Will Bowling Records Ever Be Broken?
Cricket has evolved phenomenally in the last decade. What was once as equal a contest between bat and ball, now, seems to be dominated by the willow. So the question we ask is, will the bowling records ever be broken?
Changing Game
With larger bats, flatter tracks and the increasing commercialization of cricket, batsmen have a clear advantage. Bat sizes and quality have increased drastically helping shot power. Flatter pitches are popular to create run fests which attract larger crowds and generally make the ‘Gentleman’s Game’ even more popular.
Decline of Test Cricket
It is said that winning a test match is an art. Test cricket however has lost much of its charm. Cricket purists will know the brilliance of test cricket but unfortunately the slow pace of the game makes test cricket not as popular as the likes of ODI’s and T20’s. Test cricket is the only form of cricket that gives recognition to reverse swing, turning deliveries and a packed slip cordon.
Flat Track Bullies
Cricket pitches are always the focus of any game whether at the MCG, Lords or Feroze Shah Kotla. While pitches in Asia are more favorable for spin, Australian and English pitches are a delight for pacers.
The preparation of pitches has changed especially since the advent of T20 cricket. Flat pitches are a batsman’s paradise and this is exactly what groundsmen focus on while preparing a pitch. T20 cricket is a sellout due to the fact that teams score and chase 200+ runs with ease and this would not be possible without flat pitches that favor batsmen.
In the past, a batsman’s ability to score on turning pitches or ones with low bounce, were a real indicator of his ability, this seems to have been diminished.
Amends
So what can really be done to bring back the balance? It’s a difficult question to ask as T20 and ODI cricket have become extremely popular in their current forms. The amount of revenue and attractiveness, high scoring game of T20 cricket brings cannot be matched by a test match.
However, let’s not forget that test cricket is true cricket. It is important to take into consideration power-play rules, restriction on bats and possibly a minimum pitch requirement. While it is difficult to see these changes made in a short while, there is no doubt that the game needs a major revamp.
Bowlers like R. Ashwin, Yasir Shah and James Anderson have been great servants and icons in the art of bowling at present, but a change would be welcome to make the game fairer and arguably more entertaining.
Bowler’s play major role in Test Cricket
In the recent India vs New Zealand test series or the Pakistan vs West Indies, bowlers have been a major influence on the game especially towards deciding the result of the match. Ashwin, for instance won man of the series for his incredible wicket taking against the Kiwis. On the other hand, Devendra Bishoo’s eight-for almost got West Indies back in the game, but the Pakistan bowlers got the better of them.
However, such things are highly unlikely to witness in ODI or T20 cricket. It has become all about who scores the maximum runs, after all it is the team who scores more eventually wins. Unlike before, when all that mattered was scoring one run in addition to the opponents’.
At this rate, one can be quite certain that their erstwhile bowling heroes will forever remain in the history books, as the undisputed champions of the game.
Image Courtesy: News.com.au