Bowlers feast, batsmen face famine at World Cup
Before the commencement of the World Cup, there was a belief that the tournament would prove to be a graveyard for the bowlers. Many had boldly predicted that scores of over 350 plus would be the norm during the tournament. There was also a belief that the 500 run mark in ODI cricket would be breached during the World Cup, which still remains a possibility.
But a combination of factors has ensured that the predicted demise of the bowlers at the World Cup has turned out to be nothing but a myth. If anything, this has so far been a World Cup where the art of quality bowling in ODI cricket has seen a resurgence.
The numbers
The numbers in favour of the bowlers have been simply staggering. In the 9 matches played so far before the contest between Australia and West Indies, the numbers have painted an eye-opening story. The bowlers have managed to pick up 136 wickets so far. On average, 7.5 wickets have fallen per innings. The average first innings score has been a lowly 234.33 with the second innings score even dipping further to a paltry 214.88. New Zealand’s batting performance while chasing against Sri Lanka was the only instance where a wicket did not fall in an innings. Where are the people who were saying that it’s a batsman’s game, eh?
A balance between the bat and the ball – best for business!
The matches so far in the World Cup have been good spectacles to watch, due to the fact that it has been a fair contest between the bat and the ball. ODI pitches in England over the past couple of years have been flat roads, with nothing in it for the bowlers. This has led to the 300 run as well as the 400 run mark being breached regularly in the matches played in the country. With the batting depth which England has at their disposal, they were made the heavy favourites for the tournament. But with pitches now offering a fair bit of assistance for the bowlers, this tournament seems an open one all of a sudden.
A word of appreciation for the ICC
ICC often comes in for a lot of flak for many of the decisions which they make. But the job which their curators have done so far in the tournament has been nothing short of commendable. They have not been afraid to leave a bit of grass covering on the pitch, which has made all the difference, with the bowlers always being in the game. This has been a bold call but the standard of cricket has certainly increased due to the assistance at disposal for the bowlers.
500 run mark, a distant dream now?
Virat Kohli before the tournament claimed that breaching the 500 run mark during the tournament would be a tough task, simply due to the pressure which the teams would face during the tournament. This went contrary to the opinions of many, as the trend had showcased that the pitches in England were getting better and better for the batsmen. But with the ICC now taking charge of preparing the pitches, Kohli’s prediction may well turn out to be true. The pressure will also increase on the teams as the tournament progresses and one suspects that breaking the record for scoring 500 runs in an innings will have to wait.
