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BBL power surge backed to become T20 norm

3 minute read

Trent Woodhill, the architect of new Big Bash League rules, believes the International Cricket Council may follow suit and rejig Twenty20 powerplays.

Trent Woodhill believes the power surge is likely to be adopted by the International Cricket Council after a game-changing debut in the Big Bash League.

Woodhill was last year hired by Cricket Australia as a BBL consultant, having helped piece together England's innovative 100-ball format.

The ideas man successfully pushed for three new BBL rules to be adopted.

The pre-tournament response was vocal and overwhelmingly negative; Shane Watson branded them "science experiments" and "gimmicks" while coaches and players also questioned the need for change.

The jury remains out on substitutes.

But an overhaul of the six-over powerplay has been almost universally well received, adding another tactical element for sides without tearing at the fabric of Twenty20 cricket.

Batting teams now have four overs of fielding restrictions at the start of their innings then call a two-over powerplay at any point from the 11th over on.

Sydney Thunder opener Alex Hales, the leading run-scorer of this BBL season, says it has made him a better player.

"It's a game changer for world short-form cricket and taken away that lull in matches," Woodhill told AAP.

"I think the power surge will end up being adopted by the ICC in T20 cricket. It's worked too well and had viewers glued to their screens.

"It's created uncertainly in matches. There's fluctuations we probably haven't seen in the BBL for a few years ... it's improved skill sets.

"Commentators, fans, players, coaches are all like 'gee, do we take it now or later?', 'when are they going to take it?', 'why didn't they take it earlier?'."

Woodhill has mentored David Warner, Virat Kohli and other superstars in the past, while he will soon be part of Australia's coaching staff on their T20 tour of New Zealand.

The coach-turned-consultant pointed out that Sydney Sixers topped the table and, led by veteran allrounder Dan Christian, "utilised the rule changes better than anybody".

"Cricket in general is conservative around changes. Coaches even more so," Woodhill said.

"There were a few throwaway lines from people who I have zero interest in what their opinions were anyway ... people are sometimes dismissive of how much thought goes into it.

"But the coaches have been supportive all the way along ... players and fans have been really good.

"Darren Lehmann has been awesome. He's really good at pushing me on things, asking questions. He's challenged me in a really good way."

Woodhill believed the bonus point and subs would factor in more clubs' thinking come 2021-22.

"Teams batting first were slow in overs eight, nine and 10 ... in the early stages they were almost dismissive of the one point but we saw how important it became," he said.