Free hit rule will kill bowlers, fears Ranatunga

COLOMBO: Cricket is a game where the dice heavily loaded in favour of the batsmen and the new 'Free Hit' rule would just kills the bowlers, fears former Sri Lanka captain Arjuna Ranatunga.

Ranatunga feels the new rule would leave the bowlers at the mercy of the batsmen and that's just not good for the game.

"(The new ICC) rules seem to be fine but I am not a big fan of the free hit rule.

"It will just kill the bowlers", Ranatunga was quoted as saying by 'The Island' newspaper.

The 'Free Hit' rule was applied in the Twenty20 World Cup and it made its ODI debut during the India-Australia match in Bangalore.

The rule states that after the bowlers had overstepped, front foot or back foot, the next ball would be a free hit where the batsman can be dismissed only by run out.

Sri Lanka's lone World Cup winning captain also dismissed the notion that it was meant to please the crowd and said ODIs already offer a plenty of entertainment for the spectators.

"So why do you want to cripple the bowlers further?" he asked.