Achieving the balance between bat and ball- A myth

Cricket administrators’ newest agenda seems to be trying to spice up the ODI game by repeatedly changing the rules hoping something will click. As they try to get ODI cricket to produce more cliffhangers, they are essentially trying to achieve the delicate balance between bat and ball. In recent times, especially in the subcontinent, because of the dead flat tracks the contest has always been between the batsman of both sides. The sky rocketing frequency of the 320+ scores in ODI matches is all but demeaning the bowlers’ job in the game. Now, the question that is staring us in the face is not ‘why the popularity of ODI cricket is seeing down?’ but ‘why bowlers are being handed the raw deal in limited overs cricket?’. Test cricket had managed to maneuverer itself around this tight corner, and bowlers seem happier playing this form of the game.

The most recent changes made to the ODI format were:-

1) Two new balls were to be bowled from either ends of the pitch instead of the mandatory ball change in the 34th over.

2) Only 4 fielders are allowed outside of the 30 yards circle during the non powerplay overs instead of 5.

3) Two bouncers above the shoulder are allowed in the over in place of just one.

4) The batting and bowling powerplays of 5 overs each have to be taken between the 16th and the 40th over only.

While the slight tweak of the powerplay rules was just to obliterate the mundane mid overs of the match, two of the other three rules looked towards bowler empowerment. But even that didn’t come without a rider. Despite good news coming in the form of the increased number of bouncers in the over, paceman Brett Lee seemed pretty bummed. The Australian pace attack’s spearhead suggests that the ‘two new balls’ rule would lead to the untimely disappearance of the act of the act of reverse swing all together from the one day game.

The rider came in the form of the reduction of the number of outfielders by one. This rule if not on the fast bowlers, would have some pretty serious effects on spin bowling. Already not very ‘dangerous’ in terms of their pace, they resorted to trickery and deception. In the past, if the batsmen happened to pick the doosra or the googly, he would negate it and play safe. In the modern game, not only does the batsman go hard at the ball anyway, he will be tempted to go harder thanks to the reduced protection in the outfield. The doosra and googly will become, what in cricket lingo is called, easy pickings. Lofted shots can be played with more ease and little (or no) respite.

Another issue with regard to the bowlers was the legality of the switch hit. While it is an exciting new addition to a batsman’s armour, there have been some instances where people have been crying foul and rightfully so. Prior to the beginning of an over, the umpire informs the batsman whether the ball was being delivered by a spinner or a pacer, left arm or right arm and whether it was going to be delivered over or around the wicket. It is definitely unfair to the bowler if he starts his run up under the impression that he is bowling to an ordinary right hander and after the release of the ball, the batsman morphs into a left hander. The reverse sweep, the change of sides notwithstanding, cannot be placed alongside the much tainted switch hit for the top and bottom hands of the batsman are not interchanged. Reports suggest that this issue was on the agenda for the meeting where the last changes were made to the ODIs.

It is only natural to conclude that the Gentleman’s game and its administrators aren’t being entirely fair to the bowlers. Also, in the near future it will become increasingly apparent that only way to ‘spice up’ the one day game is to ‘truly’ equalise the contest between bat and ball- favourable changes in the rule, strict guidelines for the preparation of pitches, fairly large ground sizes, etc.