Hits and Myths

Last year, 28 out of 58 games (one was washed out) were won by the team calling correctly at the toss. The captains realised that chasing a target was the better option, with teams often unsure of what a competitive target could be when batting first. This could be a key factor this year - Stephen Fleming has already gone on record saying that in South Africa batting first in the night games could be the way to go.

The two finalists, Rajasthan and Chennai, ran the most singles, twos, and threes (750 and 748 runs respectively) in the tournament and their boundary percentage (as a factor of total runs) was almost identical - 59.28 and 59.23. Interestingly, they had a lower boundary percentage compared to the other teams - showing that Twenty20 is not about slogging.

The successful batsmen had a different technique - and it wasn't slogging. Instead, there was some sound scientific rationale - and lots of practice - behind it. Shane Watson's was perhaps the most obvious technical change: he took an off-stump guard and repeatedly hit to the on side. Others like Gautam Gambhir and Rohit Sharma chose to stay beside the line and drive through or over the covers. Shaun Marsh stayed very still with a leg stump guard and drove hard in the V. The successful batsmen weren't too keen to get behind the line. Martin Crowe famously said, "In Twenty20, you have to forget the stumps." What innovations will this edition on South African pitches throw up?

There were seven 200-plus totals in April but only one in May in the first year. There were several reasons: the pitches slowed down, the bowlers adapted, a few of the big-hitting batsmen left midway and, interestingly, the pressure increased on the batsmen as the tournament moved closer to the semi-final stage.

Will the pitches have more zip under lights in South Africa, as Fleming predicted? This could affect the totals. Even during the ICC World Twenty20 in South Africa, the totals steadily decreased as the tournament progressed.

Logic suggests that teams have to make the Powerplays count in this format. But, if the first year was any indication, that wasn't the case across the board. Mumbai Indians revelled here, taking 26 wickets while losing just 16 and scoring more runs than they conceded. The winners, Rajasthan, were steady in the Powerplays but really controlled the game in the middle and end overs. Rajasthan scored at 8.7 runs per over during the middle phase (6-14 overs) and really tightened the noose in the last six overs - they took 48 wickets. You might see the trend continue in South Africa. The team that controls the middle and end overs might be the ones going all the way.

Both performed superbly in the first edition. Fast bowlers averaged 28.54 per wicket while the spinners averaged 30.38 for theirs and the economy-rate was pretty much the same; a little over 8. Under lights, in South Africa, logic dictates that the pace bowlers might hold the key but one has to wait and watch how the pitches play. During the recent Australia-South Africa ODI series, the pitches were a tad slow and offered turn.

Not really. A Cricinfo study at the end of 36 games last season showed that yorkers constituted approximately a little over 2% of the total balls bowled while a majority - around 61% - were on a good length and nearly 18% of the deliveries were short of length. The trick was the change of pace. Not the really obvious slower ones but there were the cutters, little changes of pace, the slower bouncers and the ball held across the seam. Those were perfectly suited to the slower pitches in India - South Africa could be a whole new ball game.

Finally, it's down to the players. Who will be this year's Shane Watson? Tyron Henderson, Jesse Ryder and Albie Morkel are all in the running. Which Indian local cricketer will take the leap from the unknown to stardom? Will it be the fast bowlers Kamran Khan, Umesh Yadav, Bhuvneshwar Kumar or Amit Singh? All should thrive on South African conditions. There's been much talk that Indian domestic cricketers would struggle in South African conditions but the fact is that those in contention for their team's playing XI are mainly seamers and they should revel.