NEWS
Follow UsIndia needed 35 to win off the last five overs of their chase against the USA at the Nassau County Cricket Ground. While the surface here has been tricky, with seven wickets in hand and two set batters in, the chase looked tilted towards the batting side. It became a cakewalk before the 16th over could even begin as the USA were handed a penalty of five runs, thus reducing the target to 30 off 30 balls.
According to a new rule set by the ICC, the fielding side should be ready to bowl a new over within 60 seconds of finishing the previous one. If they fail to do this thrice in an innings, they are liable to be penalised five runs, which, in this case, would be added to the score of the batting side.
This rule was tested in ODIs and T20Is to improve the pace of play. After a positive impact was seen, the ICC made it a permanent feature for all white-ball international games between Full Member nations from June 1. Thus, it is also implemented for the ongoing T20 World Cup.
Speaking to the media post-game, the head coach of the USA, Stuart Law, played down the impact of the penalty on the game's momentum and subsequent outcome.
“I don't think it affected the outcome of the game. Five runs wasn't going to affect the outcome of the game so I don't think it rattled them (the players). No, I thought we stuck to our guns, we fought hard, we fought to the death. I thought we showed some fantastic character against one of the best teams in the world.”
“It didn't affect the result of the game, I don't think, as many people will suggest. But to lose five runs was crucial at that time. But, once again, it may have just taken us to the 19th or 20th over, rather than finishing it in the 18th,” said Law after the game.
Law, however, did not shy away from accepting that while he and his players know about the rule and have been warned in the past, it is yet to become a muscle memory for an inexperienced unit.
"We had a few warnings in earlier games, and it's something we do talk about to get through faster between the overs. It's just one thing that we can improve on. I think that we're only a fledgling team. There's plenty to learn. There's not just the cricket aspect of the game of cricket, but there's also the other intricacies that need to be embedded. It's a rule that's only just come in. A lot of our players wouldn't have heard about it before we played in the Bangladesh series or the Canada series earlier this year. So, look, it's something that we need to address, we'll sit down and talk about, but we can improve it, yeah“
"Players know the rule, but it's something that if you haven't played with it for a long time, it's very difficult to have it embedded in your brain. So, the information coming from the umpires was, they were given two clear warnings, then it's up to the players to respond. And we didn't respond fast enough, we didn't do it well enough, and that's something we can address,” Law added.
Despite being on the rough end of the stick, Law seemed in favor of whatever is needed to monitor the pace of play.
“I think there needs to be a pace of play. I think if you're dragging games out that should last three and a half hours, they're going for four and a half hours, that's a bit much. The ICC are there to install rules and regulations. We as coaches and teams we're there to follow those rules and regulations and if there's enough voices saying that it may be detracting from the game, I'm sure the ICC will act to it. I don't see it as a bad thing, I see it as a good thing. The game continues to move.”
Fighting tooth and nail against the might of the Indian team, the USA once again showed that they are not here to fill up numbers. While they are one win or a washout away from Super Eights, the co-hosts would like to ensure that such freebies are not offered to the opposition during the business end.
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