rahul1117kumar
Member
- Joined
- 21 Jun 2013
- Messages
- 10,365
- Reaction score
- 11,058
When you're done admiring the beauty of the Worcester County Cricket Ground, run your eye more closely over the field of play. If the boundaries for this One-Day International between England Women and Pakistan Women in June look unusually pulled in, you won't be mistaken.
The match, which England comprehensively won by 212 runs, was played on a ground where the boundary ropes were 50 metres from the centre of the pitch, the very minimum allowed by the International Cricket Council playing conditions for women's games.
In the maiden Women’s Super League, England's new T20 league competition starting Saturday (July 30), the ropes are likely to be pulled in further, even as much as 45 metres from the pitch. For perspective, Adelaide Oval has a straight boundary that can be close to 85 metres away.
The shorter boundaries are, of course, an attempt to encourage six-hitting as the women's game strives to attract new fans and keep audiences entertained. But does it change the players' approach and technique? And what will that mean for the women's game?
How short is too short?
According to the ICC playing conditions for men, mentioned in Law 19.1 : “The playing area shall be a minimum of 150 yards (137.16m) from boundary to boundary square of the pitch, with the shorter of the two square boundaries being a minimum 65 yards (59.43m). The straight boundary at both ends of the pitch shall be a minimum of 70 yards (64m). Distances shall be measured from the centre of the pitch to be used. In all cases the aim shall be to provide the largest playing area, subject to no boundary exceeding 90 yards (82.29m) from the centre of the pitch to be used.”
However, an exception is made for grounds that hosted cricket before July 1, 1995, such as at New Zealand's Eden Park, where a batsman need clear only 45 metres behind him for a boundary.
Yes, smaller boundaries give a batter confidence – “Even if you mistime a shot, you know it will clear the ropes,” pointed out India Women's Smriti Mandhana – but the real confidence boost could come from an ability to quickly suss out varying conditions. “When you go into bat, whatever the boundary size, you can change your approach right there,” said Mandhana, who is used to playing on Indian grounds where she has to clear more than 55 metres.
For women, these conditions are relaxed , requiring boundaries to be at least 55 yards (50.29 metres) and not more than 65 yards (59.44 metres).
The England and Wales Cricket Board have relaxed these limits further for their T20 competition, saying, “No boundary shall be smaller than 50 yards (45.72 metres) or greater than 60 yards (54.86 metres) ... The optimal boundary size shall be 55 yards (50.29 metres).” It seems likely, though, that this figure will be between 45 and 50 metres at most grounds.
As comparison, the following are the maximum boundary sizes in other T20 leagues:
Indian Premier League: 85 yards (77.71 metres)
Big Bash League: 90 yards (82.29 metres)
Women's Big Bash League: 71.25 yards (65 metres)
Except for the IPL, these aren't too different from longer-format international matches in these countries. And even in the IPL, because of the large number of venues, there's a considerable mix.
What will the shorter boundaries mean for players?
In that England-Pakistan game, there were a total of 11 sixes in the hosts’ ODI record 378 for 5 . That's a record for the most maximums in a women's game. England had previously never hit more than two in an innings.
In the Mark Robinson-Heather Knight era of England Women's cricket, the focus is clearly on clearing the ropes, and the shorter boundaries are one way of making that happen.
Yet, to mark the high scores down only to friendly playing conditions would be simplistic and doing a disservice to the players.
Yes, smaller boundaries give a batter confidence – “Even if you mistime a shot, you know it will clear the ropes,” pointed out India Women's Smriti Mandhana – but the real confidence boost could come from an ability to quickly suss out varying conditions. “When you go into bat, whatever the boundary size, you can change your approach right there,” said Mandhana, who is used to playing on Indian grounds where she has to clear more than 55 metres.
Rather than ensuring the big hits – as Mandhana pointed out, those will come – the challenge for a batter will also be in ensuring regular singles and twos. Several teams were found lacking in this area during the Women's World T20 earlier this year, and it will require more focus. The biggest adjustment has to come from bowlers
“I like having a 55-yard (50 metres) boundary,” explained Snehal Pradhan, Wisden India columnist and former India international. “It made me feel that I'm in the game, that the batter has to really middle it; anything less, and I will have her. That's how it should be.
“Any less than 55 means that the inner circle, which is 23 metres, can be bigger than the outer circle. It seems to tilt the balance between bat and ball a bit too far in favour of the batters, and as a bowler, doesn't sit well with me.”
Knight, meanwhile, wrote after England’s 3-0 series win: “On good pitches with shorter boundaries, the bowlers' skill level has to be very high and I'm all for anything that improves the standard of the game and makes for a better spectacle.”
She went on to explain later : “When batsmen know they can clear it comfortably, bowlers have to really up their skill level and that’s when your best bowlers come into their own, so it improves the standard of the game.”
Female spinners tend to bowl a lot slower than their male counterparts, and are thus able to put greater flight. This could change if they think they can get attacked. “Spinners will start to not give much of loop,” felt Mandhana. “They'll bowl flatter so they don't get hit.”
For Pradhan, there's a case for shorter boundaries in women's cricket, at least until the hitting becomes more powerful. The women already use a ball around 23 grams lighter than the one the men play with, and shifting the ropes could be another way of adding another dimension to the game.
http://www.msn.com/en-in/sports/oth...sion-to-women’s-cricket/ar-BBv86B9?srcref=rss
The match, which England comprehensively won by 212 runs, was played on a ground where the boundary ropes were 50 metres from the centre of the pitch, the very minimum allowed by the International Cricket Council playing conditions for women's games.
In the maiden Women’s Super League, England's new T20 league competition starting Saturday (July 30), the ropes are likely to be pulled in further, even as much as 45 metres from the pitch. For perspective, Adelaide Oval has a straight boundary that can be close to 85 metres away.
The shorter boundaries are, of course, an attempt to encourage six-hitting as the women's game strives to attract new fans and keep audiences entertained. But does it change the players' approach and technique? And what will that mean for the women's game?
How short is too short?
According to the ICC playing conditions for men, mentioned in Law 19.1 : “The playing area shall be a minimum of 150 yards (137.16m) from boundary to boundary square of the pitch, with the shorter of the two square boundaries being a minimum 65 yards (59.43m). The straight boundary at both ends of the pitch shall be a minimum of 70 yards (64m). Distances shall be measured from the centre of the pitch to be used. In all cases the aim shall be to provide the largest playing area, subject to no boundary exceeding 90 yards (82.29m) from the centre of the pitch to be used.”
However, an exception is made for grounds that hosted cricket before July 1, 1995, such as at New Zealand's Eden Park, where a batsman need clear only 45 metres behind him for a boundary.
Yes, smaller boundaries give a batter confidence – “Even if you mistime a shot, you know it will clear the ropes,” pointed out India Women's Smriti Mandhana – but the real confidence boost could come from an ability to quickly suss out varying conditions. “When you go into bat, whatever the boundary size, you can change your approach right there,” said Mandhana, who is used to playing on Indian grounds where she has to clear more than 55 metres.
For women, these conditions are relaxed , requiring boundaries to be at least 55 yards (50.29 metres) and not more than 65 yards (59.44 metres).
The England and Wales Cricket Board have relaxed these limits further for their T20 competition, saying, “No boundary shall be smaller than 50 yards (45.72 metres) or greater than 60 yards (54.86 metres) ... The optimal boundary size shall be 55 yards (50.29 metres).” It seems likely, though, that this figure will be between 45 and 50 metres at most grounds.
As comparison, the following are the maximum boundary sizes in other T20 leagues:
Indian Premier League: 85 yards (77.71 metres)
Big Bash League: 90 yards (82.29 metres)
Women's Big Bash League: 71.25 yards (65 metres)
Except for the IPL, these aren't too different from longer-format international matches in these countries. And even in the IPL, because of the large number of venues, there's a considerable mix.
What will the shorter boundaries mean for players?
In that England-Pakistan game, there were a total of 11 sixes in the hosts’ ODI record 378 for 5 . That's a record for the most maximums in a women's game. England had previously never hit more than two in an innings.
In the Mark Robinson-Heather Knight era of England Women's cricket, the focus is clearly on clearing the ropes, and the shorter boundaries are one way of making that happen.
Yet, to mark the high scores down only to friendly playing conditions would be simplistic and doing a disservice to the players.
Yes, smaller boundaries give a batter confidence – “Even if you mistime a shot, you know it will clear the ropes,” pointed out India Women's Smriti Mandhana – but the real confidence boost could come from an ability to quickly suss out varying conditions. “When you go into bat, whatever the boundary size, you can change your approach right there,” said Mandhana, who is used to playing on Indian grounds where she has to clear more than 55 metres.
Rather than ensuring the big hits – as Mandhana pointed out, those will come – the challenge for a batter will also be in ensuring regular singles and twos. Several teams were found lacking in this area during the Women's World T20 earlier this year, and it will require more focus. The biggest adjustment has to come from bowlers
“I like having a 55-yard (50 metres) boundary,” explained Snehal Pradhan, Wisden India columnist and former India international. “It made me feel that I'm in the game, that the batter has to really middle it; anything less, and I will have her. That's how it should be.
“Any less than 55 means that the inner circle, which is 23 metres, can be bigger than the outer circle. It seems to tilt the balance between bat and ball a bit too far in favour of the batters, and as a bowler, doesn't sit well with me.”
Knight, meanwhile, wrote after England’s 3-0 series win: “On good pitches with shorter boundaries, the bowlers' skill level has to be very high and I'm all for anything that improves the standard of the game and makes for a better spectacle.”
She went on to explain later : “When batsmen know they can clear it comfortably, bowlers have to really up their skill level and that’s when your best bowlers come into their own, so it improves the standard of the game.”
Female spinners tend to bowl a lot slower than their male counterparts, and are thus able to put greater flight. This could change if they think they can get attacked. “Spinners will start to not give much of loop,” felt Mandhana. “They'll bowl flatter so they don't get hit.”
For Pradhan, there's a case for shorter boundaries in women's cricket, at least until the hitting becomes more powerful. The women already use a ball around 23 grams lighter than the one the men play with, and shifting the ropes could be another way of adding another dimension to the game.
http://www.msn.com/en-in/sports/oth...sion-to-women’s-cricket/ar-BBv86B9?srcref=rss
