No Ball
When Michael Clarke was caught during the second innings in the current test match of the bowling of Ishant Sharma, Indian squad burst into joy. But it was a joy totally short-lived, as Ishant Sharma had bowled a no-ball. It indeed is one of the worst forms of sacrileges that a fast bowler can commit, i.e. bowling a no-ball in a test match. One can understand a fast bowler bowling it in the shorter version of the game, but doing it in the smaller version, indeed is a crime that is unpardonable.
It is a pointer to the fact that the bowlers are not serious about not-bowling no-balls when they are practicing in the nets. They are just doing the motions. Who would ingrain the thought in the mind of the fast bowlers that when they bowl a no-ball apart from conceding an extra run, they also have to bowl an extra bowl as well. For a fast bowler to complete his over by bowling more number of balls than stipulated has its effect in the next over, when he has to bowl. He is not recharged fully, and literally he gets a solid spanking. Ishant Sharma conceded more than 17 runs in his 2 overs and the Indian captain Mahender Singh Dhoni had to take him off. Now imagine if this is the number of runs through which India gets defeated in the match. Who will pay the price, would the head of the bowler be on the chopping block. Not likely.
Indian board has been quite magnanimous in glossing over these undoing, viewing those more as aberration rather than malice. Until this view point changes, the bowlers would continue to bowl no-balls and wide balls. But the moot point is who will bell the cat?
Well, a financing deterrence could be the way out! Why not deduct a part of match fee from the player’s fee, if he repeatedly bowls a no-ball! Say, a bowler may be allowed at the most 2no- balls in a match and after that has to forego match fee. After all, a no-ball bowled also eases the situation if a match is under the tight grip. So the bowler needs to be penalized, only then would they understand the importance of not bowling no-balls. Is somebody listening?
Tags: Australia, Cricket, India, Indian Sports, Ishant Sharma, Mahender Singh Dhoni, Michael Clarke, No Ball, Sports, Sports India, Test Match
