Youngsters support split innings format of cricket: Tasmanian coach Tim Coyle
The split innings format was experimented by the Australian cricket in a practice match between the Tasmanian Tigers and South Australian Redbacks at the Marrara Oval in Darwin on Tuesday. The experimental game was divided into two innings of 20 overs each. The initial verdict that came from the coaches of the participating teams was a generation gap of sorts that is the game was comparatively more popular with the younger players.
The Tasmanian Tigers won the trial match by six wickets with more than 8 overs to spare. The Tasmanian coach, Tim Coyle said that the experiment carried out at the Marrara Oval has pointed out the pros and cons of the new proposals. Replying to a query about the response of the players to the split innings format, Coyle said that it had been diverse. The players who have been playing cricket for a long time have shown scepticism over the new format while the youngsters were quite excited.
"There was some scepticism from the guys who have been around for a long time while the young guys were quite excited by it," said the Tasmanian coach.
Captain of Tasmanian Tigers Xavier Doherty told the media that the new format is facing some criticism from the senior cricketers but no one can understand the pluses and minuses of this split innings format without trying it so the only way to go is just to try it and observe the results.
"There are probably a few blokes a bit shirty about having this split innings (format), but without trialling it no-one's going to know what it's going to throw up, so the only way to go is to try it and see what happens."
The Tasmanian coach further added that the format had initiated a discussion amongst the support staff about the strategies to be employed and the teams to be selected. Talking about the match between Tasmanian Tigers and South Australian Redbacks, Coyle said that what the players found challenging was the ‘stop and start’ for the batsmen. However, he added that it is something good. He said that only a single game is not an ideal example and was hopeful that the teams will find a way to get used to. Coyle further added that the split innings format would provide the sides with some batting and bowling options.
The Tasmanian coach admired that preparing for a split-over innings game was quite different as compared to a regular 50 overs match. Many important issues around the pattern of the game came into focus after the match. The last four overs of the first half were observed as the overs of suppression to the bowling side as the batsmen started focusing on going into the break losing fewer wickets. Furthermore, scoring runs was not as fluent at the Marrara Oval as both the sides were careful in their first twenty overs.
The trial game was played with 12 members per side along with split fielding restrictions. In both the innings, two fielders were placed outside the circle for the opening five overs followed by four fielders outside the ring from overs six till twenty. The final fifteen overs of the game – from 26 to 40 - would place five fielders outside the circle. The most drastic proposal proposed by Cricket http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746 to employ a ‘super-striker’ was not tried in the match. A super-striker would be a player who will be given two chances to bat but Doherty said that it would devalue the competition.
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