da betcris： Simon Jones’ injury was bad luck for England
David Wiseman08-Nov-2002Simon Jones’ injury was bad luck for England. Not only did England losetheir quickest bowler, they have been left a bowler short for the rest ofthe Test match.Cricket is one of the only team sports which does not allow for replacementof players. Soccer does, rugby does, basketball does. However, these are notsports which last up to five days.But is there merit in cricket sides being able to replace an injured player?Cricket is the most traditional of games and you might be hard-pressed toconvince the purists that the change is worthwhile.It has also been the inability to replace injured players which have brought thegame some of its most heroic moments. Such as the time Eddie Paynter cameout of hospital to hit the winning runs for England in the fourth Test ofthe Bodyline Series.How could anyone ever forget Rick McCosker coming out to bat in theCentenary Test with a broken jaw. Coming in at the fall of the eighth wicket,his 25 runs, and his partnership with Rodney Marsh, proved the difference.That’s batsmen and there is no doubt that cricket is a batsman’s game becauseif you are a bowler and are injured, it’s doubtful that you would be able tobowl. And it’s not like you have to. That tenth wicket may prove thedifference but if you can’t bowl, the ball is simply thrown to anotherbowler.Maybe one solution is to allow the 12th man to bowl. Who knows?Cricket has embraced the technologies which are available and updated thegame to complement the modern age. The whole concept of the twelfth man,substitutes and replacements is something which the ICC should look atmodernising next.