The intimidatory bowling clause really gets up my nose. This is a horrible law, is it actually in the books or is it some form of gentlemanly conduct thing?
I can accept 2 beamers and you're out, that's bowling an illegal delivery that the batter wouldn't expect in the least.
But bouncers are perfectly legal, why should a bowler be prevented from bowling them just because the batsman is incapable of playing properly? Someone should point out that he's always got the option of retiring. The saying is, If you can't stand the heat...get out of the kitchen, not whine to the cook that it's too hot and he should turn the heat down or he's going to complain to daddy.
Imagine if the 5th day's drawing to a close, the #11 is in and has been hit a couple times, can't play the short ball to save his life, but the pitch is benign, so he's been able to block without too much trouble. He gets hit on the helmet and the umpire says it's intimatory. All off a sudden the batsman knows he can't get too many short balls, so he's better prepared, but the bowling side has just lost one of it's weapons. I'd be livid.
I can accept 2 beamers and you're out, that's bowling an illegal delivery that the batter wouldn't expect in the least.
But bouncers are perfectly legal, why should a bowler be prevented from bowling them just because the batsman is incapable of playing properly? Someone should point out that he's always got the option of retiring. The saying is, If you can't stand the heat...get out of the kitchen, not whine to the cook that it's too hot and he should turn the heat down or he's going to complain to daddy.
Imagine if the 5th day's drawing to a close, the #11 is in and has been hit a couple times, can't play the short ball to save his life, but the pitch is benign, so he's been able to block without too much trouble. He gets hit on the helmet and the umpire says it's intimatory. All off a sudden the batsman knows he can't get too many short balls, so he's better prepared, but the bowling side has just lost one of it's weapons. I'd be livid.