ICC, why not 1G, 2G, 3G?

This is purely imaginary!

Apologies, if you happen to be a techie just because the ‘G’ tag had lured you into having a quick peep at this. This is about the gentleman’s game, which pundits perceive to have become brutal on the bowlers. And to an extent the runs amassed by teams and the manner in which they were scored by the often punctuated term ‘modern’ batsmen in the ongoing World Cup justifies the above statement.

The batsman walks in with a tag ‘right-handed batsman’. The fast bowler understands it’s the beginning of the 36^th over. The batting team has no option but to go with the powerplay. And the bowler knows there are only three men guarding the fence to protect him from destruction.

The pacer has a look at his field at the start of his run-up. He knows he has plan in mind to tackle the right-hander. Runs in and delivers. Outcomes the reverse scoop! Four! They call him AB de Villiers. Now what has the bowler done wrong here?

Experts term it, “Outrageous shot making.” For a change, the bowler is stumped.

The world needs no introduction to Glenn Maxwell. Maybe cricket aficionados need to be reminded of his nickname ‘The Big Show’ in his own backyard.

Every time the Aussie dasher walked into bat in the WC a graphic pops up in the televisions set. What is his most productive stroke?

Guess what? Reverse-sweep, Slog-sweep, slog over deep mid-wicket.

It is followed by a tongue-in-cheek statement, “Coaches will ask you not to follow this.”

Maxwell, a right-handed batsman, invariably hits his one out of his first three balls batting with his wrists reversed.

What can the bowler do? His hands are tied. How? He can’t bend his elbow. He is deemed chucker. He can’t bowl more than two bouncers. Penalised with a wide. He can’t hurl a beamer more than twice. If so, the umpires would thank him for the day. And worst, a dissent earns him a ban or a fine!

An off-spinner can’t run in and bowl left-arm orthodox. He can’t bowl under-arm either. What a pity?

To be fair to the batsman, the counter-argument will be: “You have 300 balls to get 10 wickets. Which one has the highest possibility and probability?”

This will be a never ending debate.

Now the serious part of this is over. Here comes the imaginary part.

People in India, irrespective of age, would certainly have experienced playing gully cricket. Alright you are in the groove. Strolling back to the days of you playing in an oval shaped thorn-filled empty plot, on the roof-tops, street lanes, dead end roads, where not?

Five friends begin. One hand, one pitch catch. The guy who faces the most number of balls would be declared the winner.

Two more join. More excitement. But how to score runs?

Hit the first half of the wall, behind the wicket, a run is granted (1G).

Second half of the wall 2runs granted (2G).

Late cut, the hardest shot with two slip fielders protecting the 1G, and 2G, fetches you three runs (3G).

You hit the wall on the full – You are OUT! (Oops that’s harsh, but that’s how it is always)

Straight drive earns you a four. But the bowler can’t bowl a full toss. Because the rule states, “one pitch catch.” Doesn’t this sound great as a bowler?

Now, apply this during the batting powerplays!

ABD scoop over third-man or fine leg earns three, a Maxwell reverse fetches him three. Whack it out of the park you earn a six. And no need for the four. Split the ground into zones! ICC, why not 1G, 2G and 3G?

Jokes apart, hats-off to the batsmen for their courage and innovation. As Sachin ‘paaji’ said, “God save the bowlers.”