Australian batter Steve Smith feels there is a need to urgently address the issue of pacers persisting with bouncers keeping a leg-side field. He expressed that it restricts a batter’s ability to hit the ball “anywhere in front of the wicket”.
Steve Smith has ignited discussion to modify rules to restrict the use of leg-side bouncers. He proposed that there should be a limit on the number of such deliveries that a bowler can bowl, to improve the game’s balance and fairness. He suggested that a bowler should be allowed just one or two such deliveries, after which the bowler should be warned or the delivery be called a wide.
Smith said as quoted by the Sydney Morning Herald. “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. 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 ‘wide’.”
“If you’re bowling balls consistently in that area down the 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,” he added.
You can’t really score anywhere else: Steve Smith
Australian batter Steve Smith further expressed that a ball drifting too much down the leg, makes it impossible for a batter to play any kind of stroke. Many bowlers have used the tactic against Steve Smith to stop the flow of runs. The former Australian skipper said,
“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.”
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