Sport

Waugh's rule changes

ON THE EVE of his retirement from international cricket, Australia's captain Steve Waugh made a number of comments on rule changes which should be given serious consideration by the game's governors, the International Cricket Council (ICC).

In a report in the Melbourne Age, Waugh, the most successful captain in Test history, called for revolutionary changes to some well establised rules of the game.

In calling for changes to make life a bit more difficult for batsmen, Waugh who is second on the all-time list of Test runscorers with 10,927 runs and 32 centuries in 168 Tests, wants the rules to be amended to end the awarding of leg byes and also to prevent an injured batsman from getting a runner.

"I don't see any reason why you should get runs when you miss the ball and I don't think you should have runners as a batsman; bowlers, when they get injured, don't have any help," Waugh said.

In light of the last two drawn Tests in Australia and South Africa, Waugh's suggestions make a lot of sense.

Wearing Tracks

With pitches becoming easier and easier and bowlers appearing ineffective on what should be wearing tracks, cricket is increasingly becoming a batsman's game. One-day internationals were already made for batsmen and Tests, thanks to flat pitches, appear to be following that trend.

Just last year a West Indies team which had found winning difficult during the past five or more years was able to set a world record for the highest winning score in the fourth innings against the mighty Australians.

Then in the two most recent examples, the West Indies reached 354 for five on a fifth day pitch chasing 441 for victory and down in Australia the home team finished on 357 for six in Sydney hunting 443 for victory. The pitch in Sydney has in the past been very unkind to batsmen on the final day but Australia were able to bat through and earn a draw without much discomfort.

It appears that most pitches around the world are just too batsman-friendly and if this continues the rules will have to be changed to make it an even playing field.

On another matter, the West Indies cricket authorities would have taken more than a passing interest in the large crowds which attended the India versus Australia Tests during the recent series.

The Indians have now become the favourite cricket tourists in Australia and the home country is making a lot of money as they have been able to tap into the very lucrative Indian market. According to reports, Indian companies account for about 60 per cent of the total revenue being poured into world cricket.

The West Indies, if they fail to turn around their fortunes in world cricket in the near future, are the ones who will be losing out big time.

Already the West Indies, who used to play six Tests during the Australian summer, have been cut to three for the next tour 'Down Under'. This is expected to greatly reduce the revenue intake of the West Indies Cricket Board as a lot of money was made from Australian tours in the past.