are still plying their trade and doing a very good job, and his simple advice to all of them is that there must be consistency in all aspects of their work. Walsh insisted that conditions in Australian and New Zealand could be tricky so one has to be prepared mentally and physically for the challenge. He said that generally the white Kookaburra ball offers a bit while it is new and hard, and the pitches would also, especially if the game starts early. He claimed that day-night games are a bit different, as the ball would do less, adding that in New Zealand if the dew comes into play then all their skills would be tested, insisting that the pitches might not be as bouncy as in Australia but one would get some assistance early in both countries. Walsh claimed that his advice is to try and maximise all their advantages by trying to strike early with the new ball, even if the bowlers have to be a bit more aggressive than usual with both the bowling and field placings. Walsh said that the bowlers would have to bring their 'A' games and try to out-think so many world-class batsmen. Walsh added that players such as De Villiers, Finch, Gayle, Warner and McCullum, to name just a few, are the kind who, on their day, would make bowlers pay dearly, adding that in order to prevent that the bowlers should try to restrict the use of the batsmen arms as they are so powerful and they're always trying to be one step ahead of the bowlers. So, the former West Indies paceman added that it's very, very important for the bowlers try to out-think the batsmen, adding that as a bowler they have to try to be one step ahead all the time. (ANI)