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The Toss

Discussion in 'County Cricket' started by smhbcfc, Nov 25, 2015.

  1. smhbcfc

    smhbcfc Well-Known Member

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    The toss could be scrapped in County Championship Division Two matches next season under proposals being considered by the England and Wales Cricket Board.
    The ECB's executive board will discuss the plan on Thursday after it was recommended by its cricket committee.
    If it is approved a one-year trial will take place in 2016 to try to improve pitches and encourage spin bowlers.
    The away team would choose whether to bat, bowl or still have a toss if the pitch condition was uncertain.
    The toss will remain in County Championship Division One and domestic limited-overs cricket.
    It was mentioned in the first recorded laws of cricket in 1744 when the team winning the flip of the coin would have the choice of which pitch to use as well as whether to bat or bowl first.
    The ECB believes many matches in Division Two are decided by the toss because home teams are producing pitches to suit their bowlers.
    However, no team in the County Championship has been deducted points for preparing a poor pitch since 2011.
     
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  2. smhbcfc

    smhbcfc Well-Known Member

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    I think this is a good idea - surely it would imporve the quality of pitches
     
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  3. smhbcfc

    smhbcfc Well-Known Member

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    The mandatory coin toss is to be scrapped in the County Championship next season, the England and Wales Cricket Board has confirmed.
    The change is effective in both divisions and aims to encourage better pitches for four-day cricket.
    An ECB statement read: "The visiting captain will be offered the opportunity of bowling first.
    "If he declines, the toss will take place as normal. But if he accepts, there will be no toss."
    The recommendation came from the ECB's cricket committee, which includes ECB chief executive Tom Harrison, England team director Andrew Strauss and former England coach Andy Flower.
    The committee's chairman, Peter Wright, said a decision on whether to extend the trial would be taken at the end of the 2016 season.
    Is it all about spin?
    Wright also said the decision was partly motivated about concern over the development of English spin bowlers.
    "There has been concern for some years about some Championship pitches," he said.
    "But it is fair to say that the plight of spin bowling in this country brought things into focus.
    "Figures showing spinners bowled only 21.5% of the overs in the 2015 Championship were presented to the committee and we have come to the conclusion that the only way to bring spin bowlers more into the game is to provide better pitches for them to bowl on."
    Good or bad? Divided opinion
    On Wednesday, England's limited-overs captain Eoin Morgan said the move may benefit the game long-term.
    "If it's to improve the standard of wickets that we play on, and potentially produce a couple of wickets where spin might be conducive to that particular ground, I think absolutely," he said.
    "The benefit in county cricket might not be at the very beginning, but potentially for younger guys coming through - they'll develop different skills which will in turn give them a greater base, if they do get picked for England, to play around the world and do it successfully."
    But 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?"
     
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  4. littleDinosaurLuke

    littleDinosaurLuke Well-Known Member

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    Who bats first then?
     
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