From the iSport Cricket Paddock: Here is yet another piece on the 'Split Innings' proposed by Cricket Australia. iSporter Akshay Iyer feels this could be the best way forward for the longer format of the game to survive. Would you agree?
At a time when the International Cricket Council and various national cricket boards are trying to find ways of making 50-overs cricket more interesting and spectator friendly [Read: Cricket's 50 Over Format: Will it Survive?], Cricket Australia’s decision to trial split innings one-day matches in its domestic calendar deserves to be lauded.
From reports, one can make out that most Australian international and domestic cricketers aren’t overly enthused by Cricket Australia’s decision [Read: Split ODI Format To Make It Survive].
It is a fact that there is always opposition when something new or radical is proposed for it forces people to come out of their comfort zones and be a part of a change needed in certain things. Fifty-over cricket is certainly crying out for help in surviving modern day cricket. There is and always will be a market for Test matches, while Twenty20 [Read: Does T20 'Test' The Cricketers As Much?] is the solution for those who like to watch fast-paced result-oriented action in a matter of three hours.
The advent of T20 cricket, in fact, started calls either for abolishing the 50-overs format or to tweak in a manner that would still draw in the crowds to the stadium as well as guarantee spectator interest at homes.In such a scenario, Cricket Australia’s decision to split its 45-overs domestic matches over four innings, could be a way forward for the format at the international level too.
The initial matches played under the split innings rule could possibly not be the most exciting to watch as teams try and figure out an approach to be taken at various stages of the match. But, this could also provide the opportunity for new tactics to emerge alongside the tried and tested ones.
There are bound to be some loose ends in the proposed format, but these can always be worked on and improved during the course of the Australian domestic calendar. I feel other cricket boards, including the BCCI, should also introduce something similar in their own domestic circuits.
The split innings format for one-dayers as a concept needs to be encouraged and tried out in full earnest. At the international level, the ICC needs to take a lead and try to get the Emerging and ‘A’ teams of some of its more prominent members to try the split innings format too.
Fifty-over cricket needs a radical change and split innings matches could just be the way forward to ensure this format continues to be a part of modern day cricket.
From reports, one can make out that most Australian international and domestic cricketers aren’t overly enthused by Cricket Australia’s decision [Read: Split ODI Format To Make It Survive].
It is a fact that there is always opposition when something new or radical is proposed for it forces people to come out of their comfort zones and be a part of a change needed in certain things. Fifty-over cricket is certainly crying out for help in surviving modern day cricket. There is and always will be a market for Test matches, while Twenty20 [Read: Does T20 'Test' The Cricketers As Much?] is the solution for those who like to watch fast-paced result-oriented action in a matter of three hours.
The advent of T20 cricket, in fact, started calls either for abolishing the 50-overs format or to tweak in a manner that would still draw in the crowds to the stadium as well as guarantee spectator interest at homes.In such a scenario, Cricket Australia’s decision to split its 45-overs domestic matches over four innings, could be a way forward for the format at the international level too.
The initial matches played under the split innings rule could possibly not be the most exciting to watch as teams try and figure out an approach to be taken at various stages of the match. But, this could also provide the opportunity for new tactics to emerge alongside the tried and tested ones.
There are bound to be some loose ends in the proposed format, but these can always be worked on and improved during the course of the Australian domestic calendar. I feel other cricket boards, including the BCCI, should also introduce something similar in their own domestic circuits.
The split innings format for one-dayers as a concept needs to be encouraged and tried out in full earnest. At the international level, the ICC needs to take a lead and try to get the Emerging and ‘A’ teams of some of its more prominent members to try the split innings format too.
Fifty-over cricket needs a radical change and split innings matches could just be the way forward to ensure this format continues to be a part of modern day cricket.
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Parul
said:
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... call me traditional, but nothing like test cricket, nothing like white dress and nothing like 5 days of pure cricket....and chilled beer...why do we have to confuse ourselves and the game...continuous evolving of the game? no more confusions in the game.... |
Akshay Iyer
said:
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... Thanks for your comments, Parul. While I agree with you that Test cricket is the real deal, there is also a dire need at the moment to find ways to salvage the 50-overs format. As it currently stands, the popularity of 50-over cricket is gradually decreasing and to arrest this trend, different soultions need to be thought of. |
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