ICC proposed changes to restrict no of fielders outstide 30 yard circle in non power play areas to 4 is quite ridiculous. The reason given by ICC is to "improve the balance between bat and ball".
As such ODI is very batting oriented and this move will ensure ODI is even more skewed towards the batsman. More often than not, you will have fielders at third man, sweeper cover, long on and deep square leg as the four fielders leaving yawnings gaps across the field. Totals in excess of 350 will be comfortably chased down.
Is this what viewers want to see? I am not too sure. I enjoyed India vs West Indies tied match of 1992 series in Australia when both teams scored 126 rather than 434 chased down by SA vs Australia at Joberg few years back. Likewise, England beating SA after scoring 170odd in last yr's world cup was more enjoyable than India vs Eng 338 tie.
ICC has been tinkering with the ODI format too often and not all changes have been thought thro. Like the 20 over powerplay which has now been brought back to 15 within 6 months.
Instead of trying to get ODIs to be as exciting as T20, ICC should reduce no of ODI to keep the viewership. There are too many meaningless ODIs. For example, England is visitin India later this year to play 7 ODIs !! Incredible ! Time to improve quality by reducing the quantity and not by tinkering the rules.
As such ODI is very batting oriented and this move will ensure ODI is even more skewed towards the batsman. More often than not, you will have fielders at third man, sweeper cover, long on and deep square leg as the four fielders leaving yawnings gaps across the field. Totals in excess of 350 will be comfortably chased down.
Is this what viewers want to see? I am not too sure. I enjoyed India vs West Indies tied match of 1992 series in Australia when both teams scored 126 rather than 434 chased down by SA vs Australia at Joberg few years back. Likewise, England beating SA after scoring 170odd in last yr's world cup was more enjoyable than India vs Eng 338 tie.
ICC has been tinkering with the ODI format too often and not all changes have been thought thro. Like the 20 over powerplay which has now been brought back to 15 within 6 months.
Instead of trying to get ODIs to be as exciting as T20, ICC should reduce no of ODI to keep the viewership. There are too many meaningless ODIs. For example, England is visitin India later this year to play 7 ODIs !! Incredible ! Time to improve quality by reducing the quantity and not by tinkering the rules.
No comments:
Post a Comment