"All Rounders" - A Rare Breed

The importance of all-rounders in one day cricket is well documented. But what role does an all rounder play in the traditional form of the game, the test cricket? To support this argument, we need to look at the contributions of the all-rounders in the international circuit.

Lets begin our analysis with the current world champions Australia. They usually have Andrew Symonds playing as an all rounder. Symonds is a complete package and hence offers variety to the line up. He can bowl medium pace, spin, and more importantly, he is a quality batsman who can single handedly turn the flow of the game. Additionally he is an excepional fielder too. Thus even if he fails in one department, he usually compensates by excelling in other fronts. And his useful bowling helps the regular bowlers to take much needed break in the course of an innings.

England usually play Andrew Flintoff and Paul Collingwood in their ranks. Whenever Flintoff is fully fit and firing, the complexion of the England team changes and he infuses enthusiasm and confidence to the entire line up. His bowling is always sharp and accurate. His wicket taking ability eases the pressure on the opening bowlers and also increase the pressure in the opposition ranks. They cannot afford to relax even after taking the shine off the new ball. And he is more than a handy batsman who scores quickly. Thus he is an asset to the team. Paul Collingwood is a batsman who can bowl medium pace and he usually operates whenever their frontline bowlers take a break.

South Africa usually have Jacques Kallis in their line up. Heis a genuine No 3 batsman who also bowls medium pace. He is a class apart and can be relied to provide telling contributions both with bat and ball. In addition to Kallis, the South Africans usually play Albie Morkel who is also a useful contributor with both bat and the ball.

Therefore, the importance of an all rounder is not limited to ODI's or T 20's alone. They play a critical part in test cricket as well. Generally there are two kinds of all rounders. 1. Bowlers who can bat, and 2. Batsmen who can bowl. Andrew Flintoff is a typical example of the former whereas, Jacques Kallis and Andrew Symonds are good examples of the latter.

Generally its good to have bowlers who can bat in the team as it provides variety to the bowling deparment. Also if there is a quality all-rounder available, it inreases the flexibilty of the squad, as the captain can include an additional bowler or a batsman depending upon the conditions.