It's not only the stroke range that has dramatically evolved in short format batting but also the mental approach. Contrast the somnambulistic approach of Essex's Brian Ward in a 1969 40-over game with England's record-breaking assault on the Australian bowling in the Trent Bridge ODI. Ward decided that Somerset off-spinner Brian Langford was the danger man in the opposition attack and eight consecutive maidens resulted to hand the bowler the never-to-be-repeated figures of 8-8-0-0. On the other hand England's batsmen displayed no such inhibitions in rattling up 481 off 50 overs, as Australia's bowlers, headed by A J Tye 9-0-100-0, were pummelled.

Always a danger
Nevertheless one thing has remained constant in the short formats; a wariness around spin bowling, although currently it's more likely to be the wrist variety than finger spin. The list of successful wrist-spinners in short format cricket is growing rapidly and there have been some outstanding recent performances. Afghanistan's Rashid Khan was equal leading wicket-taker in the BBL; England's Adil Rashid [along with spin bowling companion Moeen Ali], took the most wickets in the recent whitewash of Australia; and in successive T20I's against England, India's duo of Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav have claimed the rare distinction of a five-wicket haul. It's a trail of destruction that have would gladdened the heart of Bill 'Tiger' O'Reilly, a great wrist-spinner himself and the most insistent promoter of the art there has ever been.