Former England captain Michael Vaughan has proposed a radical solution to cricket’s slow-play problem: mandating that 90 overs be bowled every single day, no matter how long it takes.
Tackling Cricket’s Slow-Play Epidemic
Michael Vaughan recently pointed out the “great theatre” of Zak Crawley deliberately using up time during a Test match against India at Lord’s. However, he also highlighted a deeper frustration with current cricket rules regarding daily over counts.
The incident involving Crawley, where he seemingly wasted time after getting hit on the hand, drew criticism. This kind of tactic contributes to slow over rates, which has become a growing concern in Test cricket.
Even the ICC has stepped in, penalizing England for their slow over-rate in the third Test. They faced a fine and lost crucial ICC World Test Championship points, underscoring the severity of the issue.
Vaughan’s Bold Proposal
Vaughan suggests a straightforward fix: officials must ensure 90 overs are completed each day, regardless of the clock. He questions why Test matches only extend late on Day 5 to finish overs, but are strictly cut off at 6:30 pm on other days.
“I have really never understood why we bowl 90 overs on day five, going as late as we need to get the overs in, but just knock it on the head at 6.30pm on the other days,” Vaughan wrote in The Telegraph.
He believes that if players knew they had to complete 90 overs daily, irrespective of the finish time, it would sharpen their focus. This pressure would discourage time-wasting tactics, as players would know they can’t simply run down the clock.
Benefits for Players and Fans
Vaughan argues this change would inherently motivate players to speed things up. Players, like anyone, prefer to finish work on time, not extending into late evenings.
“The players do not want to be finishing at 7.45pm – they want to be out of the ground and resting up long before then,” he explained. This desire would naturally reduce “unofficial” breaks like excessive drinks or bathroom stops.
Ultimately, this approach would benefit everyone. Broadcasters and fans would get more content and better value from each day of play, ensuring a full day’s cricket is always delivered.
- Michael Vaughan proposes bowling 90 overs every day in Test cricket, regardless of the time taken.
- This aims to combat slow over rates and discourage time-wasting tactics by players.
- The current rule often stops play at a set time, even if 90 overs haven’t been completed.
- Vaughan believes this change would motivate players to finish faster and provide more value for fans and broadcasters.
This simple yet impactful change could be key to revitalizing Test cricket’s pace and engagement for audiences worldwide.
