#360cricket: T20 must take credit for cricket's improved fielding

Ajit Vijaykumar 07:37 14/09/2015
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  • Acrobatics: Glenn Maxwell.

    Twenty20 has changed the way cricket is viewed and played. Not all of it has improved the game holistically, especially with the way batsmen are struggling to bat for long durations and Tests finishing inside four and even three days regularly.

    Techniques of batsmen against the swinging and turning ball has gone down a notch or two and even though it is resulting in a lot more results in Tests, the quality of cricket is not always of a high standard.

    Those are some of the negative effects T20 has had. But there are a few positives as well. Perhaps the biggest impact has been seen in fielding.

    The entire playing eleven is expected to be agile and there is no place for slow movers even in Test teams now, something that was not the case in the pre T20 era.

    In fact, T20 cricket has pushed the boundaries, literally, in the case of fielding, with the Marylebone Cricket Club – custodians of the laws of the game – making modifications to the rules in 2013 to allow fielders take acrobatic catches like the one Australia’s Glenn Maxwell took against England in the fourth ODI this week.

    Maxwell took the catch off Liam Plunkett at deep midwicket, jumped over the fence in the process but lobbed the ball back into the field on play and took the second grab while in mid-air.

    Catches like those have become commonplace in Big Bash T20 and the Indian Premier League. Also, fielders have started to practice such catches at the boundary ropes during training.

    The MCC felt that such ‘skilful pieces of fielding should be allowed’ and there is no doubt that it is a direct result of fielders across the world raising the bar and plucking half chances, at least at the boundary ropes, that were almost never taken earlier.

    Another area where the impact of T20 can be seen is batting in the death overs. During the Headingley ODI, Aussie wicketkeeper Matthew Wade was looking for quick runs and in the last over of the innings, he brought out the ramp shot that saw him walk across the stumps and scoop a quick Mark Wood delivery over the wicketkeeper’s head for a six.

    The shot, pioneered by Sri Lankan opener Tillakaratne Dilshan, is now used in various forms by batsmen in limited overs cricket and some variant of it is seen in almost every single ODI. 

    What’s funny about that shot is with all the brute power that has come into batting, the scoop or the ramp shot is one of the finer pieces of batting T20 has gifted to the game as a lot of finesse is needed while executing it.

    It can be said that T20 has not led to an overall improvement in the quality of cricket fans get to see. But what cannot be denied is that the shortest format of the game has ushered in an era where acrobatic catches at the boundary ropes and jaw-dropping shots off quick bowlers have become the norm.

    Pride intact

    Wicket-keeper Brad Haddin joined the ranks of Australian players who decided to call it a day almost as soon as they realised they were not first-choice selections anymore.

    First we saw Michael Clarke retire from international cricket after losing the Ashes and his form with the bat. Steven Smith had been waiting in the wings for a long time to lead the side and Clarke must have sensed that the management was simply waiting for him to vacate the spot.

    All-rounder Shane Watson also decided to end his Test career when it became apparent the selectors were looking to invest their time in Mitchell Marsh, who has an infinitely better fitness record. Watson’s bowling has been ineffective and Test batting nothing to write home about. It was thus a sensible move to concentrate on limited overs cricket where Watson is still a force to reckon with.

    As far as Haddin is concerned, he must be commended for taking the selectors’ decision on his chin and walking away. The 37-year-old missed the second Ashes Test to be with his ill daughter and Australia roped in Peter Nevill. But once Haddin returned, he was not selected.

    It seems harsh for a thorough team man to lose his spot in the side for good because of reasons beyond his control and there were reports of disquiet in the team over the decision. Whether the move was justified or not, Haddin can walk into the sunset knowing that he did everything a wicketkeeper is expected to.

    His batting during the last Ashes Down Under was singularly responsible for Australia posing respectable scores and completing a 5-0 whitewash, while he was rock solid during the victorious World Cup campaign this year.

    He finished with 3266 runs at 32.98 and 270 dismissals in Tests – fourth on the Aussie Test wicketkeeping tally behind Adam Gilchrist, Ian Healy and Rod Marsh. And he is a World Cup winner. Not bad at all.

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