Sydney: Star Australian batter Steve Smith reckons that cricket officials should urgently address the issue of pacers consistently bowling bouncers to a leg-side field, as it limits a batter’s ability to hit the ball ‘anywhere in front of the wicket’. The former Australia captain added that a bowler should only be allowed one or two such deliveries before being warned or having the delivery called wide.
“I think there could be some slight rule changes in terms of balls going down the leg side when you set that field. You really can’t hit the ball anywhere in front of the wicket really, and I feel like it is almost like when a (left-arm) spinner comes over the wicket and they get the warning down the leg side and then they start getting ‘wided’,” Smith was quoted as saying by Sydney Morning Herald.
“If you’re bowling balls consistently in that area down leg, it should be a similar ruling to the spinner if that makes sense. Basically bowl one or two, then get a warning and then get wides called,” Smith added.
Smith, who scored 31 in the first innings on the first day of the Test, as Australia finished Day 1 at 279 for 9, added that if the ball is drifting too far down the leg, a batter cannot play any kind of stroke.
“To have those catchers (fielders) there in position, it can be challenging for sure. The only thing I’d like to see is if you get too much down leg, you can’t really score anywhere else, and all the fielders are there. That would be the only change I wouldn’t mind seeing,” added Smith.
Smith praised New Zealand pace bowler Neil Wagner’s accuracy after he announced his retirement from Test cricket on Tuesday.
“Ultimately it is a good skill what Neil’s been able to do, the way he can get the ball between throat and chest height consistently, not bowl his two (bouncers) for the over and just carry on doing it,” Smith said. “It’s a good skill and it can be challenging, particularly for guys that are pullers of the ball.”
Agencies

Agencies