CHENNAI: Shorter pitches and smaller balls. These were among the innovations discussed at a webinar on women's cricket organised by the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Wednesday.
Featuring in the programme called 100% Innovation were New Zealand captain Sophie Devine and India batter Jemima Rodrigues. Former Australia cricketer Mel Jones was the moderator.
Popularity of women's cricket is on the rise, but it is nothing compared to the kind of interest generated by the men's version, especially in the subcontinent. Looking at ways to make the women's game more engaging for spectators, the ICC organised this webinar where certain innovations were discussed.
Going by the response of Devine and Rodrigues, they are up for these, although making them part of the rules of the game will be another process.
"Let's not compare them(men's and women's cricket)... Because, in the end, you have to accept the fact that there are slight differences between the two... But yeah, we can also be open to (a shorter pitch), try it out. If that is going to help the game improve and take it to the next level, then why not? Because at the end of it, we want to promote the game," said Rodrigues.
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"We want to get more people to watch the game and more people to even join the game. So, yeah, I think it is a good idea... You can be open to it," added the Mumbai-based Rodrigues, one of the four teenagers in the India side that finished runners-up at the T20 World Cup.
Devine, top run-getter for New Zealand at the T20 World Cup, does not mind experiments if they change the dynamics of the women's game.
"If we are stuck with traditional formats, we'd be missing out on a lot of new players, new kids, new athletes. So, it's really an exciting idea to say that we might be able to encourage people along that make it tailored towards the female side of things," she said.
"It's always good to have a little trial and error and see what works. I'm probably a big fan of looking at a smaller ball, but keeping the pitch the same size, where I think pacers are going to be able to bowl quicker, spinners are going be able to turn the ball more. Hopefully, the ball should fly a bit further as well whereas still keeping the traditional length of the pitch," felt Devine.
Discussing these doesn't mean the ICC is going to change rules and make pitches shorter or balls smaller. But, that the world body has started thinking about innovations for the women's game and got players to speak about them suggests the world body is serious about marketing women's cricket in a new way. When and how, time will tell.
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