PlanetCricket
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- Joined
- Jan 13, 2010
Article by Aditya -
T20 cricket sadly is regarded as the most popular form of cricket these days. It just doesn?t seem that today?s young cricketers give any value to 4 day cricket or day cricket, well most of them anyway and still, if a bowler gets way too expensive in a couple of matches he?s straight away dropped without being given a chance at the test level because that?s where the real test for a bowlers starts. I mean, what can someone really expect bowlers to do in t20 cricket? They try variations, they get smashed, they bowl fast, they still get smashed, spinners though are considered to be valuable in this format but then again it isn?t like they don?t have a bad day, this is cricket and it has always been a batsmen game but never like today.
With so much cricket happening these days it?s quite difficult for senior players from the top cricketing nations to take part in domestic cricket, happening even in their very own country, leave apart the point of making appearances in domestic cricket of other countries. Zaheer Khan, from India has mentioned quite a few times now over the last couple of years, that playing in English domestic season of ?06/07 really helped him improve his bowling skills and that?s what he wants to suggest other young bowlers, not only from India but also from other countries, that playing in domestic cricket helped him a lot and it might help other bowlers from all around the world too. There is no one arguing that since making his comeback in 2007 against England, Zaheer has really been a sensational bowler for India who has not only improved his bowling but also the bowling of a couple of young bowlers in India.
These days, it doesn?t needs to be mentioned how the cricket is played. Limited overs format has easily taken over the greatest form of cricket, which is undoubtedly test cricket. In one day cricket, a bowler needs quite a few variations but by bringing these variations straight into international cricket, there is a fair chance of him getting smashed all around the ground and with this, he?d be less tempted to try out these variations. Now, how does he really work on these variations? It?s simple, domestic cricket is the way to go. Even if you get smashed in domestic cricket while trying to try out variations it doesn?t really matter because there are so many matches to play that you can easily work on your variations and do better in one match or the other.
Perhaps the question that now raises is, how can a bowler find time to play in domestic cricket with so much of international cricket and t20 leagues and that?s where a bowler needs to take some right decisions and be very honest with himself.? He needs to understand what is right for him, playing on flat tracks where t20 matches are happening or playing in domestic cricket of other countries and getting used to the conditions of other countries and learning the art of bowling in cricket.
In the old days, English domestic and Australian domestic were looked forward by cricket fans from all around the world, as these tournaments saw great players from all around the world playing together and the fellow countrymen playing against each other. Most of the big players from all around the world used to take part in the domestic cricket in these two countries, English Domestic and Australian domestic. English domestic was slightly more popular and it saw players like Richards and Botham playing together. Gavaskar too played a few matches in English domestic and so many other great players did too take part.
It isn?t the case that players don?t come to play English domestic any more but most of the overseas players that take part in domestic cricket nowadays are mainly those players who are either retired or t20 heroes of today?s cricket and due to this and the very tight schedule of international cricket, players like Sachin, Ponting, Kallis and other great legends of the last decade who are still playing, fail to take part in the domestic competitions.
Basically the point is, these days when a bowler goes through a bad run in a couple of matches he?s suddenly dropped from the team and is bound to get demoralized that?s where counties can be useful because that?s where a bowler can find what he is really good at. Swing bowling, pace bowling, variations and the rest other forms of bowling. Same goes for today?s batsmen, not getting to play enough unlimited overs cricket isn?t a issue, to be frank. Domestic cricket in England and Austrlaia, is not only about limited overs format but also the unlimited overs format. A batsman can easily work on his technique and improve his batting in the domestic competitions. It would be indeed a delight for cricket fans to see their favorite stars from other countries taking part in real domestic cricket, where proper forms of cricket are given value.
More...
T20 cricket sadly is regarded as the most popular form of cricket these days. It just doesn?t seem that today?s young cricketers give any value to 4 day cricket or day cricket, well most of them anyway and still, if a bowler gets way too expensive in a couple of matches he?s straight away dropped without being given a chance at the test level because that?s where the real test for a bowlers starts. I mean, what can someone really expect bowlers to do in t20 cricket? They try variations, they get smashed, they bowl fast, they still get smashed, spinners though are considered to be valuable in this format but then again it isn?t like they don?t have a bad day, this is cricket and it has always been a batsmen game but never like today.
With so much cricket happening these days it?s quite difficult for senior players from the top cricketing nations to take part in domestic cricket, happening even in their very own country, leave apart the point of making appearances in domestic cricket of other countries. Zaheer Khan, from India has mentioned quite a few times now over the last couple of years, that playing in English domestic season of ?06/07 really helped him improve his bowling skills and that?s what he wants to suggest other young bowlers, not only from India but also from other countries, that playing in domestic cricket helped him a lot and it might help other bowlers from all around the world too. There is no one arguing that since making his comeback in 2007 against England, Zaheer has really been a sensational bowler for India who has not only improved his bowling but also the bowling of a couple of young bowlers in India.
These days, it doesn?t needs to be mentioned how the cricket is played. Limited overs format has easily taken over the greatest form of cricket, which is undoubtedly test cricket. In one day cricket, a bowler needs quite a few variations but by bringing these variations straight into international cricket, there is a fair chance of him getting smashed all around the ground and with this, he?d be less tempted to try out these variations. Now, how does he really work on these variations? It?s simple, domestic cricket is the way to go. Even if you get smashed in domestic cricket while trying to try out variations it doesn?t really matter because there are so many matches to play that you can easily work on your variations and do better in one match or the other.
Perhaps the question that now raises is, how can a bowler find time to play in domestic cricket with so much of international cricket and t20 leagues and that?s where a bowler needs to take some right decisions and be very honest with himself.? He needs to understand what is right for him, playing on flat tracks where t20 matches are happening or playing in domestic cricket of other countries and getting used to the conditions of other countries and learning the art of bowling in cricket.
In the old days, English domestic and Australian domestic were looked forward by cricket fans from all around the world, as these tournaments saw great players from all around the world playing together and the fellow countrymen playing against each other. Most of the big players from all around the world used to take part in the domestic cricket in these two countries, English Domestic and Australian domestic. English domestic was slightly more popular and it saw players like Richards and Botham playing together. Gavaskar too played a few matches in English domestic and so many other great players did too take part.
It isn?t the case that players don?t come to play English domestic any more but most of the overseas players that take part in domestic cricket nowadays are mainly those players who are either retired or t20 heroes of today?s cricket and due to this and the very tight schedule of international cricket, players like Sachin, Ponting, Kallis and other great legends of the last decade who are still playing, fail to take part in the domestic competitions.
Basically the point is, these days when a bowler goes through a bad run in a couple of matches he?s suddenly dropped from the team and is bound to get demoralized that?s where counties can be useful because that?s where a bowler can find what he is really good at. Swing bowling, pace bowling, variations and the rest other forms of bowling. Same goes for today?s batsmen, not getting to play enough unlimited overs cricket isn?t a issue, to be frank. Domestic cricket in England and Austrlaia, is not only about limited overs format but also the unlimited overs format. A batsman can easily work on his technique and improve his batting in the domestic competitions. It would be indeed a delight for cricket fans to see their favorite stars from other countries taking part in real domestic cricket, where proper forms of cricket are given value.
More...
If you cannot bat properly for 20 overs you are not going to bat for 20 days (waiting for the naysayers to reverse the argument).
BPL 
And if we aren't all queuing up to sit in the leaky pavilions and watch it, that's no big deal either. I don't think there's any danger of domestic comps becoming financially unviable. The national boards have no option but to keep them going, unless they are going to buy crystal balls for their selectors instead. (And good crystal balls don't come cheap either!...)
