How valuable is variety?

The South African national bowling attack is probably the one world class attack that I can use to highlight in this post.

Prior to Paul Harris (Left arm spinner) coming into the side, the attack comprised of a bunch of right arm seamers who stormed in at at the 140km/h mark who maybe moved it a little off the pitch on a good day.

Unfortunately there have been a couple of Test matches where these 4 seamers have had little to do except run in and their fielders ended up chasing leather the whole day. Not a lot of fun.

This lack of variety has been something that has plagued them for the better part of a decade, and if it hadn't been for the quality of fast bowler they were producing, South Africa would be a far less potent bowling force.

The debate has long been asked - would South Africa be better served by having a slightly weaker bowler, but one who turns the ball a bit or comes in from a different angle or swings the ball in the air?

On their day, any of Makhaya Ntini, Dale Steyn, Charl Langeveldt, Andre Nel, Jacques Kallis or Morne Morkel will pick you up a 5 wicket haul. But on a day where the opposition is sending you
to all corners of the park and you are craving something different, would you want a left arm seamer or a finger spinner to take advantage of some rough in the pitch.

Harris has added a big part of the variety that the South African attack has needed, but the demand for a left arm quick bowler is obvious. Just that slightly different angle to worry the batsman or provide some wear and tear outside the batters off stump.

Logically you wont give up quality for variety on most days, but if you don't have some variety to fall back on, then you can spend some very long days in the field...