End of the Innings for One Day Internationals?

Perpetually predictable and persistently patched with changes to soften the punch of Twenty20, yet still permanently polluted by it’s younger sibling, it seems the end of the innings for One Day Internationals and 50-Over cricket in general, is fast approaching. And for many, the perceived position of ODI’s in the world game – a position at the back of people’s minds and priorities – would suggest the winding up of this form of the game is long overdue.

The emergence of the 20-Over game, now an international phenomenon and financial powerhouse for most of the cricketing nations, coupled with an ever increasing greed in life to be entertained and rewarded for ticket purchases, have dampened the drama and appeal of the 50-Over format. Introduced initially as a 60-Over match and now even played as 40-Overs per side in some countries, the One Day format is forever and has forever been tinkered in a bid for perfection. And still it would seem it isn’t right. The ICC and MCC have introduced two new balls from alternate ends; powerplays; free hits from front foot no-balls; and increased fielding regulations, as well as trialling ideas of super subs and pink balls without ever really finding anything that eliminates the predictability of an ODI.

As a result, it is almost as if you could write a script or pro forma for the outcome of every ODI match. 15 overs of power batting at the start and another 10 at the end with things all going a bit quiet and stale in the middle overs. And that is just in a strategically perfect outcome. In reality, sides could lose wickets in the initial powerplay overs and never really recover. The spark this format once had has almost, but not quite, fizzled out.

The charm of Twenty20 of course, aside from its much shorter time span and therefore TV suitability (money comes first obviously as always), is that those ‘boring’ middle overs in the shorter formats are partially eliminated and there is at least action happening right through the full 40-Overs of the battle. Test Match cricket, the original and still the best form of the sport, is exactly what it says – a test. 5 days of mental and physical tests in fact, where only the best survive, and it is the drama and excitement that come with this assessment of a player’s technique and ability that makes it appealing. One poor session and the match can swing on its head. Not really something you see often in the shorter formats.

So where next for one-dayers? English cricket has for the last few seasons played 40-Over games instead of the International 50, but had little effect on crowd numbers and feelings and is soon to return to the full 50 overs. There have even been suggestions of splitting one day games into two innings per side matches, effectively an accumulation of two Twenty20 scores, to keep interest right through to the end. The idea being the excitement of 20-Over cricket together with a Test Match style format will completely revolutionise the sport. Again, it is an idea but not one that has yet been explored and until it is, it is failed to see whether the brains behind the idea have developed something extraordinary or extraordinarily ridiculous.

Perhaps it is overkill of the shorter formats which have led to the demise of the One Dayer. Seven match series’ after a gruelling Test Series, as well as a World Cup, ICC Trophy and now many money spinning Twenty20 tournaments around the world have created tired players who elect to take ‘rest’ during the ‘less important’ (less financially profitable!) ODI series and the matches lose their attraction.

There is no obvious way to fix 50-Over cricket to me. It is damaged, scarred and has been well beaten by a younger, fresher fighter and it can no longer take the pace of modern sport. There is only one way for it to go, and it is for the better of cricket as a whole, who will benefit from top players being able to play in each and every game, and each and every game being of high excitement and drama. Losing ODIs from cricket would be like losing a hair off your head, irrelevant. It has been around for 42 years, but I’m afraid it should be 42 and out. A stronger batsman has entered the fold and it is here to stay. Twenty20…10 not out, and here  for the long haul.

• Posted in: Cricket
• Tagged: Cricket, IPL, ODI, Sports, Test Matches, Twenty20