Are teams faltering with the Powerplay?

Andrew Alderson, in the Herald on Sunday, says the Powerplay strategy used by most teams in the World Cup thus far has lacked nous.

The batting power play is an innovation that has rejuvenated the 50-over game but does not solve boredom seeping in during the compiling stage of an innings from overs 21 to 36.

It is mistakenly seen as an exercise in smash and bash which can end in a batsman being dismissed early and momentum squandered. It is arguably perpetuated by the Twenty20 myth that players need to produce big scoring shots every delivery to have influence.