In a sickle cutting system, it has been found that a significant increasein ground speed while maintaining an acceptable level of cutting efficiency asmeasured by the average stubble length can be obtained by a combination of oneormore of the features where the cutting stroke is reduced from the conventionallength of 3.0 inches to a value of the order of 2.0 inches； the length of thecuttingedge of each knife blade is increased to a length greater than 2.2 inches； thewidthat the rear of the ledger surface of each guard is increased to greater than1.0inches； and the front edge of the blade is formed with an apex to shed cropmaterialto one or other side of the apex.
