Simon Hughes
Historically, English batsmen have always been weak against good spin bowling. They just don't see enough of it. Quality foreign spinners like Shane Warne or Pakistan's Saqlain Mushtaq take hatfulls of wickets in county cricket, and whenever a good spin merchant has visited England post-war, he's generally tied the batsmen in knots. Few seem to have the skill to last for long. Seamer-friendly wickets up and down the country and spin-shy captaincy have not helped. Those who've batted on the Indian sub-continent seem better acquainted with what's required.
Playing yourself in
There is no doubt that the longer you hang around against spin, the easier it will become. Time in the middle, getting used to the spin and bounce and the bowler's variations, works wonders.
 Sound defence
A decisive defence helps, either getting the bat right out in front of the pad but still playing
the ball as late as possible, actually feeling the ball onto the bat, or hiding the bat completely behind the pad as Michael Atherton (left) is here.
It looks as if he's making no attempt to hit this ball (above) and therefore is risking being given out lbw, but in practice few umpires are brave enough to argue that the batsman is not playing a shot. It's certainly a decisive method if not a very positive one. Batsmen get into trouble against spin when their approach is either kamikaze, or unsure. Those who are searching for the ball, and desperately lunging at it at the last moment with 'hard hands' don't last long.
 Gone!
Another LBW victory for Shane Warne; a batsman pinned on the back foot when he should have been forward. This shot captures the all-out competitiveness the Australians bring to cricket.
Copyright material reproduced under license from Macmillan Publishers Ltd. London, England
Copyright © Simon Hughes 2001
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