When I were a lad, fearsome fast bowlers who came over here used to look like this…

or occasionally like this…

They used to have odd actions…

…and even odder facial hair…

…and they always smiled, even (or especially) when they were about to knock your block off…

…and if they couldn’t bowl you out, they’d punch you out…

…(no changes there, then, I suppose ?)…

…but the old bowlers would set fields like this…

…and they were all very scary indeed.

Nowadays, if someone scary turns up to bowl…

…the image men get hold of him and make him look like a nice boy. They don’t scare anybody.

…I mean really ! who’d be scared of these two ?

It wouldn’t have happened back then, they didn’t care about coming across as nice blokes…

…but sometimes nowadays you tend to think that some boards regard the image of their attack bowlers above their substance or ability — like these guys  Sidders, Starckers, Patters and Rolfy…

There are always those who tend to go a little over board, of course, even for the marketing men…

SO C’MON, AUSSIE, FOR CHRIST SAKE. LET’S SHOW A BIT OF GRIT.  MAKE  A GAME OF IT — OR YOU MAY AS WELL HAVE BOUGHT THAT OTHER MITCHELL WITH YOU (STARKERS OR NOT).

HAVE A GO YA MUG !