After previously suggesting on The Roar that T20 cricket has hit its older brother – 50-over cricket – out of the ground and down the street, my thoughts aligned with plenty of other people that the recently concluded World Cup might be the last one ever staged.
Boy, was that wrong!
The World Cup hosted by India over the past six weeks has demonstrated that there’s life in the old ODI dog yet. What a tournament!
That said, 50-over cricket still needs to be differentiated from its younger brother. The longer white-ball game will lose its relevance if it’s little more than an extended version of the 20-over format.
This may be viewing the past through rose-tinted glasses, particularly given that “rose-tinted” would well describe the colour of the uniform worn by the West Indians during the WSC years when my first abiding love for the game was developed.
The best 50-over games are where the team batting first does well, in the prevailing conditions, to score between 220 and 270. And the team batting second, in similar conditions, is facing a daunting task to score between 4.5 and 5.5 runs per over to win the match, particularly as wickets begin to fall.
Think about it. Every time the ball bobbles through the infield is a cause for celebration. Somersaulting turns for a risky third run are heart-stopping. Boundaries are rare but well earned. Doesn’t that kind of limited over cricket nourish the soul more than seeing yet another six fly into the crowd; the best hit you’ve ever seen since the one two balls ago?
So how do we create these conditions and differentiate the “traditional” 50-over game from the T20 juggernaut?
Number one, create some kind of oversight which ensures that pitches have some life in them. It may not be possible, but it would be a welcome step forward.
Number two, amend the fielding restriction rules to mandate that there must be a least one fielder in the slips cordon for the entire 50 overs. No more nurdles down to third man when the ball is not there to hit. No more booming cover drives, safe in the knowledge that you won’t get caught in the slips if you edge it. Skilled, and inventive, batters will still thrive. But let’s mandate a higher level of risk.
Number three – and this is the one where you really need to pay attention – mandate that 50-over cricket is played with a pink ball! Yes, you read that right. Let’s render just one of the limited-overs formats the pink-ball game.
Pink, white and red balls, showing all forms of cricket. (Photo by Morne de Klerk/Getty Images)
The pink ball traditionally moves more than the white ball, particularly under lights. It’s the ideal way to make 50-over matches more like Test cricket and to carve out its own unique space in the limited overs realm of the future.
Now, the one-day-cricket traditionalists may bleat that we can’t possibly do that because the 50-over game has always been played with a white ball. Think again ODI fuddy-duddies! The first three ODI World Cups were played in white clothing with a red ball. It wasn’t until Australia hosted the World Cup in 1992 – almost a full 15 years after the Packer revolution – that we first saw World Cup cricket in coloured clothing with a white ball.
If we can change once, we can change again.
As the recent World Cup has demonstrated, 50-over cricket still has its place, particularly when there’s some context to the contest. But let’s take some genuine steps to render that space unique.
Christo the Daddyo
Roar Rookie
Here’s another suggestion… Break the innings up so you have 25 overs for one team, have a ten minute break, then 25 for the other. Then the main break and finish with another overs per team. It reduces the luck of the draw element of conditions changing throughout the game.
Brett Allen
Roar Rookie
It would certainly bring more balance to bat and ball, which as you pointed is the key to make a meaningful differential between the 50 & 20 over games.
Peter Hunt
Roar Guru
Thanks Brett. Removing or relaxing bowler restrictions is an excellent idea which I had not considered.
BigGordon
Roar Rookie
didn't they trial 25 over, 2 innings games a few years ago in Australia?
Brett Allen
Roar Rookie
I’ve always thought that in 50 over cricket we should let bowlers bowl as many overs as they want. Let em bowl all 25 from one end. The only restrictions I’d place are that you must have four bowlers each bowl at least 10 overs each, the other ten overs the fielding captain give to anyone, including his four frontline bowlers. Woukd bring more balance to bag and ball.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
No, don't believe it, l just made it up in my last ditch effort to beat AI :shocked:
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
I bask in the aureus splendour of the wispy wattle agog at our ability to be brilliant in our own mind. Tagget, 1907
Dwanye
Roar Rookie
Not ‘canary’ yellow!!! Gold my friend!!!!
Paul
Roar Rookie
I don't think I'd get any work done watching it! I'd love to have seen a timeless test though. The idea of keeping on going until there's a winner appeals to me at times.
Linphoma
Roar Rookie
Think of that Gillette Cup match from the 70s when Lillee went berserk against Qld, the subject of an entire book penned by Ian Brayshaw. Were they playing with a red ball? Whatever, it was red ball cricket on a white ball stage and the match was a stunner.
Peter Hunt
Roar Guru
I fear you're right. Doubtless there are many examples, but each team scored 213 in the classic Aust v SA semi-final in 1999 and each team scored 241 in the WC Final in 2019. Classic matches where every run and every dot ball was critical.
Peter Hunt
Roar Guru
I've contemplated that too. I wouldn't mind seeing it trialled at State level. Mind you, if I had my way, we'd have 10-day test matches where each side bats four times with the ability to substitute a maximum of 3 players after each team has batted twice. Perhaps a maximum of 150 overs per innings. Can you imagine a team getting rolled on the first day but fighting back in the third innings on the 6th day??!?!?! :silly: :silly: :silly:
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
I've never liked us wearing yellow or gold.
BigGordon
Roar Rookie
I'm sure there was probably some very good technical reason why they needed to wear that shade, given colour TV was still in its infancy in Australia. As you said though, why poke the bear? That's simply silly.
Paul
Roar Rookie
I think the 50 overs game became a little less exciting once it evolved from bash and crash 6 an over games to a more safe and tactical approach to building an innings. I like the idea of a pink ball game. If we're making suggestions for jazzing up the format how about making it a two innings game? Each side bats twice with 25 overs each. That way, both sides bat and bowl during the afternoon innings and evening innings.
Dwanye
Roar Rookie
Lol yeah I remember a years later interview from some players saying they were not impressed with the colour. Sort of like poking the bear in retrospect, making supermen play angry you are going to cop it. Lol
BigGordon
Roar Rookie
Whoa!! That's scary. Doesn't look like too many guys in that photo are thrilled to be wearing that colour!
Peter Hunt
Roar Guru
Thanks Big Gordon. During the WSC years (1977 to 1979), the Windies had foisted upon them a coral pink uniform. This article includes a picture from that era: https://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/nothing-pretty-in-pink-about-latest-west-indies-woes-20151005-gk1o91.html I think "rose-tinted" is accurate!
BigGordon
Roar Rookie
I like the concepts you've suggested, Peter. Using one pink ball, instead of 2 white balls, makes a lot of sense. It can move when it's new and of the pitch has a sandpaper surface, can reverse when it gets old. I guess the only problem is the ball getting discoloured making it hard to see, but that's only a matter of having replacement balls on hand that have been used for a similar number of overs (possible in Australia, but maybe not in England). Also agree about the pitch preparation but that needs to be linked back to the type of ball being used. Administrators and those paying good money to go to games, want to see matches that go as close to 100 overs as possible. If pink balls are used, it may mean toning down the pitches, so the contest between bat and ball is even. I'd vary the fielding restrictions you mentioned so the fielding team has to keep a catching player for the first 40 overs OR if they have to keep the catcher for the full 50, they're allowed an extra fielder outside the 30 yard circle for the last 10 overs on top of what they're allowed now. Did the Windies ever have pink uniforms back in the 80's? They were a lighter colour than the deep maroon they use now. I don't remember Joel Garner charging in, wearing a bright pink shirt?
Linphoma
Roar Rookie
Interesting thoughts but the subcontinetal audience will not tolerate it. They understand runs and big runs over the top preferably. Nothing they like seeing more than when their side carves 400 and the other side peters out after 300. It's just a shooting gallery. You may as well go to a golf driving range for your entertainment. The Sri Lanka/Bangladesh match (aka as the Angelo Mathews timed-out dismissal match) was gripping with tight scores, despite the lack of ambition from the sides. I would love seeing anything to crank back the game from power but it won't happen.