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Alderman swings into negative Giles

Terry Alderman says Australia's batsmen "should go and hang themselves" if they fall to Ashley Giles this summer

Cricinfo staff
13-Jun-2005


Terry Alderman mastered English conditions in two Ashes series © Getty Images
Terry Alderman, the swing bowler who twice took 40 wickets in Ashes series in England, says Australia's batsmen "should go and hang themselves" if they fall to Ashley Giles this summer. England's fast bowlers impress Alderman, but he believes not having a quality spinner is a big weakness.
"I couldn't believe how [Giles] got away with it in South Africa earlier this year," Alderman told the Sunday Mirror. "All he did was bowl negatively and get the batsmen frustrated." Giles, who is currently battling a hip injury, took 11 wickets in the five South Africa Tests at an average of 40.81.
"The reason he is suddenly getting more wickets now is that he bowls so negatively that batsmen get fed up, hit out and give their wickets away," he said. "I definitely believe if any of our batsmen get out to Giles in the Tests they should go and hang themselves. But I'm confident that won't happen." Alderman said if the same method was tried against Australia they would "give him some stick".
Giles has played only two Tests against Australia - a broken hand ruled him out of the series in Australia after the first match - and he will miss the tri-series involving Australia and Bangladesh that starts on Thursday. In 12 Tests in England in 1981 and 1989 Alderman took 83 wickets at an average of 19.33.