ABSTRACT
The introduction of the Twenty/20 format has often been taken as representing a corruption of cricket. By contrast, this article explores the way in which the limited overs format and especially Twenty/20 may have accentuated professionalism within the game. Limited overs cricket has forced teams to become more systematic and proficient in their fielding, batting and bowling encouraging a more scientific and rigorous approach to training. In order to explore this process of professionalisation, this article examines the development of the reverse sweep from a disparaged novelty to standard and much used part of the batting repertoire. The article compares Mike Gatting's infamous reverse sweep in the 1987 World Cup Final with Kevin Pietersen's successful execution of the shot against Muttiah Muralitharan in a test match at Edgbaston in 2006.
