In some ways, the new level of productivity being reached by Sunrisers at the start of an innings mirrors a similar revolution nearly 30 years ago, when Sri Lanka’s openers Sanath Jayasuriya and Romesh Kaluwitharana monstered the new ball during a much more conservative era to help lift Sri Lanka to the 1996 World Cup.
Jake Fraser-McGurk in action for Delhi.Credit: AP
Head (84 from 26 balls at the end of the sixth over) and Sharma (40 from 10 balls in the same period) effectively decided the contest in six overs, despite Fraser-McGurk’s riposte. His impactful start to a first IPL campaign raises the question of whether the Australian selectors can find room for him in their 15-player squad for the Twenty20 World Cup to be played in the Caribbean and the United States in June.
For Ponting, the advent of the impact player, which effectively gives each side an extra batter as the player is nominated after the coin toss, has been a clear plus for spectators and as such may be something that players and coaches will have to get used to.
“It looks to me like [the impact player is] having an impact on the game,” Ponting told ESPNCricinfo this week. “More runs are being scored. So you’d think people that were sitting back and watching that game last night would be mesmerised by the cricket. I was getting messages last night saying what a crazy game of cricket [Hyderabad v Bangalore], what an unbelievable game of cricket.
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“So if the impact player is making it a better spectacle, then it should stay. From a player’s point and a coach’s point of view, the game would be much easier if you just pick 11, just pick your best 11 and put the 11 on the park and go and play.
“Because I’ll tell you now, we’ll sit back after training tonight and select our teams and you’ve got to pick two teams and you’ve got to have your five impact guys. There’s so many different ways you can go around doing that, looking at different combinations. It actually can be a bit of a nightmare.”
In English county cricket, Australia’s Marcus Harris proved his own nightmare for Derbyshire’s bowlers, cuffing a double century in the division two match at Derby.
Playing in the UK after losing his national contract earlier this year, Harris pinged 26 boundaries and a couple of sixes in an innings brimful of crisp strokes, including plenty of scoring down the ground in addition to his traditional strengths square of the wicket.