Twitter reacts as ICC set to implement new rules

The ICC has announced numerous amendments which will hit the floor later this month. The changes will effect all the formats of the game. Restrictions on the thickness of the bat, license to the umpires to send violent players off the field and changes to the Decision Review System (DRS) are some of the notable modifications which will be experienced from 28th September onwards.

The ongoing series between India and Australia will be the last series under the existing ICC rules. The changes will be observed in the series between South Africa and Bangladesh, as well as the Test series between Pakistan and Sri Lanka onwards.

“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,” ICC general manager of cricket Geoff Allardice said.

“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.”

In a bid to “maintain the balance between bat and ball”, players will no longer be allowed to use bats with edges thicker than 40mm while the depth (the distance between the point on the back of the blade and the face) has been limited to 67mm, the ICC media release stated.

Interestingly, there will be few changes in the DRS going forward. In a Test innings, 2 unsuccessful reviews are allowed for each team in every 80 overs of play compared to 1 unsuccessful review in ODIs.

Below is the list of all the changes announced by the ICC:

•  Thickness of bats to be restricted; edges now limited to 40mm and overall depth limited to 67mm
• Players can now be sent off by umpires for serious or violent misconduct.
• Decision Review System changes: teams will no longer lose one of their allocated reviews when it is deemed to be ‘Umpire’s Call’ though they will not receive top-up reviews after 80 overs, as was previously the case in Test cricket. The DRS may now also be used in T20 Internationals.
• Tethered bails (bails attached to string) may now be used in a bid to prevent injuries like the one sustained by former South Africa ‘keeper Mark Boucher.
• A batter can now be recalled by umpires – or an appeal withdrawn by fielders – before the ensuing ball is bowled, even if the dismissed batter has left the field of play.
• Fielders intentionally deceiving or distracting a batsman (for example, mock fielding where a player pretends to throw or pick up a ball) can now be penalised.
• Bowlers deemed to have deliberately bowled a front foot no-ball will be barred from bowling for the remainder of the innings.
• A batter can no longer repeatedly take strike in the protected area of the pitch, just as a bowler cannot repeatedly follow through into the protected area under the existing rules.
• ‘Handled the ball’ is no longer a separate dismissal; it has been incorporated into the ‘obstructing the field’ law.
•  The number of named substitutes for international teams has been increased from four to six.
• Breaks in play (ie lunch or tea interval) are to be taken if a wicket falls within three minutes of an interval (previously two minutes).
• Byes and leg byes off no-balls to now be scored separately. Previously byes or leg byes off no-balls were all recorded as no-balls.
• In a rain-shortened match where an innings is reduced to 10 overs or less, a bowler’s maximum quota of overs won’t be reduced to less than two.