Brett Lee Advocates 'Free Throws' To Get Better Balance Between Batters And Bowlers

Former Australian fast bowler Brett Lee has urged organizers to make T20 pitches more bowler-friendly. Speaking at a press conference in New Delhi on Thursday, May 23, Lee expressed his love for entertaining cricket with plenty of sixes but emphasized the need for bowlers to have a fair chance in the game. This IPL season has witnessed an abundance of high-scoring matches.

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"I am all for sixes and batters getting out there and smoking balls all over the field. But there's gotta be something in it for the bowlers too," Brett Lee said.

"We've seen scores now from 265 to 270 to 277. It's really hard because most bowlers now go for 45 to 50 runs off four overs. So do we accept that bowlers are now happy with 9 to 10 runs per over? Or are we happy to say that the wickets have been a little bit better for the batsman? So a bit more for the bowlers is a bit more of a competition, but I still love seeing six hits because it's entertaining," he added.

Notably, three of the highest totals in IPL history were recorded in 2024, and this season has seen the highest number of sixes, with two games still to be played. During a press conference organized by the Legends Intercontinental T20 League, Lee remarked on the difficulty for bowlers with 250-run totals becoming increasingly common in T20 cricket.

Free throws for the Pacers

When asked how to prevent frequent high scores, Lee humorously suggested that bowlers should be allowed a free throw at the stumps if batters miss two balls in a row.

"I'm happy if we can do something like the free hit. The batsman gets a free hit right? So maybe if the batsman misses two balls in a row, the bowler gets to have a free throw at the stumps," Lee further added.

Also speaking at the panel, former Sri Lankan opener Tillakaratne Dilshan noted that shrinking ground sizes further challenge bowlers. He advocated for better pitches to assist bowlers, arguing that a balance between bat and ball is essential for a good game of cricket.

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