Why utility cricketers are indispensable in ODI cricket - Opinion
Many players around the world are considered to be top quality all rounders, yet choke when the going gets tough. Others would be able to play important innings as well as bowl their sides to victory on occasions. These contributions are indispensable for
any team.
For years, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755, where a disappointing batting performance is
often followed up with a brilliant spell of bowling. http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Jonathan-Neil-Rhodes-c69150 of South Africa established himself as a utility cricketer for his side by taking some breathtaking catches at point which have single handedly won many games. The concept of the utility cricketer
is thus an integral part of the game which contrasts with a star performer, who could occasionally disappoint.
The ‘go-to’ men for many captains to break partnerships or to score a quick 50 or 60 are integral players due to numerous reasons. The fact that the ODI game can be won and lost over a few mistakes or a few quality displays has made a utility cricketer indispensable.
Many have tried to cement themselves as such; for instance, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/England-c56013, yet very few have succeeded. For those who have, they normally end up becoming stars that outperform the veterans on numerous occasions.
A http://www.senore.com/Cricket/V-Sehwag-c2739, who can also bowl, can uplift the team to the point of forgetting about that dismissal if the team
wins. Not many would forget Abdul Razzaq’s swashbuckling innings against South Africa in Abu Dhabi, where he single handedly won the game for Pakistan in the five match ODI series in 2010. This was at a time when the Emirates crowd was desperate to see Afridi
perform with the bat.
Without a utility cricketer who can bat and bowl, winning games in ODI cricket would always be a tad tough. The reason is the nature of the ODI game, where a tight over or an expensive one could prove to be the deciding factor. Players who rise to the crunch
of the hour often manage to avert crisis situations in times when others may falter. They may not be legendary names such as Lara, Tendulkar, Inzamam or Hayden, but they fall under a lesser known bracket, yet contribute significantly. At times even legendary
players manage to perform to the point where they act as utility players. Brian Lara’s numerous match winning knocks have made him more of a utility cricketer rather than a veteran. The multi dimensional style of play which not many are able to exhibit is
the defining characteristic of a utility player.
The recent ODI upset in the 2011 World Cup between http://www.senore.com/Cricket/AR-Cusack-c1075 of Ireland managed to contribute towards a major upset in international cricket
by scoring 47 runs of just 58 deliveries which ensured that his side got home. This encounter is almost entirely remembered for Kevin O Brien’s amazing assault on the Englishmen, yet if one is to sideline Cusack’s contribution, then Ireland would have fallen
agonizingly short. Similarly, a side which is fraught with danger while countering an experienced outfit such as http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Netherlands-c753 is an example of someone
who is expected to give his side a sniff, regardless of going down on the losing side.
The truth is that individual brilliance can win ODI games on occasions. The match situation has a massive bearing and sometimes a quality hundred by a legendary player would prove to be futile. Yet if a cheeky innings or a quality spell that curbs the run
flow of the opposition materializes on ground, then one day games can be won out of nothing. This is exactly what makes utility cricketers significant.
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