Australia's captain at the 1975 World Cup drives home a point — there's no better way to contain a batsman than to send him back to the pavilion

One-Day captaincy can be a mass of contradiction; in many ways it's easier than a Test match but in other respects it's more demanding.

The game of one-day cricket often tells you how to play the game. The same applies to captaincy; some times there's no choice but to attack and at other times the best option is containment. However, a good captain is always on the lookout for wickets.

It's often said an ODI is about containment. Well there's no better way to contain a batsman, especially a topclass player, than to send him back to the pavilion. The best times to mount a strong attack are with the new ball and when a batsman arrives at the crease.

If you don't attack in those situations then when are you going to mount a challenge?


Ricky Ponting calls the shots during the 2007 WC final against Sri Lanka in Barbados. PIC/GETTY IMAGES

Attacking cricket is like a chameleon; it can come in many different colours. In some conditions on the sub-continent it may involve using a spinner early or placing catching men in front rather than behind the wicket. However, a good captain is always looking for an opportunity to attack.

The hardest part of captaincy is when runs are at a premium. Then the captain has to balance the difficult art of saving runs while still letting the opposing batsmen know their wicket is at risk. One area where captaincy can be improved in the late overs of an ODI is by utilising a slip. A deep and slightly wider slip fieldsman in the late overs can not only catch an edge but occasionally save a boundary.


Clive Lloyd holds aloft the Prudential Cup in 1975 after beating Australia
at the Lord's Cricket Ground.

When a batsman is trying to play an expansive drive, the finer edges often travel at catchable height and beat the third man fielder. The best way to limit the damage is to employ a slip. The same ploy can be used when a spinner is bowling, especially to a batsman new at the crease.

Captains also need to avoid falling asleep in the middle overs of an ODI. When a batsman's preference is to push for singles rather than attack the bowling, why leave large spaces in the infield? A fourth grader could manufacture regular singles in those circumstances and it defies the captaincy adage of "never give an opponent an easy run".

This is the main reason why the middle overs of ODI matches are perceived as boring. Playing into the batsman's hands is poor captaincy and should be a sackable offence.

There's no doubt employing aggressive tactics is more difficult with the improvements to the modern bat. However, this is often used as an excuse by nervous captains and the good ones retain fielders to grab the mis-hits that stay in the field of play.

Good captaincy in any form of the game requires cricket commonsense, a high priority on taking wickets and a slice of luck. The brave captains are always the lucky ones.