A batsman’s game

Tony Cozier

By Tony Cozier

From the era when cricket’s first superstar, W.G. Grace, could replace the bails after he had been clearly bowled, tell the umpire “it’s windy today, isn’t it?” while reminding him, at the same time, that the spectators had come to see him play and bat on, bowlers have griped that it’s a batsman’s game.

The advent of limited-overs matches, first 50 an innings, then 20, and the ever changing rules have further convinced them.

They are confined to the number of overs they’re allowed, any delivery they send even minimally outside leg-stump is deemed a wide,