There is an old fact that remains the crux of the so-called gentlemen's game. A bowler is as good as a batsman makes out him. If you strain your ears to hear the habitual cricket commentary, you would realize that if a ball is spanked for a boundary, the bowler loses his credit unless it’s an edge that flew past the slips. The same ball would have been treated as the ball of the tournament or beyond if it results in a wicket. Otherwise, nobody bothers to credit the bowler for his effort. On a given day the worst of deliveries produces the best of wickets and the commentators appreciate the apparent plan the bowler had to take those wickets. In a game that has so many variables like the pace of the delivery, pitch/weather conditions, bat’s dimensions, batsmen’s eye/strength/co-ordination/ability, I believe nobody can claim to be an expert in professing the outcome of the game. Yes – The experts can give directions, indications and review the perceptible strengths and weaknesses of the players and teams involved, but as they, its only done when it is done. Or, every ball bowled is a different story and can have pleasantly surprising or strangely shocking outcomes.
Still we have ‘Experts’ in the game. And I say this without any disrespect to this elite group as they still know more than many around in this game which throws innumerable possibilities in a freaky frequency. And this my friend, is one more reason why cricket is a funny game.
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