There is an increasing fear in the mind of ICC, games administrators and fans  that one dayers have become more boring and more predictable.  Test Cricket though took its birth more than a century back has still retained its charm, because too much tampering has not been done with the format.  The charm of Test Cricket lies in the fact that it is a test of a person's skills while one dayers owe its existence to the capacity of a player who has better abilities to exploit a format rather than abilities in his own skills.

The modifications suggested in format are:-

Changes For Bowlers/Fielding Team

1. Power Play should be removed:- This will prevent bastman who merely have to loft the ball over the infield fielders. Now the batsman need to depend on their skills rather than mere power.

2. Bowler or fielding captain should have the right to set their own field:-  This will test the batsmans intelligence as he has to find the gaps time and again as the fielding captain is at liberty to set any field at any point of time.  This will be a battle of wits between fielding team captain and batsman and crowds will definitely enjoy this spectacle.

3.10 over restriction for bowlers to be removed:- These days good batsman play out the overs of 1 or 2 main bowlers, and target the below average bowlers.  The batsman therefore gets the advantage of playing weaker bowlers for most of the time.  If  the 10 over restriction for a bowler is lifted, then the best bowler in the team if he is fit enough can bowl  even 25 overs.  Thus the contest between the batting team and fielding team will be on equal terms.

4) Free Hit should be retained:- Free Hit should be retained as it gives a sense of excitement to the spectators.  The free hit however should not be for overstepping as the bowler does not intentionally over step. Free hit should be given if the bowler intentionally bowls bouncers with a negative intention either to stop run scoring or harming the bastman.

Changes For Batting Team:-

1) LBWs should be removed:- LBWs have always been controversial.  Since a clear decision cannot be given on LBWs by umpires as in caught or bowled case, the same should be removed.  Many bad decisions have ruined players careers and have changed the results of games.

2) Line should belong to batsman:- A batsman should be declared NOT OUT, if he manages to get bat on any part of the line in the event of a run out or stumping.  A bastman should be declared OUT only if he does not get a bat anywhere near the line.  The faintest of touch on the line should go in favour of a batsman.

3) Benefit of Doubt:- Only if a bastsman is 100% OUT he should be given OUT, even 99% should not be given OUT.  One thing has to be remembered, only a single delivery is required to get a bastman out and he cannot come back again, whereas a bowler has a minimum of 10 overs in the current format of the game, to get a bastman out

This suggestions if implemented by ICC, will lay emphasis on the skills of a player.  Many cricketers too welcome this change, as they definitely would prefer their skills to be recognized.  For fans too this would make interesting viewing.

Regards

Satish