Sunday 8 March 2015

A Batsman's Game

As we're approaching the conclusion of the group stages in the ICC World Cup, one thing has stood out for me. 260-280 doesn't seem to be a par score in most matches anymore. I can remember when 200 was a decent score, then it became 240-250 before the bar got lifted even more. Now 330 isn't even safe anymore!

Who'd want to be a bowler? You're not allowed to do this, you're not allowed to do that! It doesn't seem a fair contest to me! Yes, we all like to see runs being piled up but just look at the game between the two host nations. A low scoring affair which produced great excitement finished by a six!

Is the game becoming a bit one dimensional? Better pitches, smaller grounds, bigger bats, better hitting. With all of these pointing in favour of a batsman, is there any need to restrict bowlers and fielders?

I think it's time the ICC consider relaxing these restrictions. I'd like a bowler to come on and bowl a bouncer if he wants to. Sure enough, if it's too high call a wide, but why restrict him to only two short ones an over. If AB de Villiers or Chris Gayle smash it out of the park effortlessly, why restrict the bowler to have to have 5 fielders closer than 30 yards to the bat?

A batsman can reverse sweep, scoop, innovate and do whatever he wants, but a bowler has to say which side of the wicket he wants to bowl from. What's the next restriction going to be? The bowler has to say whether he's about to bowl an outswinger or a googly or a yorker? Maybe it's time for the the one-day game to become more of a fair test and leave the batting circus to 20/20 cricket. In times where test cricket is in decline and fears for the future of it exists, let's not do the same to the 50 over format, please.