LEGSLIP

Graeme Swann feels ODI's should be scrapped

When T20 took over the world by storm many commentators questioned whether the 50 over format would last. The 50 over format has since received criticism and appears to be getting squeezed between T20 and Tests. Cricket reformists lobby for T20 while purists want cricket to maintain its traditional touch with teams regularly competing in Test cricket.

Graeme Swann feels that the ODI format is the least significant format and should be ended in favour of T20 and Tests. Is this the right mentality?

Opinions on this will be very personal but there cannot be any denying that, ODI’s are a great balancing exercise between the thrill and fast pace of T20 and the mental toughness and challenge of Test cricket. In some ways this format incorporates the best of what both T20 and Test can offer. Yet, one can understand why this format is losing popularity in the wake of T20 which has now become the most popular cricket format and is popular with women and children as well as men.

There seems to be a geographical divide in that whereas ODI’s are still popular in the subcontinent, Tests are more popular in England and Australia, who are still prominent members of the cricket fraternity despite the rise of India in the recent past and the improving stature of teams like Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. So, any efforts to end ODI cricket should receive opposition from the subcontinent.

ODI cricket has provided some of cricket’s most glorious memories. Whether that is the Kerry Packer revolution, India’s World Cup 1983 victory, Miandad’s Sharjah sixer, Tendulkar’s general dominance etc, ODI cricket has balanced thrill and skill and brought a fresh and welcome outlook to cricket when it was introduced decades ago.

ODI's have shown us the best of special players like Tendulkar and Afridi

Certain heroic or dramatic events that have captured our hearts and minds can only happen in ODI’s. Shahid Afridi’s 37 ball 100 is one such event- this kind of milestone is unlikely to be reached in any format, but it has the strongest likelihood of being reached in ODI’s. Similarly, the suspense and drama of matches such as the Australia v South Africa semi final in the World Cup 1999 can also only happen in ODI’s.

The ICC needs to think very carefully whether it wants to dispose of ODI’s. Firstly this motion is bound to receive stiff opposition from the subcontinental lobby. Historically subcontinental teams have performed better in ODI and England and Australia have performed better in Tests. So, there might be a clash of opinions here. Secondly, cricket fans around the world may become frustrated with the fact that, T20 often seems to be a contest of luck rather than skill and fans do not get to see a lot of player development and strategy. Whereas they get to see player development, mental toughness and skill in Tests, there is no denying that due to changing trends around the world fans simply do not have enough time to follow Test matches like they used to.

If any format has to be scrapped then arguably it should be Tests. A cricket purist would call for axing for T20s, but that seems very remote because T20 is a money spinner and popular with fans and cricket players alike. So due to the thrill and excitement offered by T20 it will probably exist for a long time to come. However, scrapping ODI should not be the answer.

The ICC can intervene between cricket boards and organise matches evenly between teams so that some teams like India and England don’t feel they are playing too much cricket. They can also alter the rules of the game but this has to be done sensibly and timely. For example, the SuperSub rule introduced a few years ago was a disaster and one wonders how it even saw light of the day?

In Tests I have proposed that there should be some changes in order to make the format more stimulating in order to prevent teams from playing negative cricket which goes against the spirit of the game. I feel that after each session of 10 overs, a batting team should be penalised 50 runs if  it does not score a minimum of 25 or 27 runs. This means, that 50 runs are awarded to the opposition. If this happens in a 4th innings chase then the chasing team has to chase 50 runs more.

Such minor but eminent changes can create more interest in the game.

I feel cricket would lose out if ODI’s are ended in the future. Whilst the ICC should obviously consider changing times and changing demands of the fans, with some imagination they can definitely overcome this problem we are having today of players constantly complaining that they are playing too much cricket. Why not devise some kind of compromise rather than just scrap a format and damage cricket?

After Imran Khan Niazi, Pakistan has found Mishab ul Haq Niazi – this is the truth and a fact – the rest I am going to write here is lies, total lies and nothing but lies. Like he is the most successful Captain of Pakistan cricket team. I admire his cool demeanor and from whichever “angle” you look at him, he looks like a cool cucumber.

cool cucumber

I am not sure if the girls like him because of this coolness that he possess.

I heard that Mudassar Nazar cried for several hours because Misbah has broken his record of slow batting but, then someone told him, you still hold the slowest century record so hold on let Misbah try it in Bangladesh.

If Misbah was not in the team, Pakistan cricket team may have not even reached the first T20 WC final, well Misbah said, why am I here, I did that against India in the round match, I will do that in the final and make the bookies happy that, Pakistan lost and India won. But, trust me Misbah is very honest he did not make any money from the bookies, not even a cent. Instead Uncle **SIM jo India hee may rehay hain, he made a few millions, may be rupees, may be dollars.

But, Misbah is a very honest, dedicated man, a real team player. He plays till the end and tells the team, “Laal Tain, iss Terha Pakartay Hain.” If you guys know about this joke you would be rotflol-ing.

People have forgotten Misbah’s two innings of the Ist T20 WC in SA and they have even forgotten LONG, long ago his slow and negative batting in the recent 50 over ODI, WC of 2011. He didn’t mean to irk the Pakistanis he was actually playing his natural game, I mean this is true. I cannot pack ALL the lies in Misbah’s bucket and ask him to kick the bucket. Marray Uss Kay Dushman, he should live long and lead Pakistan even when he is 65 years old. And, make Asad Shafiq, Junaid Khan, Umar Akmal etc. look old and haggard.

Misbah’s field placement is excellent, he never bothers to tell anyone by indicating with his hand or even open his mouth and that is because of his cool demeanor, he simply uses his ” disgustipating – telepathetic” communication skills with players and they simply move into the desired position wherever he wants to place them.   See this is a KwalTee which no one can acquire and he has often done that.

It is just like he often gets out in a different way each time and upon asking he said, my name ends with UL-HAQ so there is something common between me and Inzi Bhai. But, I must admit that he is a very creative player, captain and a leader he discovers new ways of getting out when everyone expects him to finish the match, he ends up on the winning side, because he has never, ever, lost a match single-handedly and that is because, I am speaking the truth.

This reminds me of a nursery rhyme and i.e., in Urdu and I am making it into a parody:

Baat Ki Baat, Khurafaat ki Khurafaat
Misbah nay lagaye 2, 2, shaat
Ek Miss Hoa, Doosra Laga hee nahee
Jo Miss hoa wo dikhaa hee nahee
Jo Laga nahee uskay banay ek duggi aur Chaar Chowkay
Jis kay lagay Chaar Chowkay
Vo kisi kay Hisaab may nahee
Jo hisaab may nahee, Vo Misbah kay howay
Misbah nay banaye 50 runs
Ek baar not out reha
Doosree baar out hee nahee hoa
Jab out hee nahee hoa
Tab Khel Khatam hoa

Misbah nay phir poocha,
Konsi team jeeti aur konsi haari?
Uss nay kaha, jab haari nahee
Tou jeetnay ki kay baat kahee

Kaptaan ho tou aisa,
Jis ki dum pay Paisa

Please see this table and compare great modern day batsmen. These are batsmen who are either still playing or retired within the past 5 years, and average 50 or more and have played 75+ Tests.

The first table explores how each batsmen did vs each Test team and how much they averaged in each country. These stats are separated by “/”. The next table explores players’ averages in all innings of a match which provides an insight into who played better whilst chasing or when the pitch had deteriorated, or had become more conducive to spin. It also shows average in won, lost and drawn matches, averages at home or away, the number of innings played and most importantly,  scores of 100 and 50 that led to victory for their teams expressed as a percentage of total innings played. Although we will discuss this in more detail below it is startling to know that Lara has the poorest record in this regard.

I would like you all to offer your thoughts and I hope Bichoo, Pawan, 420 and the others can also contribute with their views.  Stats have been noted from Cricinfo.