Should the 'Switch hitting' Sweep be banned?

[DPRA]

I was watching the Eng v NZ ODI before going to the Lancashire game, and on the commentary, one of the commentators mentioned that at the cricket board meeting, they discussed weither the Reverse Sweep should be banned as it is un fair on the bowler.

Apparently you have to remain in either the right or left handed stance. However, they say this shot is unfair on the bowler.

Personally, I think they are being idiots asking for it to be 'reviewed'. Its a shot, just leave it at that!

Your views?

 

[Deleted member 11215]

How do you ban it? Whats it punishable by? What do you deem as the shot? What can they do that just doesnt make it enough to be ruled the shot?

Too many problems to ban it imo.

 

[DPRA]

How do you ban it? Whats it punishable by? What do you deem as the shot? What can they do that just doesnt make it enough to be ruled the shot?

Too many problems to ban it imo.

Even if they say they will 'ban' it, there is no way they can stop every player from using it!

 

[khalek]

wtf the commentator must be an idiot... may be he wasn't able to bear scott styris getting smacked all over the park by KP...

 

[RoboRocks]

Are you talking about the Pietersen shot yesterday or are you talking about normal reverse sweeps? Since the shot Pietersen played yesterday wasn't actually a reverse sweep because he actually played a sweep left handed.

I don't think it will be "banned". The issue I think is whether you should be considered a left hander when playing it. You do change your grip before the bowler delivers the ball. Of course then that would question about lbw and where the ball pitches regarding lbw.

 

[Sureshot]

As pointed out, it wasn't a reverse sweep by KP, just a right hander switching to a left hander and sweeping for six (I say just!).

If it were me, I can see why some have objected to it. I'd say this, if a batsman does this switch sweep shot, the rules change on lbw, it goes down to simply whether it would hit the stumps or not.

I don't think we should worry about it too much, it won't be a regular thing. A right hander being able to sweep, as a left hander, for six, is something we should applaud, not ban.

 

[DPRA]

Are you talking about the Pietersen shot yesterday or are you talking about normal reverse sweeps? Since the shot Pietersen played yesterday wasn't actually a reverse sweep because he actually played a sweep left handed.

I don't think it will be "banned". The issue I think is whether you should be considered a left hander when playing it. You do change your grip before the bowler delivers the ball. Of course then that would question about lbw and where the ball pitches regarding lbw.

Yeah, the 2 Pietersen shots...

 

[King Pietersen]

It should be applauded, not banned, as Sureshot said. It's not like there are loads of players capable of playing the shot, i don't think there is anyone else in the world who could hit it for six. The shot shows fantastic technique, agility, speed and ambidextrous power. The speed of which he switched his stance and his hands was amazing, the practise required to play that shot is immense. I certainly wouldn't have the balls to play it in a match without a good few hours practising it. I might have to give the shot a practise in the nets on Thursday though .

 

[angryangy]

Andy Flower was able to hit the reverse quite solidly. I think the point must be made that for all the fanfare, Pietersen uses the reverse shot discretely; in this case, against a medium pacer of dubious merit on a good batting wicket. Zimbabwean slow bowler Keith Dabengwa was also the target of a pair of KP specials in South Africa last September.

 

[SciD]

Well bowlers should be allowed to bowl wrong handed if they can bowl it.

 

[Will_NA]

Exactly, if 'they can bowl it'. How many bowlers in the world can bowl with their other hand with as much effect? KP's the only batsman I've seen do this so it shows it's an excetional talent and not just something all batsmen will do. Unless bowlers can actually bowl wrong-handed, they have nothing to complain about.

 

[Cricketman]

The people are just jealous.

 

[Sureshot]

Well bowlers should be allowed to bowl wrong handed if they can bowl it.

It raises complications with the umpires. If a right handed bowler, starts bowling with his left hand without telling the umpire, it would create problems with no-balls.

Plus, a bowler would have to change his run-up, so surely it would be obvious to the batsman?

 

[SciD]

Well if you have action like Tanvir its not impossible.

 

[MalikBrother]

If ICC can not allow bowler to throw bouncer more than once in one over. Then, why not ban reverse sweep as well? Seriously, if bowlers are allowed to throw bouncer more than once in one over, then batmen won't able to play reverse sweep.