Srikkanth's suggestion well received

CHENNAI, MAY 30. The dasher from Chennai is back in the city after attending the International Cricket Council's (ICC) technical committee meeting in London on May 24 and 25.

``It was a wonderful experience for me, sharing my views with fellow cricketers, to make the game more exciting and positive,'' former India captain Krishnamachari Srikkanth told The Hindu, here, on Wednesday.

He was particularly pleased that his innovative suggestion of having 15 overs of `roving field restrictions' in one day Internationals was extremely well received, though the idea has not yet been implemented.

``There was a feeling that the one-dayers were getting too predictable. This way the fielding captain can have the field restrictions of 15 overs in batches of five overs at any point of the innings. I feel it would add a lot in terms of strategy, planning, tactics. It would bring in a new dimension to the game with an element of surprise thrown in. This would also make things much more balanced. On flat wickets of the sub-continent, the pacemen often stand little chance in the first 15 overs,'' revealed Srikkanth.

He said the Aussies had favoured the stationing of one more fielder in the circle in the period between the 15th and 30th overs, since the game tended to become defensive during that phase. However, some felt this move would be harsh on the spinners, and the idea was dropped.

Srikkanth sounded thrilled about the points system for the one- day Internationals that could come into effect soon. There would be four points for a win, and two for a tie or `no play'. What makes the new proposal interesting is the `one bonus point' that will be up for grabs if a side wins by a handsome margin or maintains a particular run-rate-the exact margins and figures are being worked out.

``This extra point can be so crucial, especially in a triangular competition. This way, sides that win comprehensively will also be rewarded,'' said the man who always believed in entertainment.

Revolutionary idea

Another revolutionary idea, that could change the way we look at cricket-having 12 `playing' cricketers in a match-came up for discussion. It would still be a eleven man game with the additional player coming in to bat, bowl, or field, much like a substitute in football or hockey. ``Actually, this is already being tried in certain competitions in Australia,'' observed Srikkanth. The proposal has not been passed.

``I thoroughly enjoyed exchanging views with my contemporaries like Allan Border, Siddath Wettimuny, and of course, Sunil Gavaskar who chaired the meeting,'' said Srikkanth. He also spoke about the formation of a group called the Federation of International Cricketers Association (FICA) comprising countries like Australia and Zimbabwe. ``They put forward their views. We did not know about this formation at all and were taken by surprise.''

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