Why not ban the nightwatchman?
Matthew Hoggard says doing away with the runner rule does limit the opportunity for "comedy cock-ups" and wonders why nightwatchmen - he was one during his time - haven't been banned either
Siddhartha Talya
25-Feb-2013
Matthew Hoggard says doing away with the runner rule does limit the opportunity for "comedy cock-ups" and wonders why nightwatchmen - he was one during his time - haven't been banned either. Read more in the Independent.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) could have struck another blow for bowlers this week by banning the use of Nos 9, 10 and 11 as cannon fodder on occasions when top-order batsmen don't fancy doing their job because it's a bit dark or there are only a few minutes to go before close of play.
Fortunately, I no longer have to worry about nightwatchman duties because, first, I'm captain (and I can order someone else to do it), and secondly, because I'm a specialist six-hitter these days (more of that in a minute, I promise).
Siddhartha Talya is a senior sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo