South Africa legend Shaun Pollock said that the International Cricket Council (ICC) Committee is working towards giving bowlers a bit more freedom on wides.
He also added that current rules are very strict on the bowlers. This has been predominantly evident in ODIs and T20Is where last-minute adjustments from batters disrupt the bowlers’ line and length. As a result, they end up bowling wide deliveries.
“I’m working on something. I’m obviously part of the ICC Cricket Committee and we’re looking to come up with a bit more leeway for the bowlers on wides. I think it’s very strict on them,” said Pollock.
“If a batter jumps across (at the) last minute, it doesn’t really work out for me. I think a bowler, at the start of his run-up, needs to know where he can bowl it.”
There are plenty of instances where players have expressed frustration with close calls on wides and no-balls. They lacked the option to challenge on-field calls.
“The current rule tends to suggest that if he moves and it’s that point of delivery where the batter is, and that’s according to where the wide will be called, I want a little bit of a change,” he further added.
The batter watches a bowler from the run-up and the bowler makes a last minute by bowling an in-swinging delivery, an out-swinger, a short ball, or a bounce, he has a minute seconds to choose the preferred shot.
Shaun Pollock believes that the bowlers need to know what delivery they are going to bowl and how with the batter’s stance intact to help them in the cause.
“I want them to know exactly when they’re running up why or how. How can a bowler be expected to change his game plan at the last second when he’s bowling?”
He stressed the importance of the SA20 for South African cricket. “He needs to have a clear idea where he can go. So it’s in the pipeline, we’re all discussing. We need to give a little bit back to the bowlers,” Pollock concluded.
