The wicket at Motera Ahmedabad on which first  test match of the ongoing series between India and Sri Lanka  during 16th November to  20th November 2009 drew lot of criticism from captains of both the teams and the media.  Both the captains, media and ex cricketers slammed the pitch for not producing a result as 1598 runs were scored for the loss of just 21 wickets.

According to Kumar Sangakarra and Mahendra Singh Dhoni there was nothing in it for the bowlers and that was the reason the test match ended in a draw.  However if you look at things from a different point of view, players should depend on their skills to win matches than on assistance from wicket.  There were many batsmen who have scored centuries on treacherous pitches.  Sunil Gavaskars 96 on a minefield of a ptich in 1987 against Pakistan and Sachin Tendulkar mastery on a similar wicket against the same opposition at Chennai in 1999 are classic examples.

If batsmen can use their skills to get centuries on pitches tailor mode for bowlers, the bowlers too are required to use their skills and get wickets through skillful bowling.  Even if their bowling skills are not good enough to get wickets, they should try to buy wickets by luring a batsmen into indiscretion a skill mastered by many bowlers in earlier eras. A bowler should bowl a couple of loose balls and tempt a batsman to hit them for sixes and then try to slip in a good one.  It is likely that the batsmen in an over confident frame of mind tries to hit the good ball and gets out.

One thing needs to be remembered.  On an average 90 overs are bowled in a Test Match, which translates to 2700 deliveries.  To win a Test match the maximum number of wickets required is 40 i.e. assuming both teams have to get all out which actually is not necessary.  On an average a bowler is required to get one wicket every 67 balls to win a Test Match.  The bowlers task is even more easier if you consider the fact that bowlers need not earn all 40 wickets, because some of them are gifted by batsman through loose strokes. Another thing is a batsman has to concentrate hard to stay at the wicket however good the wicket is for batting as one lapse in concentration could cost their wicket and this makes the bowlers task even more easier. A bowler on the other hand can bowl numerous bad balls and just one good delivery.  The latter gets the bowler a wicket which means bowlers need not repent for their umpteen number of mistakes, but batsman have to repent even for a single mistake.

If a bowler is not good enough to take a wicket every 67 balls, then the bowler is not good enough to play international cricket.

Regards

Satish