Fair deal for both batsmen and bowlers

In the good old days, both the batsmen and bowlers enjoyed equal share. There weren't so many protective gears, yet the batsmen faced even some of the deadly pacemen well to enjoy their own share.

It is good to see batsmen being 'armed' with so many protective gears as safety and prevention of life-threatening injuries are of utmost importance. Even with the development of those safety options for batsmen, top quick bowlers have continued to enjoy their own share.

However the introduction of batting power plays has given undue advantage to the batsmen, especially in the limited version of the game.

In the past, totals in the excess of over 275 always looked safe and comfortable to defend even with a moderate bowling attack.

But it has turned out to be a different scenario altogether with all the 'luxuries' the batsmen have got, as a targets of even 300 plus have been often achieved. The introduction of the batting power plays would have been made to thrill the crowds and attract more and more spectators.

Until the mid 90s, openers adopted a slow and steady approach for a solid foundation even in ODIs, as they do in the established game. But the introduction of pinch hitting made a new revolution in batting in ODIs.

It was none other than Sri Lanka's Sanath Jayasuriya and Romesh Kaluwitharana introduced the art of modern pinch hitting during the 1996 World Cup and in next to no time, most other top order batsmen made it a habit.

Further strengthened

The hold of the batsmen was further strengthened with the introduction of batting power plays that gave an undue advantage to the batsmen. But the world governing body for cricket has now decided to give a fair deal to bowlers by preventing the batsmen taking cover behind batting power plays.

The ICC Executive Board, in a timely move to give bowlers a fair deal, has decided to scrap the batting power play. In addition, the ICC has decided to do away with the catching fielders in the first ten overs and also allowing five fielders outside the 30-yard circle in the last ten overs of an ODI innings.

Undoubtedly, the ICC's move would give bowlers a bit of breathing room in ODIs and a sigh of relief. This will pave way for the bowlers to play their natural game and win more man of the match awards than their batting counterparts. Among the other revisions of ICC playing conditions, which will be effective from next Sunday, is free hits awarded for all no balls in ODI and T20 internationals, not merely overstepping by the bowlers.

Initially, the amendments to the ICC playing conditions were proposed by the cricket committee of the world governing body for cricket, chaired by former Indian star Anil Kumble. Being a champion spinner during his day, it is no surprise that the celebrated Indian leg spinner who has captured 619 wickets in 132 Tests and 337 wickets in 271 ODIs, making every effort to secure a fair deal for bowlers.

These modifications, made not only to give a reasonable opportunity to bowlers but also simplify the game for cricket fans, were approved by the ICC's chief executive committee and were later ratified by the ICC Board at its annual conference in Barbados last week.

Batting power plays, bowling power plays, field restrictions and free hits have made the game more complicated for ordinary fans, especially the cricket-crazy ones in the subcontinent. Hence, the ICC has tried to make the game simpler for the fans while trying to make a reasonable balance in favour of the bowlers - especially in the last ten overs of an ODI innings. The ICC has also abandoned the compulsory requirement to have close catchers in the first ten overs of an ODI inning.

The empowerment of batsmen with batting power plays has made bowlers getting a hiding to nothing with batsmen making merry during the last fifteen overs by taking undue advantage of the expansive gaps in the outfield. The ICC will now do away with the batting power play which allowed only three fielders outside the circle, normally taken between the 36th and 40th overs.

Fielding restrictions

In October 2012, the ICC altered the fielding restrictions to ensure that no more than four fielders could be outside the circle at any stage of an ODI game, replacing the previous practice of a maximum of five. But it was tested for the first time in a World Cup in Australia and New Zealand early this year, much to the criticism of most participating teams.

Yet, there are some who still support the fielding restrictions, stating that those have made the game of cricket and team tactics more aggressive. They are of the view that the current fielding restrictions have lead to a greater attacking approach - from the captaincy, fielding and batting perspectives. However, the massive totals that teams were scoring regularly appear to be detrimental to ODI cricket.

Although there is some appreciation for the attacking nature of the play, most top bowlers have been at the receiving end due to the upper hand granted to batsmen by the law of the game itself. With the latest amendments to the playing conditions in ODIs and T20 Internationals, the ICC has looked at not only those who carry bats, but also those who hold balls.

Modern bats have also played a role in shifting the balance in favour of batsmen, mostly in ODI and T20 internationals. Growing concern on the issue, ICC earlier decided to pull back boundary ropes to 90 yards as a remedial measure.

Modern-day batsmen also enjoy another advantage with their willows as their bats have more bulges at the back with chunky edges that are thick as much as two inches. Hence, the entire bat has become a sweet spot which could send the ball much higher, faster and much farther than imagined. In order to generate more entertainment to keep the spectators happy, administrators have made it a habit of giving consent to shorter boundaries at most venues making it an agony to bowlers as well as fielders.

But the ICC has now looked into this aspect as well by initiating a dialogue with a view of changing to the law that governs bat dimensions. However, the panel, comprising top former cricketers, has failed to find a consensus.

As a result, the current ruling on the size of bats, which only limits the length of the bat to 38 inches and the width to 41/4 inches, will be retained. But this does not necessarily mean that thicker bats that have aided boundary-scoring but would not be subjected to a crackdown in near future.