There have been a lot of pointless talks on this issue on the length of a match. It does not at all make any sense. A cricketer is a fully fledged cricketer in all factors. If he is good in his techniques, he will instantly get to learn on how to adapt his game to meet any unforeseen challenges. The timeless test matches and the ten over matches are the one and the same.
The old legends of the cricket sport might not lean to new tricks but any player worth two sided personality will adjust to the tricks in a rapid manner. In any of the case, the basic of the game is absolute. It is a misconception in between the generation of cricketers that batting and bowling changes. Fashion may change and the cricket rules with right to slower balls, reverse swing, reverse sweeps, googlies and mystery balls may also change, but the response arrives and literally the game does return to the center.
Over the period, the only crucial alteration in cricket is the moves from underarm to round arm and on to the over arm. Other innovative introduction was the usage of helmets, which helped a lot. Apart from the rules, professionalism matters a lot which has made the games fit and fast. There are preparation, diets, fielding frills and a lot more put on pace. Players find it difficult to field or to run between the wickets with unresponsive companies. Moreover, since a person and a sport do not change much, it is surprising that top cricketers of any age keep on proving their worth to the cricket field. For instance, if one takes a detail analysis of this season’s IPL, Sachin Tendulkar and Jacques Kallis scored lots of runs.
The ultimate gossip that the England cricket team would be playing 40 over than the 50 over cricket in its domestic competition is absent. It takes around 10 minutes for the local players to return to the longer version, the same players who may take part in a Twenty20 or a four day match the same fortnight. Similar situation was seen a quarter a century ago, when the Somerset team played in a successive manner in 40 over, for three day, 55 and 60 over matches respectively. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) however is of the view that the 40 over games can actually fill the grounds and it would take one afternoon only. As it is the case, cricket can’t ignore its active audience, and indeed, that has been the primary session of the last of the few season, with Twenty20 catering to the market demands and test cricket taking the spectators for granted.
Though from the outset, it seemed a success, families attending church ceremonies would enjoy the traditional Sunday roast and go to watch a cricket game, the freewheeling kinds could sleep late on the Sabbath, some would go to the pub at noon and wander down to the ground also and many would cheer for their respective champions. For a few hours, it seemed dormant cricket grounds coming back to its original life, with cheers, songs, and gasps along with many dramatic activities. Moreover, a part of the beauty of cricket is that the end cannot be predicted and every story is exclusive. The action too is fast and furious. The teams were given around 130 minutes in order to bowl with severe penalty. Ultimately, the over’s got completed 1610 hours with compulsory short run-ups and fast over rates. Moreover, the players too took the game rather easy.
In 1963, a sixty-over cricket had been introduced during which, the players were puzzled by the change in the rhythm of the game. As it happens, Somerset developed a team excellently as per the format required, and in the 1970s and early 1980s the team would challenge for the title, without winning any of it. Dumping the earlier customs, early audience arrival and the grounds were packed to the rafters by noon. They enjoyed the cut and the drive of the 40-over contest. Maybe 50 overs would have prolonged their endurance but most of them were enjoying a day off from their hectic work and simply wanted to relax.
For the English cricket scene, it was a healthy period. A great spell of bowling to be cherished was an extraordinary chasing knock played by Steve Waugh, when in his early stage he was a match-winner with brilliant innings. Though Twenty20 might verify greatness, it cannot produce it. The same goes to 40-over cricket. On the other hand, there were great innings played in 55- and 60-over cricket, in Lord’s finals, in World Cups with magnificent exhibitions of batsmanship skills against some high-class bowlers determined with every power at their disposal. Viv Richards, Sunil Gavaskar at Taunton, Clive Lloyd at Lord’s, and many others are some of the perfect examples of such passion.
However, the bowlers work is restricted and they are withdrawn after making any first opening. Joel Garner, for instance, saved his best opening for the short matches. Maybe the borderline exists between 60 and 40 overs and possibly 60 and 55, are off limits. Forty-over cricket can make the decisions but the longer version of the over’s can give any player a lot of leads to catch. With the case of 50-over matches, 50 seem closer to 40 than 60.
Cricket is not a religion or a culture but it’s a talent, a career and a pursuit. Without a doubt, cricket’s saving style has been exactly that it has learned not to take itself seriously. In spite of its reputation, it is the boldest games in the history of sports. The trick has been to combine charm and enthusiasm. Without greatness, a game shrinks and without an audience, it expires.