ODI almost all out

Dave Richardson’s recent assertion that ‘if you don’t change the menu, your restaurant might go out of business” has been interpreted as a sign that the International Cricket Council (ICC) has already decided to make radical changes to the format of one-day internationals and that the ­’traditional” 50-over format is on its last legs.

It isn’t something that Richardson can decide himself, obviously, and it wasn’t his intention to suggest that change was inevitable. But he did wish to make it clear, as the head of the ICC’s cricket committee, that he was open to change.

One suggestion, mooted by such luminaries as Sachin Tendulkar and Ian Chappell, is to divide one-day internationals into four innings of 25 overs.

Tendulkar likes the idea of eradicating the bias that floodlights and evening dew can give a team in day-nighters, while Chappell says it will provide a faster-moving, more appealing spectacle.

It would certainly be different, but whether crowds and television audiences would be inclined to stay beyond half way should the scores be 75-7 and 150-2 would be interesting. At least with two consecutive innings a foregone conclusion has a natural lifespan without false hope.

Other innovations that have been suggested include reducing the restrictions placed on bowlers by insisting that at least five bowlers bowl a minimum of five overs each, but that the upper limit of 10 overs a bowler be abolished. Captains with two or more genuine ‘strike” bowlers would be encouraged to attack more, while administrators would, in theory, be less tempted to prepare flat, featureless pitches in the belief that crowds are entertained only by fours, sixes and piles of runs.

The truth is that crowds are entertained by close finishes and anything that can be done to bring bowlers back into the game has to be a good thing, including making boundaries as large as possible.

A thrilling tournament here, of course, and calls for change will ­quieten. There are natural lulls in the popularity of most sports at some point. Besides, one-day international cricket has survived for 40 years and, its backers will argue, deserves to be preserved.

But remember this: when one-day internationals started, there were 60 overs an innings, which made for a very, very long day. Eventually it was the audience who demanded a change and, with concentration spans and free time still in decline, perhaps all that is actually required is a further reduction from 50 to 40 overs a side.

That is certainly the view of Proteas coach Mickey Arthur. ‘I am not a ‘traditionalist’ for the sake of it,” he said at the beginning of the week, before the Champions Trophy tournament started. ‘In fact, I fully endorse the view that the game needs to keep reinventing itself and developing, which is why I would support a move from 50 overs to 40 overs for one-day internationals.

‘Even with the most intense approach from the fittest teams, it is not possible to maintain a high enough level of entertainment through the middle of an innings. But by removing 10 overs but keeping the same number of power-play overs, I reckon the formula would be perfect.

‘It would also mean a six-hour contest, rather than seven-and-a-half, which makes a big difference, especially to the ‘live’ audience.

‘The Champions Trophy is a ‘sprint’ event — more like 100m than the 1? 500m of the World Cup — which gives everyone a greater chance of success,” Arthur said.

With so much expectation on the home team, he said they could not afford a false start or even a slow start. Defeat against Sri Lanka in the opening game would mean even more pressure and a ‘must-win” situation in Thursday’s game against New Zealand and Sunday’s final group match against England.

On top of that, a careful eye would have to be kept on net run rate in the event that three teams finish tied at the top of the group.

‘In my honest opinion seven of the eight teams could win.

‘With respect to the West Indies, they are too busy tearing themselves apart to have a chance here. Perhaps I am wrong but they look very much like a ‘B’ team to me.”

Close competition sandwiched into an intensive, 14-day period is exactly what organisers hope will provide the catalyst to remind the world that T20 isn’t, in fact, the best thing since sliced bread.