FanCode ECS Sweden Stockholm provides an opportunity for ten teams to showcase their skills, contesting 48 games over 12 days. Every game will be live streamed worldwide on the European Cricket Network and on FanCode - a multi-sport aggregator platform, from the house of Dream Sports for the Indian Sub-Continent.
With the tied game between Umea and Forenom Royals on Day 2 of the Fancode ECS Sweden Stockholm, the Golden Ball in Fancode ECS has reached an even split: 10 games won by the team batting and 10 by the bowling side.
Interestingly, in 2021, the record is three wins for the side batting first and seven wins for the chasing side.
An innovative concept, the Golden Ball replaces the Super Over in Fancode ECS with one extra ball added to the second innings in the event of a tie to decide the winner. If the batting side scores two runs off that ball, they win the game, or else they lose.
The brainchild behind the Golden Ball, European Cricket League commentator and presenter Vinny Sandhu, states that the Golden Ball is "not necessarily better in all aspects" compared to a Super Over, but "a great way to finish the game in a short-format match".
"I’ve seen super over tiebreakers take 20 minutes and we just don’t have that kind of time to spare. Also, super overs quite often don’t go down to the last ball so they can finish with a bit of a whimper," Vinny says.
After 20 Golden Balls, including the one on Wednesday, the overall ECS Fancode record is evenly split, a good indicator that the system is functioning fair and square.
"It’s obviously a great indication that it’s a pretty even contest between bat and ball - you can’t get any closer than that! I also think it rewards teams who have taken more wickets in an innings because it doesn’t allow batsmen dismissed to return for the Golden Ball. I have people tell me it favours one side or the other in about even numbers, so I suppose that in itself tells you that it’s a coin flip! Generally whoever handles the pressure and the moment better will prevail. I just love all the tension and excitement peaking as the bowler runs in to deliver the Golden Ball. I’ve never felt anything like it in over thirty years of following cricket," Vinny exclaims.
