“Time thing is a really difficult one to manage”: Ashton Agar suggests innovative hack to tackle ICC new rule around slow over rate penalty

Ashton Agar suggests innovative hack: The Australian all-rounder has suggested a manner in which all reserve players could also be utilized while fielding.

First announced over nine months ago but implemented only recently, new over rate rule in T20Is has already started to show its presence on cricket grounds.

With teams bearing the brunt of needing to field in the death overs with an additional fielder inside the 30-yard circle in Asia Cup 2022, fielding captains proactively make an effort to bowl 20 overs inside the stipulated time period to avoid a significant penalty.

As a result, bowlers are often seen running back to their bowling mark in order to save time in the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup. Additionally, the bowlers are assisted by fielders who also make a dedicated effort to save time.

Ashton Agar suggests innovative hack to tackle ICC new rule around slow over rate penalty

If Australia all-rounder Ashton Agar is to be believed, an innovative hack can be implemented to save time in white-ball cricket especially in the shortest format. In fact, Australia have already started implementing this tactic in their recently concluded T20Is.

Speaking in a video posted by cricket.com.au this morning, Agar explained how reserve players can be stationed all around the ground to return the ball in a bid to save time.

Agar, in particular, pointed out about the powerplay where most of the fielders have to run towards the boundary to fetch the ball. Admitting that the same might only save a little time, it still has a lot of scope considering how even a minute saved can aid a fielding team in a crunch situation.

“In the powerplay, obviously, the ball flies around and you lose time when players have to go and fetch the ball which is a part of cricket. So, the time thing is a really difficult one to manage,” Agar told cricket.com.au.

“So, I guess stationing the guys who are on the bench around the ground. Does it save to 10 seconds here and there? Potentially. And that all ends up at the end of the day.”

About the author

Dixit Bhargav

Born and brought up in Pathankot, Dixit Bhargav is an engineering and sports management graduate who works as a Cricket Editor at The SportsRush. Having written more than 10,000 articles across more than five years at TSR, his first cricketing memory dates back to 2002 when former India captain Sourav Ganguly had waved his jersey at the historic Lord’s balcony. What followed for an 8-year-old was an instant adulation for both Ganguly and the sport. The optimist in him is waiting for the day when Punjab Kings will win their maiden Indian Premier League title. When not watching cricket, he is mostly found in a cinema hall watching a Punjabi movie.

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