Yorkshire Scene

Anybody who thinks that the switch-hit should be banned must be absolutely crazy. Cricket is an entertainment business – and that is exactly what players playing the shot do: They entertain.

I read in one of the national newspapers late last week that South African Jacques Kallis has been playing it for years.

Well, I have never seen him play it – and Kevin Pietersen made it look as elegant as possible at the Riverside earlier this month.

The only other person I have seen attempt anything similar is Mal Loye. He played it during the Pro-Arch Series competition in the United Arab Emirates, which Yorkshire won back in March.

He tried his own version, not switching the hands but changing his stance from right-hander to left, in Lancashire’s Twenty20 defeat against Durham on Tuesday.

He nailed that for six, before biffing Adil Rashid for four during Wednesday’s Roses clash at Headingley.

I am absolutely delighted that the MCC have given the shot the rubber stamp in the midst of deliberations as to whether it is fair on the bowlers or not.

Of course it is fair on the bowlers. I am a bit of a league bowler myself, not to any great standard, and I would be absolutely delighted to see a cocky batsman try that against me.

The percentages are all weighed in favour of the bowler. If they nail it then fair play, good luck – go on, try and do it again.

Whilst down at Leicester for Yorkshire’s Twenty20 win last week, I had a chat with Paul Nixon about it.

I was actually quite surprised with what he said: “I think that bowlers should be allowed to go and bowl left-arm round rather than right-arm over.

“Ambidextrous cricketers could be a thing of the future. Give it a few years but I can definitely see it happening.”

I was convinced that Nixon, a famous improviser, would be all for such a shot. I didn’t for one minute expect him to give the bowlers a thought.

As for ambidextrous cricketers, it was something that former Australian coach John Buchanan suggested as a thing of the future.

Former Yorkshire all-rounder Ian Harvey can bowl both right-arm and left-arm – so could ex-West Indian Test player Winston Benjamin.

England batting coach Andy Flower described Pietersen’s version of the shot as a “wow” moment.

From a fan’s point of view, it is great to see it once or twice. I just hope that it is not a shot that becomes conventional like the reverse sweep has.

Nixon played about eight or nine reverse sweeps against the Tykes last week, whacked one for six, missed the rest and was caught out with the other. That is not percentage cricket.

As for the most likely Yorkshire player to play the shot, I don’t think there are many with the audacity to try it.

We would never hear the end of it if Darren Gough played it successfully. Audacity, yes. Batting talent, probably not. Sorry Dazzler.

Probably the most likely Tyke to crack it would be Jacques Rudolph. He oozes quality and is quick enough to get everything in position, including hands and feet.