Organisers at sixes and eights
A proposal to increase the value of a straight hit over the ropes from six to eight runs is gaining currency among the organisers of the Cathay Pacific/NatWest-Wheelock Hong Kong Sixes who yesterday signed an official agreement with Wembley International, the caretakers of the tournament's new venue, the Hong Kong Stadium.
The move to the So Kon Po stadium has prompted Cricket World International (CWI) executive directors Brian Catton and Papu Butani to think of increasing the value of a six - hit straight - to eight runs.
The straight hit will be the longest boundary at the stadium, at least 63 metres. The boundaries on either side of the batsman (square leg and point) will be four metres shorter (at 35 metres) than the smallest boundary at the former venue, the Kowloon Cricket Club.
To encourage batsmen to play straight, the organisers are now thinking of giving the two-run incentive for the September 21-22 tournament.
Hong Kong cricketer Stewart Brew was all for the plan, which is not new by any means in the international arena.
'They used this at the Super Eights tournament in Malaysia and it was a success. It will be good if they go ahead with that plan here too,' said Brew, who was the territory's only player at the inaugural Eights this summer.
Plans are afoot to also move the alignment of the artificial wicket which will be put in place next month.
Instead of having it straight on a north-south axis, organisers now want to slant it slightly so that the giant Diamond Vision screen and scoreboard will not be behind the bowler's arm.
'The Diamond Vision's screen will be on all the time and it could prove a distraction to the batsman,' said Catton. 'We will have to test it out and also see if the stadium lights don't interfere with batting.' Organisers will get expert help and advice from South African Test star Jonty Rhodes, who will arrive tomorrow for a brief visit to the territory.
On Monday night, Rhodes will test out the batting conditions under lights at the stadium, and Catton hopes all problems can be ironed out then.
Cricket officials will take over the stadium five days before the start of the tournament. But the laying of the artificial wicket will start around September 10.
