Tony BeccaPretoria
UP TO a few years ago, one-day limited-over cricket was considered by many, players and fans alike, nothing but a circus - a hit or miss version of the game that was simply for those without a true of appreciation of the greatness of the game. To them, Test cricket was the real thing - the true test of skill, stamina, concentration and character.
Today, however, that is no longer so. Today, the one-day limited-over version is an important part of cricket - so much so that although Test cricket, the version that brings together two teams over five days, remains the big test, the World Cup, played every four years, is now the showpiece of the game.
One-day limited over cricket is an important of the game because it attracts large crowds, by doing that, it brings huge sums of money into the game, and the reason for that is not only because, barring rain, it guarantees a result at the end of a day, but also because there is hardly ever a dull moment.
Unlike Test cricket, one-day limited-over cricket is fast and exciting from start to finish.
In Test cricket, for example, a batsman has time to build an innings, he is encouraged to build an innings; and if he is under attack, a bowler can "hide" - can keep the ball away from the batsman, and hope that the batsman goes for it, and gets himself out.
In one-day limited-over cricket, however, but for an over two, the batsman has to go for runs; and because of the rules governing wide deliveries, the bowler is forced to keep the ball within striking distance.
In many respects, therefore, while the one-day limited-over version of cricket may not be Test cricket, it is also a test of skill and stamina.
It is a test of skill because the batsman is always under pressure to score and sometimes has to improvise, and because he cannot run and hide, the bowler has to stand up and fight and in doing so, try to outwit the batsman.
It is a test of stamina because the action is fast - much faster than Test cricket, and it so fast because with every run being important, the batsmen are always looking for singles, the fielders always looking to cut them off.
Those are the reasons why one-day limited-over cricket is so popular - why it continues to attract not only the converted, but also those with only a passing interest in the game.
Another reason is that the rules have changed over the years as those in charge attempt to make it even more exciting and therefore more attractive.
Once upon a time, for example, the rule governing wide deliveries was the same for deliveries on the offside and for those on the legside.
As soon as bowlers started to aim down the legside and made it difficult for the batsmen to score, however, the rule was changed and while the bowlers can still bowl outside the offstump - up to a distance, they cannot bowl outside the leg stump.
So far, those in charge have done well - so well that as far as the rules are concerned, and apart from the Duckworth/Lewis system used in interrupted matches, everything seems perfect.
Nothing, however, is perfect, and following the rain-ruined match between the West Indies and Bangladesh in Benoni on Tuesday there may be a good reason to make another change
According to the rules, a match is not a match unless both sides face a minimum of 25 overs, and while the West Indies batted for the full quota of 50 overs, Bangladesh batted for only 8.1 before it was called off even though the rain had ceased.
According to the rules, play in an interrupted match can only be extended by one hour and there was not enough time left to bowl the remaining 17 overs.
Although Bangladesh were 32 for two and it is unlikely that it would have happened - even though they lost four wickets in the first over against Sri Lanka, remembering that it takes only one delivery to get one wicket, the West Indies could have bowled out Bangladesh and won the match.
Because of the rules, however, the West Indies did not have that chance, and may be those who make the rules should look at them and change them so that in such a situation, the fielding team, or the batting team for that matter, can ask for the match to be continued if it feels that it can win the match in the number of overs available.
That would not necessarily guarantee a result. It could, however, provide more excitement for the fans, and even if it looks impossible - even if it means taking eight wickets in eight overs or scoring 120 runs in eight overs, it is possible, and if it is possible, it can happen.
If it can happen, it should not be prevented, for who to tell, one day it could happen, and if it does happen, it would be something the fans would never forget - something they certainly would never see in a Test match.
