ACB to pursue changes to cricket playing conditions
The Australian Cricket Board (ACB) today announced that it is seeking a series of changes to the playing conditions for international cricket through the sport's governing body, the International Cricket Council (ICC).
The changes include:
The ACB's recommended changes have been made in a wide-ranging submission for the ICC's consideration along with those put forward by other countries.
The changes sought by the ACB are;
Test Cricket
As it currently stands, both teams must agree prior to the start of the series for the use of artificial light to supplement natural light. The ACB is seeking the automatic use of artificial light when needed, subject to the artificial lights meeting the necessary ICC standard.
As it currently stands, both teams must agree prior to a Test series for the use of "make-up time" on the next or subsequent days when more than one hour of playing time is lost. If this agreement is not reached, the time can not be regained.
Consistent with the rules employed in the Pura Cup, the ACB is seeking that the use of make-up time becomes compulsory.
The ACB is seeking to rectify an anomaly in the playing conditions where should the players not be on the field at the cessation of the days play due to weather, and the minimum number of overs not have been bowled, the overs not bowled are lost to the match.
Instead of this situation that ACB is seeking a change to the playing conditions to ensure that the remaining overs are made-up on following or subsequent days.
The ACB is seeking to ensure that where a game is abandoned due to the negligence of the Home Board's pitch or ground preparation, that the game shall be awarded to the visiting team. This change would require the Home Board to ensure that every effort is made to prepare and protect a suitable playing surface.
The ACB is seeking all boundaries to be designated by a rope or similar object approved by the ICC that is wherever practical 10 feet from any perimeter fencing or advertising signs.
One Day Cricket
The ACB is recommending that each team consist of 12 players, of which only eleven can be on the field at one time and one of whom shall not be permitted to bat.
The ACB is seeking to ensure that the maximum amount of playing time is available in an interrupted match, by confirming that extra time is made available in both innings.
Consistent with the practice adopted in the Mercantile Mutual Cup, the ACB is seeking to have an additional fielding restriction imposed during the period between overs 16 to 30, allowing only four fielders outside the designated zone. Currently during this period, five fielders are permitted in this area.
The ACB is seeking to have fast bowlers permitted to bowl one short-pitched ball per over.
In one-day international series involving three or more teams, the ACB is seeking the adoption of the bonus point system used in the Mercantile Mutual Cup. That is, where a team achieves a run rate 1.25 times its opposition, it shall be awarded a bonus point.
Associated with this change would be a revision of the points awarded in these series to be:
| Win | = | 4 points |
| Tie or no result | = | 2 points |
| Loss | = | no points |
| Bonus Point | = | 1 point |
Under the current playing conditions, the team bowling first is able to be penalised both financially and by reducing the number of overs from which to score its runs if it fails to complete its overs in the allocated time.
The team bowling second only faces a financial penalty and this appears to be an insufficient deterrent to slow play.
As is currently used in the Mercantile Mutual Cup, the ACB is proposing that the team bowling second face a penalty of six runs per over for every over not completed within the prescribed time, as well as having to bowl the necessary overs to complete its allocation or to get a result.
Additional Recommendations
Following on from recent experience with the available technology that has proved inconclusive, the ACB is seeking that the ability of an umpire to refer a caught decision to the Third Umpire be withdrawn and that the umpires on the field be the sole arbitrators in these decisions.
The changes to the playing conditions sought by the ACB have arisen from a process of consultation with the State Associations, State Captains and Coaches and the Australian Cricketer's Association and are designed to improve the way in which the game of cricket is played.
Decisions on the playing conditions for international cricket are made by the ICC's Cricket Committee (Playing) chaired by Sunil Gavaskar and including Australia's Allan Border as a member. This committee will meet in May to consider submissions from a number of cricketing countries. No decision will be made on any changes to the playing conditions for interstate cricket until after the ICC has made its decisions.
© 2001 Australian Cricket Board
| Teams | Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, West Indies, Zimbabwe. Kenya. |
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