ECB OFFICIALS were still waiting to hear from their counterparts at Cricket Australia yesterday about whether they will agree to adopt one-day cricket’s new substitute and fielding restriction rules for the three NatWest Challenge matches that start next week. There is not much doubt that England and Australia, contestants of the first of the 2,256 one-day internationals played round the world so far, will pioneer the ICC’s new plan to liven up the middle stages of these games, starting at Headingley a week tomorrow.
Duncan Fletcher, the coach, and Michael Vaughan, the captain, had enough to think about as last night’s dress rehearsal for the final of the NatWest Series unfolded, but as soon as the dust has settled on Saturday’s match at Lord’s they will have to give serious consideration to the changes of tactics that will be necessary. More than ever, it will be essential for captains to think on their feet.
That is another reason, perhaps, why it is essential that Vaughan should justify his place in the team as a batsman. He is a far more decisive leader in the field than his amiable deputy Marcus Trescothick. Already the minds of captains have to buzz like the inside of a nest of angry wasps throughout the 50 overs while giving an appearance of calm control. As from next week it will be the captain’s additional responsibility to choose two blocks of five overs each during which fielding restrictions will apply. Otherwise restrictions will apply compulsorily only in the first ten overs.
Yesterday, Vaughan might have been tempted to gamble on keeping the pressure on Australia by calling for one block of five overs immediately after the tenth over, in which Matthew Hayden had been out to Simon Jones. There was some need for caution by the batting team. As it was, Ricky Ponting and Damien Martyn had built a promising position at 95 for two by the time that Andrew Flintoff induced a speculative shot by Ponting in the 22nd.
When Andrew Symonds and Mike Hussey then began to take command in their partnership of 101 for the fifth wicket between the 28th and 43rd overs, the last thing Vaughan would have wanted was the headache of having to make scoring theoretically easier for them by bringing his men back inside the circles and leaving the boundaries exposed.
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In the event, Australia lost five wickets for 30 runs in 37 balls between the 43rd and 49th overs. That might not have happened if more fielders had been inside the circle, but three of these wickets fell to catches behind the wicket and only two, including the run-out, involved a fielder in the deep.
The captain will in future also have to nominate an official twelfth man who will act as a possible tactical replacement player for any of the eleven at any stage of the game. He could be used as an old-fashioned substitute in the event of an injury, but once a substitution has been made for tactical reasons, no further replacement is allowed for a subsequent injury.
In Australia’s innings yesterday, Darren Gough was perhaps the obvious fall guy. After his first two-over spell he had conceded 23 runs. He bowled a further three for only 14 runs but then came back for a sixth over that cost 12. With four of his quota still to go, Vaughan might have brought on young Chris Tremlett, but would he have been so effective at the death? I suspect many a captain, fielding first, will stick to his original bowlers and keep open the option of bringing in a batting substitute instead.