The Cricket Column/Amrit Mathur

Time to reinvent the wheel

Economics, these days, decides the extent of cricket played and after a short break, the circuit has resumed in Sri Lanka.

Cricket authorities schedule more and even more games, to take advantage of the insatiable thirst of sponsors/television networks and spectators. And among the players, there is a growing realisation that the product itself must undergo change to maintain its appeal.

The bottom line -- one day cricket needs a new look, it requires a fresh image. The problem is that Sri Lanka has created havoc by unleashing an uncontrolled attack, by reducing the first 15 overs to a slog, and in the process turning the whole game upside down.

With fielders confined to the circle, Jayasurya merrily tonks away, the team gets off to a flier, and once the 100-mark is reached before the spinners have had a bowl, the match is more or less closed out.

Ajay Jadeja, who after 90 one dayers understands the nuances of this kind of cricket, feels the Sri Lankan strategy is brilliant because it is best to attack when fielders are in and the ball is hard. This gives top players full opportunity to play freely without pressure. If the best strikers of the ball go out when only a few overs are left, they are wasted. "Why keep trump cards in your pocket?" he asks.

The argument makes sense, seen from his point of view. If Jadeja reaches the crease in the 40th after others have pottered around squeezing singles, half the battle is lost. The Sri Lankans operate in reverse -- by the 40th over the strikers have played their hand and, in case of collapse, the regulars take over to consolidate.

It isn't easy for every team to adopt this method, because Jayasurya is unique, his incredible reflexes and stunning co-ordination between hand and eye combine to send the ball soaring out of the ground. He has hit unbelievable shots, says Jadeja in admiration -- hitting sixes over point, or putting the ball with unfailing regularity over square leg, is difficult, but he does it effortlessly.

Given the current situation, every batsman in a one day team wants to open. Going in first is safe, the pressure is manageable, there is time to think. When you go in at number five or six, with the overs ticking away, the ball getting softer and increasingly difficult to hit out of the square, the dice is loaded against the batsmen. Jadeja, who often finds himself in such situations, says you need to slog straightaway, which is enormously dicey. Often, as the run rate becomes increasingly steep, batsmen at the end overs end up taking extraordinary risks, risking failure which in turn brings about the risk of losing a place in the side.

The number six batsman is perpetually on edge, he is expected to sacrifice his wicket chasing steep targets in the team's interest. But he will be able to do so freely only when backed by an understanding selection committee. He ought to be judged not by runs scored, but by attitude and approach.

With the openers blazing from the start, teams nowadays surpass 300 in 50 overs pretty regularly, especially on friendly subcontinental wickets. And once this kind of total is on the board, the pressure on the team batting second is immense, there is absolutely no margin for error.

Says Navjot Sidhu, who in course of a long career has seen one day cricket unfold, change, mutate: "Earlier, 250 was considered a good score but now, that is just not good enough. 300 is becoming routine, batsmen are more dominant, they call the shots. This, despite phenomenal improvement in fielding standards."

A huge score by a team batting first makes for attractive cricket, spectators are thrilled as runs are plundered. But if the other side crumbles meekly, as often happens when confronted by a steep ask, the game falls flat and there is nothing more unsatisfying than a one sided one day match.

Even contests sustain the appeal of one day cricket, there must be the promise of a sudden, unexpected result, an upset fashioned by some timely blows. But when a team is thrashed by a margin of 100-odd runs, excitement is absent, interest drains and proceedings become unbearably dreary.

Ultimately, to prevent a team from running away with the match, the balance between bat and ball must be restored. This can happen if some laws are altered. Perhaps its time to have an extra fielder outside the circle. The sight of another player in the deep will inhibit batsmen who now coolly hit over the in field, never mind if the ball is in the air for most of its journey. With reckless scoring inhibited, the game becomes tighter and the hapless bowlers receive some protection.

Some players favour severe field restrictions only in the last 10 overs so that the initial phases of the game is more normal. This gives captains several options -- to defend by placing fielders in the deep, or attack in case the track offers assistance. And here, the final overs remain a pure slog, providing excitement to those spectators who are not interested so much in the nuances of the game as in seeing the ball clobbered. In such a scenario, teams will bat carefully, looking to keep wickets in hand and then make a push towards the end. This will also compel captains to choose tactics carefully and, hopefully, matches deviate from the predictable patterns of today.

Another bold innovation being spoken about is to allow bowlers one bouncer every over. This will effectively prevent mindless slogging off the front foot, because when the batsman has the threat of a bouncer looming over him, he is less ready to get onto the front foot even before the ball is bowled, as he does today.

A one day game, throbbing with excitement and thrills, with the result uncertain, the fortunes swinging from side to side with every fresh over, is the ultimate money spinner. A preponderance of such games in the past are what has created this dramatic increase in viewership, which in turn has resulted in sponsors and networks happily sinking huge amounts to bag television rights for events.

But it would be well to keep in mind that if tight contests increase interest, then one sided games can as easily kill it. Perhaps it is time, in the interests of all concerned, for one day cricket to reinvent itself?