The International Cricket Council (ICC) has introduced a number of changes to its playing conditions which will be effective in all series, starting September 28 or later.
The significant changes include a restriction on the dimensions of the bat, the introduction of player send-offs for misconduct and changes to the Decision Review System, all of which will commence from the two upcoming Test series – when South Africa hosts Bangladesh and the one between Pakistan and Sri Lanka in the United Arab Emirates. The ICC playing conditions will now incorporate the relevant clauses from the MCC Laws of Cricket (2017 Code), meaning that all the playing regulations will be captured in one document for each format.
ICC General Manager – Cricket, Geoff Allardice said, “Most of the changes to the ICC playing conditions are being made as a result of changes to the Laws of Cricket that have been announced by the MCC. We have just completed a workshop with the umpires to ensure they understand all of the changes and we are now ready to introduce the new playing conditions to international matches.”
ICC’s New Playing Rules
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01
Players to be sent off the field like Football
Players to be sent off for rest of the match for serious misconduct on field. This rule takes into consideration players behaviour on the field and towards umpires. Threat to assault umpire, inappropriate contact with umpire, assaulting a player or any other person to come under this rule.
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02
Curbs on bat dimensions
The restriction on the length and width of bats remain unchanged but the thickness of the edges can’t be more than 40mm and the overall depth can be 67 mm at the most. Umpires will be issued with a new bat gauge, which they can use to check a bat’s legality
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03
Changes in DRS rule
A review will now not be lost in case of a decision that remains unchanged, solely as the result of an ‘umpire’s call’. “As for DRS in Test matches, there will be no more top-up reviews after 80 overs of an innings, meaning that there can only be two unsuccessful reviews in each innings, while the DRS will now also be allowed to be used in T20Is
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04
Run out rule modified
If batsman is running or diving and has grounded his bat behind the popping crease but subsequently lost contact with the ground, batsman will not be run out
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05
Boundary catches rules
For boundary catches, airborne fielders making first contact with ball will need to have taken off from within the boundary, otherwise a boundary will be scored.
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06
Close in catching rule changed
A batsman can now be out caught, stumped or run out even if the ball bounces off the helmet worn by a fielder or wicket-keeper
