Cricket Special Report: The Economy Rate Debate, including five top class international fast bowlers- Malcolm Marshall, Curtly Ambrose, Joel Garner, Imran Khan and Wasim Akram
Cricket has come a long way since the advent of One-Day Internationals in 1971, when the opening match was an experimental game between http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746 and England.
In the last few years the game has transformed dramatically and some one who was, dead in the 80’s would be shell-shocked if woken up and taken to a twenty over international!
An interesting aspect that has yet remained untouched is the dramatic rise in the economy rate of the modern bowlers compared to the economy rates in pre T20 days.
In the seventies and most part of the eighties top class bowlers in the ODI format were conceding less than four runs per over, but in the modern game there is hardly a bowler with such an economy rate. In fact these days an economy rate under five or 5.5 is considered acceptable, something that was clearly not the case 10-15 years ago.
Over the years, the bats have become better, and the boundaries have been shortened, not to mention the quality of pitches that sometime take the bowlers out of the game.
In such a scenario, it is at times unfair to criticise the standard of fast bowling, since the bowlers of the older eras were hardly posed with the challenges that the current bowlers face in the present day crash, bang and wallop era.
Let us closely look at five of the top most bowlers who took part in limited overs cricket before the advent of T20 cricket, speculate as to how they would have dealt with the screaming bats and gung-ho batsman of the modern era. One might have to add no sorts of protective gear, hence are shy of playing the deftest shots that might have meant a smack in the mouth if not executed properly in the pre-helmet era.
Here is a list of five top class international fast bowlers who all had economy rates under four runs per over, yet finished playing before the advent of the shortest format of the game, T20.
Malcolm Marshall
Curtly Ambrose
Joel Garner
Imran Khan
Wasim Akram
Malcolm Marshall:
Marshall, West Indian cricketer, was one of the most feared one-day bowlers and his economy rate was around 3.5 runs per over. In the modern game, he might have struggled for the same economy as the adventurous batsmen would have eyed the Dilscoop or even the paddle sweep against his pitched up deliveries, with the upper cut for the rising good length balls.
Curtly Ambrose:
Former West Indian cricketer, the lanky pace man bore the brunt of the West Indian attack till the early part of the 2000’s. He had a brilliant yorker and a very sharp bouncer. At his pomp he was very quick and one of the toughest bowlers to get away in the game.
Just like http://www.senore.com/Cricket/A-Dent-c41093 or two especially when confronted by the likes of Brendon McCullum and Tilakaratne Dilshan renowned for the Dilscoops over the top of the wicket-keeper.
Joel Garner:
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Bird-c48123 with its wings spread far and wide. The giant had a miserly economy rate and was the toughest bowlers to get away in his pomp.
However, in the modern game he might have had to content with batsmen dancing down the track attempting hara-kiri and at times succeeding in depositing him into the stands over mid-off or mid-on.
Imran Khan:
Former Pakistani Captain was renowned for his booming in-swingers and was one of the pioneers of reverse swing, yet in the modern game, he would be another bowler that would be hit for dinky sweeps, dilscoops and flicks.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Wasim-Akram-c96292:
Another former Pakistani Captain, master of the reverse swing was known to make the ball talk. Wasim possessed the ability to bowl the yorker at will; however, the daring batsman of modern times would look to back away and hit him in the extra cover area, or guide the ball past third man.
The assumptions here are all to give a different perspective to the mean economy rates of these greats; however, it no way undermines their stature, however one thing is for sure, their presence in T20 format would have lit up our beloved game further.
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