One-day cricket specifically and limited-overs cricket in general is, for all intents and purposes, meant to be a batsman’s game, with the emphasis prominently on entertainment for the spectators at the ground and for the television audience.
Television broadcasters, who invest heavily in securing the rights for international “white ball” competitions and in whose interest it is to attract sponsors and new followers to the game prefer contests that more often than not go the full distance.
In an ideal world, all pitches for Test cricket would be prepared so as to provide assistance for the fast bowlers in the early stages, flattening out into even-paced batting conditions in the middle period before turning in the favour of spinners towards the back end. White-ball cricket, on the other hand, is not meant to be attritional and though one would want to see pitches that offer bowlers limited assistance in order to promote a balance between bat and ball, pitches that are not subject to changes in complexion over the course of 100 overs are prerequisite. Look no further than the two matches completed at
Kensington Oval
over the past week for the example of what ideal limited-overs pitches should offer. Kudos of the highest order should be bestowed on those responsible for the preparation of the excellent surfaces. Even without the proof of empirical evidence, it is obvious that those thousands of fans who flocked to the region’s “Mecca” on Wednesday and Friday would give nothing less than an overwhelming vote for more of the excellent conditions that facilitated the enjoyable spectacle that unfolded over the two days.
