Bowlers have been complaining that cricket is a batsmen’s game for arguably as long as the game has been played. But when it comes to the one-day format they may well have a point.
Scores have rocketed in the last few years, with the nine highest totals by a team winning after batting second in limited overs international history all achieved since the turn of the century.
And with the World Cup set to be played on a series of relatively small grounds in the Caribbean, there are fears that bowlers will be reduced to the status of stooges amidst a welter of fours and sixes.
In February, New Zealand provided further evidence of the growing dominance of bat over ball when they scored 340 for five and 350 for nine in successive one-dayers against Australia.
Admittedly, the world champions were without injured fast bowler Brett Lee, now out of the World Cup, but their attack still featured one of the most miserly bowlers in cricket history in Glenn McGrath.
What was just as significant was that New Zealand were not overawed by the prospect of chasing such huge totals. The time was when a side batting first that scored in excess of 300 had all but insulated itself against defeat.
However, the bounds of possibility were extended in extraordinary fashion by South Africa in March 2006 when, with Australia once more on the losing side, they scored 438 for nine at the Wanderers after the visitors had posted a seemingly impregnable 434 for four.
There is no doubt that one-day cricket is more weighted against bowlers than Test matches with each member of the attack restricted to just 10 overs apiece.
Then there are fielding restrictions.
A change in the late 1970s to prevent all nine outfielders being placed on the boundary has been developed into the present system of only two fielders allowed outside the fielding circle in the first 15 overs and the advent of ‘power plays’ later in the innings.
Part of the reason for this is the belief that there are few things in cricket as thrilling as a six hit, particularly for those spectators and television viewers who are new to cricket — a key component of the audience the one-day game, now the financial motor of the sport in many countries, is trying to attract.
Add in advances in bat (as opposed to ball) technology which means the sight of a mis-hit carrying for a six is no longer uncommon, and that administrators around the world appear to be bringing the ropes further and further infield, even on some of the larger grounds, and it’s easy to see why many feel the currency of a boundary is being devalued.
Former Australia captain and coach Bobby Simpson believes the World Cup could become ”boring” if bowlers cannot somehow find a way to keep the scores down.
”I am worried about where we are heading,” he told Brisbane’s Courier-Mail.
”Let’s face it, a game where teams score 300-plus can be as boring as a low scoring game.”
Auckland’s Eden Park, where New Zealand’s 340 was part of a huge match aggregate of 676 runs, is similar in size to many of the island venues in the West Indies and Simpson, known as a dogged opening batsman in his playing days, added: ”Part of the game is big hitting but when balls are carrying just 60 yards and going for six it is hardly great cricket.”
Meanwhile Australia pace bowler Michael Kasprowicz, not included in his country’s World Cup squad, had a novel suggestion for reducing run-rates.
”My theory is that every time a batsman plays and misses he should be asked to take off one piece of protective clothing of the bowler’s choice.”
Unfortunately for suffering attacks everywhere, that’s likely to prove an innovation too far for the International Cricket Council. – Sapa-AFP