Should the "Switch hit" stroke be legal...?

Question

If you dont know what the "switch hit" shot is then here you are- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYqAypwoUUA (Basically the batsmen changes "hands" so a RHB would become a LHB!

Today Kevin Pietersen hit two amazing switch hit shots off the bowling of Scott Styris! (see video), some pundits argued that the switch hit shot should be illegal for many reasons! the main one being the batsmen cant be given LBW playing a switch hit shot.

So my question is, do you think the switch hit shot should be legal! and why?

and if you didnt understand any of that! answer me this, is Kevin Pietersen the best ODI batsmen in the world? yes or no?

Answer 1

I think that it is an amazing piece of skill from KP. He had to pick the right delievery, swap his stance in one movement quickly but as the bowler approached the wicket so he couldn't adjust and play a left handed shot when he's right handed.

Most of all though it is, as Ian Botham said in the innings break on Sky, great entertainment for all. Even Styris had to smile at the amazing shot! After all, isn't that what cricket should be about, above everything else, entertainment?

Answer 2

it should not be legal

Answer 3

I don't think it should be illegal, its sometimes a risky shot and not against the rules, the crowd loves it and I loved it toooooooooo, So of course I would say it should be legal cause I enjoy it and I would love to see some more such shots

Being unbiased I will have to say that right now he is looking like the best ODI batsman ( he is my fav English player but I don't like him much because he always performs god against my favorites) So I will say that Yes he is the current best ODI batsman (hopefully not for long)

Answer 4

hey kookee i did a similar post on Kevin Pietersen early on,   i cant believe

it came out so quick on youtube well don for that

as far as i know it is legal ,and if anyone says it should be illegal

il shall "SWITCH HIT THEM" on the nose  ,cricket needs this sort  of innovation .there is to many people trying to scupper talent tanvir and murali comes to mind when they see ooh its not the norm

and ..h**l YER.. hes the best ODI player in my mind after seeing that

Edit  what i want to know is why didn't Styris change his line when he saw KP shape up on the left ,he had plenty of time and KP don him twice lol

.

and actually he practices this stroke that's why he was able to do it so perfectly

the one can it eliminate LBW??

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Answer 5

Hi Kookee that's exactly what I mean when I asked this question before, I persnally think it's kind of decieving to the bowler but if the batsman can do it so why not, I just thought it's kind of annoying as the bowler can't think of a plan on how to bowl to the batsman if he keep switching from side to another side...

Answer 6

i cant answer 1st question

yu cant call him the bes ODI batsmen in the world but i like him as a batsmen very funn and enterataning to watch

Answer 7

Why should it be illegal? If he's clever enough to do that then kudos to him.Thank God he wasn't playing V India! No, I dont think he's the best, i think we have the best here! Smith & Ponting are ranked 1 & 2, Pietersen 8.

And before anyone comments, I know Smith is a SA player.

Answer 8

The reason put forward by the  purists that Pietersen's methods should be outlawed is because he is temporarily turning himself into a left-hander, which I do not think will in any way in violation of the laid down rules.

As far as 2nd point is concerned, I do not think that Pietersen is the best ODI batsman in the world as M.E.K.Hussey of Australia has better averageand strike rate than him and Sachin Tendulkar of India holds the record for most centuries, most runs and most man of the match and player of the series awards in ODI

Answer 9

Yes it definitely should be and is legal. There aren't many other players (if any) that can pull off that stroke. Anybody who claims that the law should be changed is anti-cricket as far as I'm concerned. The game is changing and players are getting more inventive with all their strokes.

If bowlers are allowed to bowl around and over the wicket then batsmen should be allowed to change their grip. If bowlers want to whine then the laws should be changed to allow them to bowl left/right handed without informing the umpire. Inhibiting batsmen is a step backwards in cricket.

The only other time that the laws of cricket were changed for the sake of one player was the bodyline rule for the benefit of Bradman (cry baby). The rules were changed to benefit the batsmen because the game is (in my opinion) a batting sport.

Cricket has to be consistent.

Answer 10

I remember during the 2007 World Cup, watching Paul Nixon on Sky Sports giving David Gower a batting "masterclass" on how to play the switch-hit. Gower claimed to be a complete novice, and implied that it wasn't his sort of shot. He did hit it better than Nixon though!

I see nothing wrong with it. I know the argument is that a bowler has to say whether he is going to bowl left or right arm, over or round the wicket, whilst the batsman, by playing a switch hit, is getting away with looking like a right hand batsman, and then switching to being a left hander, but the bowler doesn't have to say what type of delivery he is going to bowl: off-cutter, leg break, in-swinger, out-swinger, bouncer etc.

So yes, it should be legal.

Answer 11

Man, that stung! lol

Pietersen played the switch-hit in incredible fashion, and good on him, he's obviously got the talent to execute it in spectacular style.

I think it should remain legal but yes lbw is a concern in my book with regards to the switch hit. When a batsman does it it is easy to get confused with 'did the ball pitch outside his leg stump? Or is it now his off stump?' As long as they decide on a consistent way around this problem and stick to it, I'm happy but I think that for the purpose of lbw shouts a batsman's legside should be the side that his legside is at the instant the bowler let go of the ball.

Pietersen is definately in the top three.

Answer 12

sure why not

Answer 13

KP played the shot incredibly 2day.

it should still b legal if the umpires hav a prob wif givn LBW's they should referrer them 2 da 3rd umpire who can see it in slow motion from diff angles and has longer 2 decide

Answer 14

Yes, it should be legal. If a player can play it well, I do not see anything wrong with it. It is not an easy thing to do and carries a lot of risk. I would have thought as a bowler, I would be encouraged to see a batsman do that as it shows you have him tied down. If a batsman has to resort to risky shots, I would think the bowler is on top.

Of course there is an opposing thought that a batsman is so far on top he can do what he likes...

As for because it eliminates LBW I would have thought that is one of the fundamentals of batting - eliminate ways to get out. This was always 'The Don's' philosophy. That is why he hit the ball along the ground - eliminate getting caught out of your play and you can make more runs!

Answer 15

Anything you do to the ball with the bat should be legal.