The Big Bash.
Geoff Lawson:
Big Bash doesn’t need gimmicks to thrive, it needs a battle between bat and ball
The power surge overs produced exactly what they were meant to: more runs. More runs does not equal more attractive cricket.
https://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/bi ... 5701u.html
"Once again, bowlers were sacrificed at the altar of scoring runs and there was a feeling of helplessness when set batsmen faced a non-moving ball with only two fieldsmen in the outfield.
The bowlers were on a hiding to nothing, and there was nothing fair or competitive about it. With much of the TV commentary provided by batsmen, it was no wonder there was little objective analysis of the change. More runs does not equal more attractive cricket."
[Lawson is correct (about the problem). Even T20 would be far better if it were a contest between bat and ball. Of course it's even more true for Test cricket. Flat pitches are an existential threat to cricket.
Lawson also has suggested changes, which may or may not be good ideas...]
Big Bash doesn’t need gimmicks to thrive, it needs a battle between bat and ball
The power surge overs produced exactly what they were meant to: more runs. More runs does not equal more attractive cricket.
https://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/bi ... 5701u.html
"Once again, bowlers were sacrificed at the altar of scoring runs and there was a feeling of helplessness when set batsmen faced a non-moving ball with only two fieldsmen in the outfield.
The bowlers were on a hiding to nothing, and there was nothing fair or competitive about it. With much of the TV commentary provided by batsmen, it was no wonder there was little objective analysis of the change. More runs does not equal more attractive cricket."
[Lawson is correct (about the problem). Even T20 would be far better if it were a contest between bat and ball. Of course it's even more true for Test cricket. Flat pitches are an existential threat to cricket.
Lawson also has suggested changes, which may or may not be good ideas...]
I watched the T10 from Abu Dhabi overnight. One bowler took 4/13 from his allotted 2 overs.
I don't necessarily disagree with Lawson (on this occasion) in general terms about the contest between bat and ball - but I do think a lot of pies are thrown in the BBL. The quality international players don't seem to be in the comp (eg, Archer, Rabada, Cummins, Hazlewood, Starc etc) this season. As to the floating power play, that injected a bit of interest in a few games - some of them turned on the powerplay (and in a few cases, because wickets fell when the batsmen were under pressure).
I don't necessarily disagree with Lawson (on this occasion) in general terms about the contest between bat and ball - but I do think a lot of pies are thrown in the BBL. The quality international players don't seem to be in the comp (eg, Archer, Rabada, Cummins, Hazlewood, Starc etc) this season. As to the floating power play, that injected a bit of interest in a few games - some of them turned on the powerplay (and in a few cases, because wickets fell when the batsmen were under pressure).