ICC set to debate coin toss, may scrap in 2019

NEW DELHI: The International Cricket Council (ICC) is set to debate and take a call over the coin toss. Cricket’s governing body is mulling over scrapping the coin toss altogether for matches contested as a part of the Test Championship, which will commence in 2019 with Australia’s Ashes tour to England.

The reason for doing away with the toss would be to reduce the advantage of the home team, with a growing belief among cricket fans and experts that home boards overly manipulate conditions to the point where there is far too much importance placed on the toss.

“There is serious concern about the current level of home team interference in Test pitch preparation, and more than one committee member believes that the toss should be automatically awarded to the visiting team in each match, although there are some others on the committee who do not share that view,” read briefing notes circulated ahead of the ICC committee meet in Mumbai later this month, according to an Espncricinfo report.

The groundwork for this rule was laid in the English County Championship in 2016, although it’s worth noting that the toss wasn’t altogether done away with; it was made optional.

Under the new rules, the visiting captain is given the choice of bowling first. If he accepts, there will be no toss. 13 9 4 0.319 12 8 4 0.383 13 7 6 -0.096 13 6 7 0.384 13 6 7 0.264 13 6 7 -0.399 13 6 7 -0.490 12 3 9 -0.478

*after RCB v SRH match