Twenty - Twenty cricket is also a bowler friendly game

This particular blog is an effort to highlight key factors of 20-20 version, which might skip an viewer's eye. "The importance of Slow bowlers in 20-20". Cricket is a game with different angles to it and 20-20 is more of an entertainment part. A viewer gets really disappointed if he does not see the ball going over boundary lines at ease. But slow bowlers's job is to avoid such strokes being played and they want their boundary liners to jump, fly, skid, do whatever to make the batsmen earn every run.

IPL Season 2, so far, has shown to viewers how Bowlers can rule the game. Especially the slow bowlers, who takes the pace off the ball. The batsmen have to use all his muscle power to hit a ball which is not coming at the pace expected. Harbhajan, Kumble, Warne, vettori, Muralidharan all are cherishing south african wickets and through their spells, they are turning the match on their heads.

Kings XI Punjab were scoring at 10 runs per over in their rain reduced 12 over match against Delhi daredevils. Vettori, in this three over spell took 3 wickets for 15 runs and made sure, he not only slowed the run rate, but picked up crucial wickets to weaken the opponents. Its always tough for a new batsmen to step in and start belting the bowlers. Openers are exception to this, as new ball comes and hit their bat at a faster pace. Middle order batsmen have to judge the pace of wicket and slow bowlers will be in action during that time. Shorter version of the game will prove even tougher for middle order batsmen to excel as they do not have enough overs in their hands to decide on a target or chase down one. Thats the reason Opening bowlers try to pick up early wickets and dent the opposition in these shorter version very early.

Kumble's five wickets was an exhibition of Maestro reading the slowness of the wickets. He made sure that batsmen were desparately trying to hit him hard, ensuring false strokes from many. In this 20-20 versions, one will not find batsmen getting beaten and losing their wickets. Rather, it would be kind of wickets, where a batsmen gets hold out in the deep off a lofted shots. Shane Warne is a Ripper. He turns the ball in any goddamn wicket. He is a different class altogether. Harbhajan is more focussed towards containing runs and fools the batsmen with his odd Doosraas.

Muthaiah Muralidharan is another spinner, who ensured that Bangalore Royal challengers never came good in the middle overs, where there would have been an outside chance for them to stay alive. Wickets of Pietersen, Uthappa and Bishnoi were classy from him. His spell read 4 overs, 11 runs and 3 wickets. Its a great spell in any version of the game. Pietersen could purchase some wickets in his kitty.

As this tournament proceeds along, we will see more and more of this happening, as there are few grounds in South africa which is being used for this tournament. Same wickets will be used over and over. That explains the wear and tear of these pitches, which only benefits the slow bowlers more. Innings like the one Hayden played against Bangalore Royal challengers are expected more often. But I do want to capture in my blog, certain things which avoids so many similar innings like Hayden's.

I do hope, you enjoyed reading this.

See you again, with some other interesting topic.

Prashy.