Power plays are a terrible invention.

They make IPL games more fun to watch when Tendulkar and Jayasuriya are flailing it to all parts.

But the whole idea seems so contrived and, well... restricted (at least to a declaration loving traditionalist like me).

Nevertheless, as my own (50 over) league has brought in a fielding circle this season and it's a staple of Twenty20 cricket at every level, it's time to look how the pros do it.

Mainly because we don't want to make the same mistakes as they do.

Pinch hitting or building a foundation, pacemen or spinners, along the ground or over the top?

All have been used with success by different teams at different times.

And that's the rub: There is no one tactic that is best suited to all teams in all conditions.

If you try and crowbar in a tactic you are not up to just because it's in fashion then you will end up having a disastrous first 6 (or 10, or 20) overs.

It's a mistake the England ODI side have been making on and off for years (see the long quest to try and replace the aggressive Marcus Trescothick at the top of the order).

What is a good power play about?

Tactics are only as good as the player's ability to make them work. If the opening batsmen are a pair of slow plodders there is not much chance of you smashing 60 in the T20 power play.

That's why you have to adapt to what you can do.

Look at the strengths of your batsmen and bowlers and decide which tactic best fits them.

Then make sure those players are totally clear as to what their role is (according to Shane Warne and Jeremy Snape it was the secret of the Rajasthan Royals IPL success in the inaugural season).

That's far more likely to succeed because it's not the tactics that score the runs and take the wickets. It's the players.

And that's a tactic that is universal. It works at any level, in any conditions and in any country because it's adaptable.

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image credit: Dan...