The toss should be replaced by the bid

India's coach, Greg Chappell, is concerned reflecting the general view, that the conditions could heavily favour the team that wins the toss and bowls first.

Winning or losing the Toss in a cricket match can make a dramatic difference to the result and reduces the importance of skill not just in One Day games but also in Test matches.

Even more important than the actual effect that a lucky Toss has on a result is the perception that winning the toss is cruicial.

I have often heard a losing captain complain “It was an important toss to win”.

Cricket is now too important to still be a game of chance. The game has moved on from home umpires. Cricket now has a third umpire with video evidence.

I recommend that The Toss to choose to bat or field should be replaced by The Bid.

I suggest that the two captains should bid in runs for the right to elect to bat or field first. The team with the higher bid wins the right to elect.

The runs bid are awarded to the opposing side as Bid-Byes.

Bids should be for a minimum of Zero.

Should both captains bid the same number of runs then there will be a coin toss as currently but with the winner forfeiting the runs bid.

Example
Method 1 – closed bids

In a sealed envelope, the captain of Team A Bids 30 runs.

In a sealed envelope, the captain of Team B Bids 10 runs.

The captain of Team A has the right to elect to bat or field.

30 runs are awarded to Team B as bid byes.

If the sealed bids are tied then the coin is tossed. But the winner has the right to elect and the loser receives bid bye runs of the amount of the tied bids.

Method 2 - open auction

To create more theatre bids could be as in an open auction with the umpire asking for bids in jumps of 5 runs.

“Who bids 5 runs?

The captain of Team A raises his hand first.

Then to the captain of Team B the umpire asks: “Do you bid 10 runs?

If the captain of Team B answers “yes” to the captain of Team A the umpire asks: “Do you bid 15 runs?

And so on until a captain declines to bid more.

The winning captain has the right to elect to bat or field and the losing captain’s team receives bid bye runs of the amount of the bid.

I would recommend the Method 2 - open auction – as providing more theatre and tension

Warren Edwardes