T20 ‘daunting’

The cricketing community is buzzing about its first foray into Twenty-20 cricket.

The shorter format of the game is sure to provide entertainment but also plenty of headaches for captains.

Fielding restrictions in the first six overs of an innings is guaranteed to provide spectators with entertaining big hits but spare a thought for the captains who have to fill big holes in the outfield with just two fielders.

According to Cricket’s Alister Stevic, this season will be the most daunting for captains yet. Stevic says there is no room to hide in Twenty-20 cricket and captains need to plan and be smart.

”Games can be won or lost in the first and last five overs of an innings,“ says Stevic.

He adds that these periods are crucial as both teams look to dominate.

”Captains must, put their high-risk high-reward batters in early, let them dominate, let them take the game away from the bowling team.“

However, Stevic says that Twenty-20 is all glory for batters and that bowling captains can take advantage of the batters’ aggressiveness by looking to their fastest most accurate bowlers in the first five overs.

”Get them bowling fast and hard at the wickets, sure they’ll get hit from time to time, but if a batter swings and misses you’re celebrating a wicket, throw some variation slower balls in and you can soon take the game away from the batting side.“