Why cricket needs its 50 over format
Roar Rookie By jimmy_01, 23 Jan 2010 jimmy_01 is a Roar Rookie
- Tagged:
- Cricket, One day cricket, Twenty20, World Series Cricket
Ben Hilfenhaus in action during a one day international cricket match - AAP Image/Andrew Cornaga
From the launch of World Series Cricket to the introduction of the IPL, 50 over cricket was the fastest, biggest and most competitive match you could experience.
Nowadays, 50 over cricket is being laughed at by its former players and shunned by cricket’s previously loyal supporters.
In the last month, many critics and admirers of the game have called to rid the game of its 50 version in favour of more Twenty20 in the future. What they don’t realize is the sudden change in the development of the game this will cause.
Generally over time, young cricketers have always tried to follow the sports’ leaders in playing with the same technique and the same shots.
In the 80s and 90s it was Boony’s cut shot or Hayden’s sweep – classic, recognized shots that can be used in all forms of cricket.
Nowadays Twenty20 has led juniors into playing shots like the reverse sweep or slog to cow corner, being played by recognized batsmen.
This will inevitably lead to the fall of the longer versions of the game as technique becomes unimportant and as hitting ability makes you a great batsmen.
50 over cricket over the years has taught players to bat more aggressively in playing textbook shots more often that in Tests. In the time of World Series Cricket, players like Dave Warner weren’t discovered because the fifty over version required technique, class, tactics and concentration, not improvisation and power.
As people continue to criticize 50 over cricket, what people don’t realize is the affect it will have on future cricketers.
Twenty20 expansion is good for the game and the Big Bash is important for domestic cricketers to become accustomed to the big crowds and high pressure situations, but without 50 over cricket, the slower scoring batsmen will be left behind.
Sadly the Justin Langer’s and the Allan Borders of tomorrow may be left behind.
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- Explore:
- Cricket, One day cricket, Twenty20, World Series Cricket
January 24th 2010 @ 3:28pm
M-Rod said | January 24th 2010 @ 3:28pm | Report comment
The 50 over format has become hostage to a bland, fomulaic style of play where the middle 20-25 overs are dedicated to run ‘accumulation’ ie working the ball for singles and twos.
In all the one-dayers I’ve seen this period is always painstaking to watch, and the interest in the game is only saved by the flurry of excitement of the first and last 10 overs.
This is why it is vulnerable to the 20/20 threat – there needs to be some way to revitalise the middle parts of the 50 over format to generate more free-flowing batting and strokeplay which is what pulls the crowds at the end of the day. Select sides with allrounders that bat to #10 if necessary to bat through 50 overs!
If I want to see guys like clarke, ponting and co. build an innings I’ll watch tests – otherwise give me 50 overs of them serving up fast and furious batting action, and not just in this 20/20 finished in 2 hours rubbish.