If IPL start 'penalizing bowling team' like The Hundred, it would make a big difference, suggests David Gower

The inaugural edition of The Hundred received a lot of mixed reviews. While few have asked for various alterations regarding the rules of the tournament, others have lauded it for generating interest among cricket fans. The innovative 100-ball tournament introduced several rules including penalizing the bowling team to place an extra fielder in the circle for a slow over-rate, which makes the boundary line vulnerable, with one lesser fielder down there. 

David Gower has given his thumbs up to the rule of penalizing the bowling team for slow over-rate. The former English skipper suggested that if IPL borrows the penalizing rule from The Hundred, it will make a great difference in the game.

"If the IPL were to adopt that one idea from The Hundred, which is to penalize the fielding side if they're too slow, with field placing, that would make a difference to any game. So maybe that's one of the good ideas to come out of The Hundred," Gower told Cricket.com, reported HT.

The 64-year-old former batsman reckons fining players for slow over rates isn’t really a strict punishment as the cricketers are already paid handsomely.

"I don't get too upset by over rates. But it would be nice if people could stick to the over rates. There is no easy answer. They've tried fining people, but nowadays the odd bit of money disappearing doesn't seem to make a jot of difference to players, who are already incredibly well paid. Maybe this points thing is valid. Maybe you’ve got to fine the teams in a way that it works," Gower said.

In the inaugural edition of The Hundred in England, Southern Brave lost in the women’s final to Oval Invincibles but the men's team lifted the trophy after beating Birmingham Phoenix in the final on Saturday.