OPINION: Why not just load up with batters in T20 cricket?
· Citizen
Spare a thought for bowlers in T20 cricket. They’re on a hiding to nothing.
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Everything in the shortest format of the game is stacked in favour of the batters.
Pitches are rolled and flattened out, batters are allowed to pull off switch hits without bowlers being allowed a “new” off-side and on-side, bats are bigger than ever, boundaries are often brought in and spectators are more interested in seeing sixes being hit than dot balls being bowled.
With this being the case, one’s also got to wonder why teams don’t simply load their playing XIs with batters and ensure most of them can turn their arms over and get through two, three or four overs.
Because, the reality is, some of the best bowlers in the game are being smacked to all parts so why even have specialist bowlers in your team?
It seems that to be successful in T20 cricket as a bowler you really have to be exceptional.
Two men who come to mind are Lungi Ngidi and Jasprit Bumrah. They’re a class apart at the moment because they’re not one dimensional.
Stacking the batting line-up
But as Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus did with the introduction of the “bomb squad” to the game of rugby – that is, loading your bench with forwards – which international cricket coach will be the first to load their team with batters … and then hope for the best with whoever bowls?
Imagine a South African T20 lineup as follows: De Kock, Markram, Rickelton, Brevis, Miller, Stubbs, Pretorius, Smith, Jansen, Bosch, Ngidi.
Or, for a more radical approach, one could replace Jansen and Bosch with Breetzke and a Hermann brother or De Zorzi or Ferreira.
All these men, except Ngidi, have the ability and skill to clear the ropes regularly.
In a team made up of these men, you can then get 20 overs from Ngidi, Bosch, Jansen, Smith, Markram, Stubbs and Brevis (or Breetzke or Ferreira).
It is scary to think where T20 cricket might be in future. Yes, it’s entertaining and the fans love it, but at what cost?
Is there an equal contest in T20 cricket between bat and ball? I don’t think so, and that can’t be right and fair.