The domestic four-day competition only has two rounds to go and already a major milestone has been achieved. This season alone, 18 Plunket Shield games have been outright victories compared to only 12 games each in the 2007/08 and 2008/09 season.
Current leaders, the Northern Knights, had two outright wins last season, while this season they have five wins with two rounds to go.
Northern Knights coach Grant Bradburn believes outright wins are positive for all cricket and puts the increase down to a number of factors.
Strong leadership
“There is a definite improvement in the leadership of captains who are showing an eagerness to play a more positive brand of cricket, “ Bradburn said. “Teams are better balanced with seam and spin options in the bowling line ups which mean captains winning the toss are not thinking ‘what shall we do first’, but ‘what do we want to do last on this surface’.”
Better pitch quality
Pitches also play an important role when it comes to the outcome of the game. The likes of the Aces and Knights have also shifted home grounds, which can have a big impact. The Aces have moved to Colin Maiden Park while Eden Park is getting an upgrade and the Knights are playing a number of their home games at Cobham Oval in Whangarei while the international series takes over at Seddon Park. “Groundsmen also need to take credit as they all seem to be interested in producing good cricket wickets that provide life rather than a safe placid pitch. This attitude needs to be commended and fostered” says Bradburn.
The impact of Twenty20 cricket
The amount of runs in an innings is also increasing. During the 2009/10 Plunket Shield it is not unheard of for teams to make scores of 400 and 500. The advent of Twenty20 cricket has played a big role in the development of batsmen and fielders and Bradburn believes it has a follow through effect into the longest form of the game. “We are seeing some outstanding fielding skills coming through now which is having a direct positive impact on the Plunket Shield,” he said. “Batsmen generally are more comfortable now scoring at a positive run rate because of the fact they have added more shots to their repertoire and have experienced scoring positively in Twenty20 and One-Day formats.”
Better understanding of the longest form
Playing positively can have a huge effect on the game’s outcome and in turn outright wins have a positive effect on cricketers. “Players are starting now to understand the game better tactically, through being forced to think more about scenarios and game situations, which is great learning,” Bradburn concluded.
