Why the fuss?

I'm astonished that the MCC saw it necessary to hold a meeting to discuss the legality of Kevin Pietersen's switch-hit today.

Thankfully, common sense prevailed and he has been given the green light to carry on hitting. Perhaps in time such a stroke may become commonplace, and the history of the game is littered with shots that gained popularity for a brief time or became a part of any self-respecting batsman's repertoire.

CB Fry had a penchant for smacking good length balls on off stump through mid on for four, looked on with dismay with some contemporaries who felt an off stump ball should, to be thoroughly decent, be despatched through the off side. Ranjitsinjhi had the draw, effectively a leg-glance played after lifting the leading leg. The hook was an answer to short pitched bowling on leg stump, while I don't recall seeing the upwards slash over slips for four before Tony Greig and Alan Knott used it to effect against Lillee and Thomson.

The reverse sweep has been acceptable for a few years now, and to my mind the switch is not especially different, except for it being hit in front of the wicket and needing a player of exceptional talent to play it well at the highest level.

The only problem will come for umpires when the batsman misses and it hits the pad. Should the lbw decision be based on the batsman as a right or left hander? That's one for the decision-makers, though to my mind the decision should be based on the stance of the batsman at the time the ball hit the pad.

Bowlers will feel hard done by, but when you think about it, there's no real difference between that and a fast bowler coming in from a long run and bowling a slower ball, or a spinner coming in and firing one in at the blockhole. A couple of comments in the national media have asked what was to stop the bowler changing the hand he bowls with to even things up. Well, the simple fact that bowlers declare what hand they are bowling with before doing so might be one, same as an intention to bowl under, rather than overarm.

Maybe what we need now is for someone to revive the lost art of lob bowling - under or over arm - with the ball disappearing into the outfield and beyond and bowlers returning such figures as 3-87 in 7 overs.

Some call it declaration bowling today. When the current fad for 20/20 wanes, look out for this as the next innovation. Scores of 400 in 20 overs will be commonplace. Remember, you read it here first...