Chasing huge totals

In the last two months, we have seen three chases of over 300! First NZ chased down 317 against Bangladesh followed by two immensely popular chases India 387 against England and South Africa 414 against England.

So why are large totals being chased down offlate compared to 1990s? Here is my take on the reasons

• Steve Waugh Effect: In late 1990s Steve Waugh introduced a aggression in test cricket hitherto unseen. Aussies were regularly scoring at 3.5 to 4 run an over. Teams are learning to emulate the same. Scoring faster means more time in last innings to chase totals down.

• Twenty 20 Effect: Has accelerated the Steve Waugh effect

• Aggressive opening batsmen: All the chases of 300 plus have happened over 4 to 5 sessions. Batsmen like Sehwag and Smith are very aggressive making use of fourth day sessions to good effect. This means their teams go into fifth day thinking of victory instead of hopping around defensively with a negative mindset of drawing. The positive approach makes a big difference
  

• Quality of bowling: Quality of bowling has come off sharply. Surely Dravid, Tendulkar, Kallis would love to face Lee, Siddle, Swann compared to Warne, McGrath, Ambrose

• Batsman friendly conditions: Over the years conditions have become deeply batsman friendly be it covered pitches that don’t crack up, 2 bouncers per over only rule.....

I won’t be surprised if 418 chased by West Indies against Australia, in the not too distant past, is overhauled shortly.