As fans, we understand that cricket is a commercial game and its administration also depends on viewership.
The ICC and the cricketing boards lose money if a match overstays its welcome in a telecast agreement. This is specifically true for white-ball cricket.
This has a particularly negative impact in T20s, as the format was made purely to save time for the viewers. As such the ICC today announced plans to penalise a team taking too long to get through their overs by enforcing four fielders outside of the circle instead of five.
While the punishment seems appropriate, I thought why not be innovative and think of alternative ways (a purely hypothetical thought experiment).
1. Giving the batting team’s captain the choice of the bowling team’s bowler in one of the last five overs, provided the bowler is a recognised bowler or an all-rounder with good bowling credentials.
For example, say Aaron Finch is the batting captain and is playing against India who aren’t keeping up with their over rates. Finch can choose to play Jasprit Bumrah in the 16th over so Rohit Sharma/KL Rahul would not be able to use him in the critical 19th over.
Or, he could also choose to bowl a rather expensive Mohammed Shami or Hardik Pandya in the 19th or 20th overs for a good finish. Although, Finch cannot choose Shreyas Iyer or KL Rahul, as they are not recognised bowlers.
2. Giving the batting team three free hits to be used at their leisure in the last five overs.
Death bowling in T20s is all about momentum: get a wicket or two and you can be economical. But get hit for a six or a four and the momentum changes. By giving three free hits to the batting team, the bowling team’s captain would be vary of the over rate as it can even end games.
For example, let’s say 20 runs are needed in the last two overs and the batting team has to face an Anrich Nortje or a Jofra Archer, they can nullify that strike bowler advantage by invoking three free hits in the over.
3. Batting team gets an extra two runs for every minute the slow over rates are behind by, which would be particularly effective when a team is chasing.
For example, say Kieron Pollard and Nicholas Pooran are on the crease to get 30-odd from the last two overs, with overs left from the rather potent Shaheen Shah Afridi and Hasan Ali. But since Pakistan are already over the rate by, say, two minutes, they already lose four runs, so suddenly the equation goes to 26 from 12 deliveries.
4. Bowling team has to play the exact same team in the next match regardless of form and in case of an injury, only be replaced by a like-for-like replacement, i.e on a non-spinning pitch, if the team chose to play Ashwin and Yuzvendra Chahal in the last game and say Ashwin is injured, they would have to choose an Axar Patel or a Washington Sundar, regardless of a pace-friendly pitch.
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
Simple solution stop the innings the batting team gets 4 runs for ever ball not bowled in the allotted time as a bonus. Every match will finish on time, and you will probably never need to enforce the rule.
Timmuh
Roar Guru
I actually don't mind what the ICC seems to be implementing, provided umpires can force the batting side to hurry things along. Start the last over on time, or fielding restrictions get more restrictive. If time is up and you're only in over 17, overs 18-20 have to be bowled without the full quota allowed outside the circle. https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/new-icc-playing-conditions-four-not-five-fielders-allowed-outside-inner-circle-for-slow-over-rate-in-t20is-1295812
Peter85
Roar Rookie
In individual games it is pretty hard to have an equitable penalty system, especially with both batters and bowlers contribution to time wasting and delays, I am guessing that it is a match official job to determine similar to the test over rates and applying a penalty in real time in the second innings presents a lot of challenges. In tournament styles you can use over rates penalties as a tie breaker as an incentive, this doesn't impact individual series as well. I would like to see a move to 5 overs bowled from each end before changing, this removes 16 end changes per innings, at 30 seconds saved is 8 minutes or approx 2 overs. Another alternative is having over rate assessed for in game penalties at the 15th over mark and not care too much about the pace for the last 5 overs in game; maybe use similar post game penalties such as fines. The in game penalties could be runs or fielding restrictions.
Nick Symonds
Guest
Remove 3 fielders from the bowling side.
Ball Burster
Roar Rookie
Good on you for putting up some ideas. Nonetheless many of the options you propose depends on who is actually batting. For example giving Glenn McGrath a free hit is hardly a penalty that fits the crime. I'd prefer to simply deduct the missing overs. If the bowling side is three overs short: (i) the batting side's score is adjusted up by the runs made in its three best overs; and (ii) the bowling side has to chase that total in 3 fewer overs. Unfortunately almost any penalty regime will provide an incentive for the batting side to slow things down. Disputes about which side caused the slow over rate then have to be adjudicated.