When Proteas Test coach Shukri Conrad expressed his concerns over the lack of genuine pace bowlers in domestic cricket and the overall standard of cricket at that level, the whole country took note and weighed in on the coach’s takes on what is happening in domestic cricket.
For a system that produced the likes of Makhaya Ntini, Dale Steyn and Allan Donald to name a few, of course it will raise eyebrows when the same system is not producing the same calibre of players.
The domestic scene is filled with seamers who bowl at 120s and 130s (km/h) and that is an alarming sign to a fast-bowling loving cricket community. However, it was inevitable that the game would eventually get to this stage.
Taking into consideration how much the game has evolved over the years, with international and franchise T20 cricket taking centre stage, it makes sense that the game in the country is where it is – with few fast bowlers among other things.
Yes, pace is important in T20 cricket as well and it cannot be replaced, but seamers don’t really need to operate at the express pace (145km/h) to succeed in the format. If a seamer is able to reach the low-to-mid 130s (km/h), he/ she only needs to add a few skills on his repertoire to have success in the shortest format.
So, from a tactical point of view, the nature of the shorter formats of the game tend to motivate seamers to take the pace-off route.
It is also lucrative to be a success in the shorter formats of the game because that is where the big monies are and it is physically less demanding as seamers get to bowl a maximum of four overs (T20s) and 10 overs (List A).
As a seamer, which of the two would make sense more: 1, bowling express pace or 2, bowling at low-tomid 130s (km/h) and getting a similar pay cheque at the end of the day? Of course most seamers would lean towards the second option.
The game has changed so much in the past 17 years that domestic cricket is now feeling the impact of the change. It is not only in South Africa but across the world domestic cricket is feeling the impact of the evolution of the game at large.
Another aspect to the lack of genuine pace bowlers in domestic cricket is whether or not Cricket South Africa (CSA) is serious enough about keeping the art alive and thriving for when the likes of Kagiso Rabada retire.
One could question CSA’s commitment because they have changed some of their rules, rules that certainly could ensure that there are a decent number of genuine pace bowlers in domestic cricket. This rule is the 2km time trial that was made mandatory a few seasons back only to be changed this season.
Yes, the rule does not guarantee that the seamers will be able to hit express pace but it certainly motivates fitness, and fitter seamers will always be able to generate high speeds.
IOL Sport