Cricket

The World Cup is all set to kick-off in the subcontinent. The pitches are as flat as they used to be, a bit slower and the ball stops a bit. The winter season will have its impact in terms of mitigating the role of the spinners. This bodes well for the prospects of the attacking batsmen especially when the ball is hard and is easy to hit.

Also Read: Strategy (Part 2): The Choice Of The Powerplay Will Prove Decisive

Having said this, Sehwag, Dilshan, van wyk and McCullum might give the opponents sleepless nights. The dashing batsmen that they are, they will look to attack at the very outset making it increasingly difficult for the bowlers to settle and to find their rhythm. These are game changers. The longer they stay, the greater the odds against the bowling team.

Assistance for fast bowlers, if any, will be early in the innings. With the new ball in their hands, the men who have complete control over it could inflict the damage in the start of the innings. Be it a challenge of posting a big score or chasing a tricky target, the key will therefore lie in the initial 15 overs, the only part of the game which offers something for the bowlers to smile about.

Given that the teams need to get off to brisk starts, it is equally important for them not to loose early wickets. Early wickets mean your middle-order is exposed very soon and hence leaving the batsmen with lesser options.

This was a part of the team’s strategies in South Africa during the World Cup 2003. Not to loose wickets in the first 15 overs and you fancy your chances straightaway. This World Cup, as it is played in the subcontinent, will give batsmen a lot of options to start at a healthy rate and reducing the risk of loosing wickets. It is therefore important for the batsmen not to get carried away. That is why players like Tendulkar are very influential especially when you have someone like Sehwag at the other end.

The batting team will not be short of options. With the batsmen settled, it will become increasingly difficult for the spinners to get find their rhythm. Don’t forget the dew factor that plays a crucial role for the teams bowling second in a day-night game. The batting Powerplay will have its own impact later in the game. The mandatory ball change will also come into play, which means the ball is hard and easy to be hit. The scope of reverse swing in the death overs gets ruled out even though the bowlers can think about it in the last 4-5 overs.

The job of the batsmen early in the innings will therefore be not to loose wickets, they could do worse than preserving wickets early in the innings and go for it later. Momentum will hold the key to teams’ fortunes!

Tags: Cricket, ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, Powerplay, Strategy, World Cup