In our country, when it comes analyzing cricket matches, every body is a expert.  The person who makes a analysis of the game could either be a reputed commentator or a a newsreader of a television channel.  It interests the ordinary clerk or peon of a company as much it interests the head of that company.  Even plumbers or hair dresses are experts on the topic.  The topic could vary from lavishing superlative praise on a batsman for his strokes or condemning the batsman for his stupidity in stroke selection.  It could be on the bowler for bowling a full toss at the most inappropriate time.

However one aspect of the game, eludes the thoughts of these experts and that for me is the most important aspect, i.e. how much disciple is required on the part of a cricketer to perform on the field on that given day.  Here we will analyze how important is discipline is to both batsman and bowler.

Batsman:- If you go by statistics, batting looks very easy.  These days most batsman get on to a century in just 100 ball, i.e a run a ball.  However if you look at things differently, the composition of his 100 would be as given under

16 4s making it 64 runs

3 3s making it 9 runs

5 2s making it 10 runs

17 singles making it 17 runs

60  dot balls

If you look at the 60 dot balls in the end, that call for lots of patience or discipline, because if you lose your focus or concentration just for a split second, you could be out for any score from 0 to 100.  You cannot relax even for a fraction of a second, because that fraction of a second is enough to get you out.  It could be in the form of a good ball ripping your defence or a tired stroke.  A batsman thereby scores his century, just waiting for the loose balls while leaving out the good ones with utmost discipline.

Bowlers:- Now coming to bowlers, say in a one day match.  If a bowler bowls at 75% accuracy i.e. 45 good balls and 15 bad balls, i.e. is not good enough because if that 15 days go to the boundary, and few singles are taken of good balls, he could go for 80 odd in 10 overs and he could really end as the villain for his team.

Wicket Keeping:- Wicket keeping is not easy either.  When you are keeping wickets in a 50 over game i.e. for 300 deliveries, you have to physically and mentally prepare yourself expecting every delivery to come to you.  As a keeper you either expect to collect the ball if the bastman nicks, or gather the ball if the batsman misses.  You have also to be alert to effect a stumping, because you never know in those 300 odd deliveries, which one the bastman connects properly and which one he nicks, and which one the bastman misses.

Regards

Satish

• Written by N R SATISH.
• In category Cricket.
• 15 years ago.

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