The report by Cricket Australia saying that fast bowlers risk injury if they bowl more than 20-30 overs per week is an eye opener. The amount of cricket played these days is too much and increases the earnings of the organisers and the players. We have seen injuries to spin bowlers and batsmen as well. Before the ODI era teams used to play 5 tests in the summer and may be a return series in the other country making it about 10 tests per year. In 10 years of international cricket they used to play about 50 to 75 tests. The record books show that the players of the previous generation rarely exceeded 100 tests in their careers. Every one today plays a 100 tests or more. ODIs are much more. So the number of centuries scored and wickets taken are increasing for each player. Alongwith the workload comes injury. All countries must have more players inducted into the national side and should not exceed the maximum desirable workload.
However 20 to 30 overs per week seems too restrictive. In one test leading bowlers may bowl 40 or 50 overs. Wesley Hall/Alan Davidson bowled many more. Are we physically weaker than the earlier generation? This may revive spin bowling too.
