ICC Cricket Committee Considers Relaxing Rules on Wides-Ex-South African Player Shaun Pollock Weighs In

A big decision-the consequence of which would tilt the scale of limited-overs cricket-seems to be on the cards as the ICC Cricket Committee decides whether to let bowlers have a little more elbow room in terms of wides. Legends from South Africa, which have included the legendary cricketer Shaun Pollock, have enlightened one and all with this day and night curfew with which the bowlers are currently operating under. According to Pollock, the existing laws are "very strict" on bowlers when the batters make sudden movements at the crease, hence compelling the bowlers to alter their line and length and more often than not, result in wides.

It is also popular in ODIs and T20I, as well, where the batting team tends to cross late and put the bowler off, according to one of the finest all-rounders of cricket and former captain of South Africa, Pollock, who shared his views recently while discussing the issues that modern-day bowlers are facing in the shorter formats of the game. So, this was a strategic plan that could break the rhythm of a bowler and produce deliveries that are a wide under present rules.

Bowlers on Tough Side

Bowling in the present world of One-Day Internationals and the T20Internationals was never easy and always on a tough side,. Short boundaries, strong bats, and aggressive batting plans have always helped the batsmen. And on top of this, there is this over-the-top strict interpretation of the wide delivery which again adds complexity for the bowlers. When a delivery swings slightly outside the lines of wide by the movement of the batter, it calls for an extra delivery and another run for the batting team.

Pollock believes it to be an unfair pitch. "The rules are a bit strict for the bowlers," he commented, saying that bowlers would have to take a step alongside the batsman on a split second basis. The current system has failed to factor into the influence that the late movement exerted by the batter, who frequently changed the targeted line of delivery.

The wide rule review as undertaken by the ICC Cricket Committee depicts a clearer picture of cricket history in its modem dimensions. In modem cricketing, batters have been left at their wit's end in trying to maximise scoring plays, and batters have formulated a wider range of plays which include switching, reverse sweep, and reverse sweeps among others. Though these plays bring a higher flavor of playing cricket, it no doubt has made things much tougher for bowlers while trying to gain their purpose.

A batter arriving late in the stance and aligning his body off-side towards leg-side makes the ball-flight mid-delivery alter. Often the new ball sends the ball wide of the broad mark which the bowler would have gotten it across, upon applying his brain first of all, although these are often bowled once more within the lines of the pitch and the pitch and the wider markers lines. And yet in exactly the same code book those very deliveries are now classified as "wide".

According to Pollock, the rule exerts too much pressure on the bowlers. "We have to realize that bowlers operate in a high-pressure environment," he said. "If the batter's movement is influencing the delivery, there should be some allowance for that.". The ICC Cricket Committee is considering various methods for handling this matter. One approach includes redefining the wide rule which would be done by including the movement of the batter in the process. For instance, if a batter moves greatly across the crease, the dynamic change in lines of the wide can be defined to show the new position. This would then avoid penalizing the bowlers on account of an unfair advantage being given to them by the movements of the batters.

The second aspect would be to introduce technology for the umpires to decide whether it is a ball based on the movement of the batter. With advanced tracking systems in place, there could be an analysis in real-time regarding the positions of the batter and the bowler to arrive at a proper verdict for this rule.

These changes are still at the proposal level, though they may see drastic changes happening within the game. The change that the ICC seeks to infuse in providing the bowler more flexibility on their part toward hitting a fine balance between the bat and ball in order to raise competition and appeal.

Cricket is always a game of balance where the battle between bat and ball defines its appeal. But this balance has always gone awry in the process of the evolution of the game. Powerplay, fielding restrictions, and new-age batting have made things even more hostile for the bowlers. Revisiting the wide rule forms part of this larger process that brings the two back to level.

According to Pollock, it is too many feelings of the players of cricketing world are of the view that bowlers deserve to be treated on a level-playing field. "Cricket is all about skill and strategy," said Pollock. "But it's also about fairness. If we want to hold on to the integrity of the game, then we must give both batters and bowlers an equal chance to win.".

The discussion will be held inside the ICC Cricket Committee, and the players, coaches, and fans will keenly be watching the outcome. Nothing has been announced to date regarding a date for the implementation but at least this is a positive for the bowlers, and hopefully, that is what happens in the days to come.

Shaun Pollock has called for this change and emphasized the need for evolution in the rulebook of cricket. With this change in the rule regarding batter-induced wides, the ICC is free to make the game more competitive and enjoyable for all stakeholders.

This move of the ICC by giving more room to the bowlers in respect of wides gives testimony to the flexibility of the game of cricket and its justice. As one of the participants puts it candidly, "The game is constantly evolving and it's our responsibility to make sure that the spirit of competition remains intact."