Why is NUL cricket only 45 overs long?

[Craig]

Judging by the scorecards I have read, the Norwich Union League is very entertaining with scores like 335 in 45 overs by Hampshire recently. So I would like to know, why is the NUL only 45 overs long for each innings? Wouldnt it be more logical to make it 50 over cricket, since ODI cricket is 50 overs long each innings.

Thoughts please.

 

[Mr. P]

335 off 45. why would the bowlers even bother? i've never heard of NUL, but I would like to know...

 

[Craig]

The NUL is the Norwich Union League is England's main one-day competition ahead of the C & G throphey which I believe is kept purely on its history (this year is its 40th year) and Twenty20 is a new comp.

The NUL is has coloured clothing, white ball and day night cricket. Lehman has done ver, very well in it.

 

[Mr. P]

thanks. i thought the C & G was the main one though. when are NUL games played?

 

[Craig]

During the same season as the four-day cricket.

 

[Mr. P]

thanks. are they weekly or what? do the same players who play C & G play this?

 

[Craig]

Yes

 

[Mr. P]

Yes

great answer. very smooth.

 

[Neil Pickup]

I have no idea why it's 45 overs.

You can blame that 335 solely on the total ineptitude of Somerset's bowlers and the flatness of the Taunton pitch.

It's basically the One Day equivalent of the County Championship.

And it's not called the NUL anymore as Norwich Union no longer sponsor it, it's the NCL (National Cricket League).

 

[Langeveldt]

Yeah the NCL is the equivalent of the Mercantile Mutual cup? in aus, and the Standard Bank trophy in SA..


I have no idea why it was just 45 overs - 50 overs would be just to sensible i guess..

335 was scored probably because it was in the mid-high thirties temperature and an insanely quick outfield. Backed up by Somersets usual lacklustre bowling talent....

 

[Mr. P]

Yeah the NCL is the equivalent of the Mercantile Mutual cup? in aus, and the Standard Bank trophy in SA..

um, mate its called the ING cup now, because ING took over mercantile.

 

[Langeveldt]

um, mate its called the ING cup now, because ING took over mercantile.

Ah thats the one.

 

[luckyeddie]

It started as 40 overs - the history of the competition goes back to the 'International Cavaliers' challenges broadcast on Sunday afternoons in the 1960s.

The idea of that duration was that play could get under way at 2.00 pm and the game would be over before the evening church services started (a very powerful lobby in England at the time was the 'Lord's Day Observance Society' - i.e. most of the Bishops in the House of Lords and half of the Tory Party).

Eventually, with the advent of Sunday porfessional football (which only came about during the coalminers' strike and the enforced 'three day week') the rules on Sunday entertainment were relaxed somewhat.

Over the last few years, it's drifted out to 45 overs a side (until a couple of years ago, most games were still played on a Sunday and so kicked off around 1.00 pm).

Now, there seems no logic in keeping it at that length (similarly, there's no logic in keeping the C&G at 55).

 

[Craig]

I had no idea that Norwich Union doesnt no longer sponsor it. I never noticed.

Mr Ponting,

If you visit cricinfo.com or some othe sporting sites that give out cricket results will tell you.

 

[Mr. P]

what? i'm half-asleep here. i DO go to cricinfo, and also baggygreen. NUL games don't seem to be posted there.

 

[Craig]

Look under National roundup.

 

[Mr. P]

ok. you were right. when was i ever going to look at national roundup?

 

[SpaceMonkey]

(similarly, there's no logic in keeping the C&G at 55).

The C&G is 50 overs a side, its not being 55 overs for a good few years now.
I think the NCL is 45 overs so that they can start later on in the day to give more people the chance to come see them.
Also it shortens the 'boring middle' of one day games by 5 overs as the start is still 15 overs of fielding restrictions and the end is still the same run glut So its just 5 less overs of teams trying to tick the board along.

 

[luckyeddie]

The C&G is 50 overs a side, its not being 55 overs for a good few years now.

True - brain couldn't have been in gear that day.
Comes from watching this game since it was 65 overs a side (shudder).

 

[marc71178]

Also it shortens the 'boring middle' of one day games by 5 overs as the start is still 15 overs of fielding restrictions and the end is still the same run glut So its just 5 less overs of teams trying to tick the board along.

So why don't they do that in ODI's as well then?

If they don't, we should be playing 50 over cricket, every other side seems to.