KEY POINTS:
The Indian seamers were magnificent in their victory over Australia at Perth because they swung the ball. England has the personnel to put on a swing bowling exhibition when they arrive in New Zealand and the Black Caps must nurture the swing bowling capabilities they possess.
Over the last decade or so there has been a preoccupation with reverse swing and let's not underestimate the value of a snaking, 65-over ball on a hot day in Lahore. But don't forget the impact good old conventional swing can have.
On ever-improving cricket surfaces, movement through the air makes 130km/h quick enough at the top level, 140km/h threatening and 150km/h devastating.
It has turned good bowlers into great bowlers. It made New Zealand's Geoff Allott a world beater at the 1999 World Cup when he did something with the ball in use that he never did with any other - he swung it. Imagine if the unconventional Lance Cairns hadn't swung the ball. I'd imagine he would have been a laughing stock never to play past second grade club cricket - well, as a bowler anyway.
All the very best have swung the ball. Waqar Younis and Wasim Akram swung the new ball one way and the old ball both ways, Malcolm Marshall could go both ways conventionally, Fred Trueman talked a fast game but played a more effective swing game, Brett Lee is twice the bowler when he swings it and, while we celebrate Shane Bond's pace, it is his ability to swing the ball that really makes him so dangerous.
You could argue that Sir Richard Hadlee was never really an exponent of swing and neither was Glenn McGrath. Both relied on inhuman accuracy and 'nippy' wrist actions to become the best.
Swing will expose the technically flawed batsman. It asks the very best from a batsman in terms of not only judgment but of discipline and nerve. Swing presents the batsman's eye with two angles - the line from the hand and of the ball in its last third of flight.
In order to still be in a position to get the bat to the ball, the batsman's balance must not be affected by the first thing he sees and not drawn into a false line of play. As Martin Crowe always says, "see it early but play it late."
Any apprehension that manifests itself in hard hands and impatient, flustered play will see a rather ugly swing-related demise.
Then there's the poor sod who looks red-faced as he shoulders arms to the straight one that didn't swing as it had for the last two overs.
Over the next month or so, we can look forward to the challenge swing bowlers like Matthew Hoggard, James Anderson and Steve Harmison will provide for our batsmen.
In return, if Chris Martin, Kyle Mills and co can get it going too, then the Black Caps will be well in the hunt - especially in the flat conditions the test venues of Hamilton, Wellington and Napier should provide.
