Toss no longer mandatory in English County Championship: As a cricket lover, you are always keen to know which team has won the toss and what they have decided? Well, there is a new development now which will end this keenness as days are not far when toss can actually be out from cricket.
It was after last Ashes series in England when Former Australian Captain Ricky Ponting suggested to get rid of traditional way of toss in test cricket and give rights to visiting captain to decide what he wants to do. Many must have thoughts it was because of Aussie defeat in the Ashes but Ponting had his own logic while proposing this idea. Later, greats like Steve Waugh and Michael Holding also joined him.
Now, England Cricket Board (ECB) all set to implement this idea in 2016 county season, starting from 10 April. In both tiers of this season”s County Championship, the visiting captain will be given the option of bowling first. Match officials will only go for Head or tails only when if visiting captain rejects the chance to bowl first.
According to English cricket committee head Peter Wright the move came about partly as a result of concerns about the development of English spinners. As per the last year figure only 21.5 overs were bowled by spinners and by ending the official toss tradition, ECB wants to bring spinners into play. The other major reason of this decision is to encourage home county boards to provide best pitch which can produce quality cricket for entire four days.
Of course the idea is not welcomed by everyone. Andrew Gale, captain of county champions Yorkshire, described the decision as “absolute madness”.
He added on social media: “If the pitches are bad, why have no points been deducted in past few seasons?” Similarly, Former England Captain Michael Vaughan has even suggested ECB to employ entire grounds man of counties so that they follow one standard policy of ECB while preparing the pitches.
This decision will also hurt county teams, full with pace battery and playing at home ground but keeping spinners role in mind, ECB committee has taken a step which results will be seen only after at least conclusion of one season.
