Scrap feilding restrictions not supersub.
I have no problem with them scrapping supersub, but I don't see why it was neccessary. It looks like ICC have thrown out the baby with the bath water. They are such idiots it never occured to them that to have the one supersub chosen before the toss would render the games utterly ridiculous, as Ponting has been saying. But there are plenty of ways it could have been made to work, like some have suggested on this board. 12 vs. 12, 11 batting/fielding would work. Or simply let them choose the sub after the toss (which is basically the same).
Still its gone now so whatever! The point I want to make is that the fielding restrictions have been ruining the game for ages and powerplays just make it worse. O.K so some people may enjoy the tedium of the middle 20 overs with both sides on the defensive, but I'd rather watch a day of decent test cricket than two hours of single after single with no chance of a wicket or a boundary.
The fact is that cricket looses its appeal if there are more than four men out, but the batsmen won't (or can't) take risks. It was designed to be played as Test cricket where a balance between attack and defence must be maintained throughout. The restrictions were brought in to solve this but it actually makes it worse as you can send in Virender Sehwag to blast runs at the top, which means stupidly low run rates are required for the rest of the innings. This = tedium. It also increases the advantage to the side batting second as the first batsmen in never know if they should use the powerplays to attack or defend!
So I am reccomending they either scrap the restrictions all together and just make it maximum 4 men out throughout. Or there is another possiblility which no one seems to have suggested yet (correct me if I'm wrong):
15 overs max. 3 men out.
20 overs max. 4 men out
15 overs max. 5 men out
This would make for a more even match as well as better competition.
The feilding side should be the one to decide when they are taken: if the batters decide you would obviously take the powerplay at the death when you're not as likely to get caught in the slips! Someone said restrictions are to help the batsmen, but I disagree. It was brought in prevent either side going too defensive and to bring in the possiblity of the counter attack. This is what the spectators want.
