The new rules in ODI cricket. Does it augur well for the game of cricket? Well, a YES and a NO. This is "fast-food kaalam" - famous words in Tamil, now a cliche. Thats basically the reason for the introduction of these rules, the same reason why Twenty 20 evolved in England - a tonic for lack of patience. Infact it has revived interest in cricket in England, The Home of Cricket. Sounds funny isnt it?
People don't have the patience anymore to sit and watch a 50 over game. You come back from office, watch a game of Twenty 20 for 150 minutes... boy! that makes your day! No wonder twenty 20 games provide awsome entertainment. A lot is at stake - Funky team names, Free hits off the next ball after a no-ball, live chats with players during the game, of course high voltage cricketing action, not to forget the mascot race during the lunch break in the final with very good commentary. Ooh, what else can you ask for in a span of three hours?
Its with the same aim that ODI rules are being tampered with - just to make the game more lively and pulsating. Because, its only the first 15 overs and the last 10 overs that are being eagerly watched. The introduction of Powerplay is aimed around this area. The fielding captain definitely has more options although nothing much can be done if the batsmen run berserk!! The super sub rule is crap. It gives undue advantage/disadvantage to teams based upon toss! Already the toss swings the game heavily in a side's favour, leave alone the days of rain, this one is just to add misery.
The numerous clauses to these two rules at the end will make the cricket rules books bulky and the umpire's life more difficult apart from taking the charm away from the game. Who knows? There may be a super sub rule for the umpires as well in the days to come to overcome confusion over rules!!
People don't have the patience anymore to sit and watch a 50 over game. You come back from office, watch a game of Twenty 20 for 150 minutes... boy! that makes your day! No wonder twenty 20 games provide awsome entertainment. A lot is at stake - Funky team names, Free hits off the next ball after a no-ball, live chats with players during the game, of course high voltage cricketing action, not to forget the mascot race during the lunch break in the final with very good commentary. Ooh, what else can you ask for in a span of three hours?
Its with the same aim that ODI rules are being tampered with - just to make the game more lively and pulsating. Because, its only the first 15 overs and the last 10 overs that are being eagerly watched. The introduction of Powerplay is aimed around this area. The fielding captain definitely has more options although nothing much can be done if the batsmen run berserk!! The super sub rule is crap. It gives undue advantage/disadvantage to teams based upon toss! Already the toss swings the game heavily in a side's favour, leave alone the days of rain, this one is just to add misery.
The numerous clauses to these two rules at the end will make the cricket rules books bulky and the umpire's life more difficult apart from taking the charm away from the game. Who knows? There may be a super sub rule for the umpires as well in the days to come to overcome confusion over rules!!
2 comments:
The concern you've raised about the super-sub rule is quite valid.
However I wonder if Twenty20 the way forward. After following the Ashes quite closely, I've come to love Test cricket. In my opinion, it is far better than the shorter version.
Twenty20 is much shorter than that, and so it would only encourage people like Afridi - chumma kanna moodindu suthuvaanga. India 250 for 4 (in 20 overs) will be beaten by Holland 254 for 2 (in 14.5 overs).
No big strategy would be needed. Cricket would become like baseball. On the contrary, test cricket is art in motion. It is the real form.
yes.. naanum paathundu irukken...Ashes attagasama irukku.
Also I could see more enthu among the county players when they play 20-20 rather than the traditional 4 day county games. If not elsewhere, 20-20, i feel, is bound to thrive in England alongside the test matches :-)
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