New cricket rules must be closely tested

The changes that will be brought about in the International Cricket Conference (ICC) rules for cricketing nations from Thursday are far-reaching indeed. They will change the face of this popular sport as never before. Whether they would be for the good of the game only time will tell. There is need to instil discipline and to make the players respond to modern needs without in any way compromising the spirit of entertainment which is crucial to the game. Serious misconduct will invite deterrent punishment with a player being sent off for the rest of the match like in football. Within the purview of this will be threatening to assault an umpire, making inappropriate and deliberate physical contact with an umpire, assaulting any person or player and any other act of violence. It is not clear whether an appeal would lie to a higher authority. For instance, it may be open to interpretation whether an ‘inappropriate physical contact’ with an umpire is deliberate. Another reform is that the decision review system (DRS) in which a TV umpire reviews decisions made by umpires on the field will be allowed in Twenty-20 Internationals too in addition to Test and One-day matches in which it is allowed currently. To maintain balance between bat and ball, there are new restrictions on the size of bat edges and thickness. The permitted length and width of bats remains unchanged but the edges cannot be more than 40 mm thick and overall thickness cannot exceed 67 mm. Umpires will use a new gauge to check legality of bats. Another change is that while taking a catch, the fielder must either be grounded within the boundary or his last contact with the ground before first touching the ball must have been within the boundary. Significantly, a ball that is caught after it strikes helmet worn by a fielder or wicketkeeper will count as a catch. Another provision in the new rules is that a batsman can be stumped or be declared run out even if the ball had bounced off the helmet or fielder or wicketkeeper. It is debatable whether this is entirely fair. Also, a deliberate front foot ‘no-ball’ will disqualify a bowler for rest of the inning. The ‘deliberate’ in this may not actually be so. Clearly, the proof of the pudding would lie in its eating. The ICC must see how the new rules work and do a dispassionate review after some time.