Batting Powerplay

[Yusuf]

The batting power play is proving to be a bane actually for the batting side. What is the right time to take the batting power play. Most teams are delaying till at least the 41st over so that they can have 5 overs of power play followed by the last 5 overs which are anyways slog overs. Teams try extra hard to score in the power play and end up losing their way as lots of wickets fall and completely take away the momentum that existed prior to the power play as we saw during the Indian innings against both England and South Africa.

So what is the best time to take the batting power play and how should one approach it?

For me, if the opening stand is good and there is good momentum going, the batting power play can be taken soon after the bowling power play after the 15th over as most teams take the bowling power play soon after the mandatory power play of the first ten overs. So if a team is say 75 or more runs for no loss or say one wicket after the bowling power play and both the batsmen are in good touch, the batting power play could be taken immediately.

If there is a loss of 2-3 wickets during the bowling power play, then the batting power play could be delayed a bit so that the new batsmen could take time to settle in by knocking the ball around for ones and twos and then may be the batting power play could again be taken around 25 over mark.

The batting power play if taken earlier as i have mentioned above will force the bowling side to get their best bowlers on during this time and make them use up more of their overs and leave less overs or none at all for the slog. This would surely be helpful during the slog overs for the batting side. Leaving the power play till the end lets the fielding side leave as many as 5 overs of their lead bowlers till the end who then bowl in the batting power play as well as slog overs and change the course of the game as proved by Dale Steyn in the game vs India.

 

[Yusuf]

No one has any thoughts on this? come on guys this is one hell of an important period in one day cricket that most teams are screwing up!!

 

[Oracle]

Powerplay (regular(10)|batting(5)|bowling(5)) : 20 overs which give undue advantage to batsmen to score runs on their will. Well, no one wants to watch low scoring matches anyway. Yusuf, you have analyzed it well. I'll add some points.

First 10 overs(Mandatory PP)
Team Fielding: Less yorkers and more bouncers etc. Variation in bowling seen. Aim is to take wickets.
Team Batting: Score as many, without losing wickets.

Next 5 overs (Bowling PP)
Team Fielding:Team fielding just wants to get it through, irrespective of the status of runs scored by the team batting. Aim is to, as I said, get it through. And on the run, get some wickets.
Team Batting: Score as many, without losing wickets.

Next 5 overs (Batting PP)
Team Fielding:Wants to restrict runs & get wickets. More yorkers, slow bouncers etc seen.
Team Batting:Score as many, without losing wickets.

So, PPs as a whole depend a lot on how the team fielding utilizes its' skills. Take Batting PP, when you are on the rampage, even if that is 16th-20th over.