While giving due appreciation to Younis Khan’s triple century, the recent Test between Sri Lanka and Pakistan was the worst advertisement for cricket there could be, especially in the age of instant cricket and global TV viewership. If this had been a timeless Test, it would perhaps have gone for ever. When Test cricket attendance is falling sharply and fans are clamouring for more Twenty20 matches, what excuse do the powers-that-be have for making a mockery of a contest.
Let us look at the advantages stoked in favor of the batsmen:
- Heavy bats that result in even mistakes being carried over the boundary.
- High standard and light protective gear that protects every part of the body from injury.
- Rules to prevent bowlers from intentionally or accidentally hurting batsmen.
Not to mention every change in one-dayers that has been favorable to batsmen and resulted in bowlers being turned into sacrificial sheep. What was the last innovation that helped bowlers? No, I cannot remember either.
These results hurt batsmen too where it really matters: their reputation. For example, Thilan Samaraweera’s batting has been praised as the best of Sri Lankan batsmen by Sangakkara, but there is no way to accept that, especially when he has scored on sub-continent pitches against poor opposition. He may still end up with a plus-50 average courtesy Bangladesh, but he will never be respected.
People will only come to watch Test cricket, especially on the last day if both bowlers and batsmen have the same chance of winning. The best matches are where the 4th innings is an average target and wickets are falling at regular intervals, so that there is always the suspense. Even draws can be thrilling as long as there is always the possibility of a result.
The solution? The ICC should draw up guidelines for competitive pitches. Obviously, having one standard would take the fun out of cricket, because all players could practice on the same kind of wickets. So there should be a range of acceptable wickets, some a little favorable to batsmen and some favorable to bowlers. So, you wouldn’t have a wicket that takes spin on the first morning, but you also wouldn’t have a graveyard for bowlers, either. The recent WI-Eng Test, abandoned for a different reason, should hasten such thinking. After all, the ICC does govern the conditions of balls and equipment, so why not pitches?