ECB to let concussed players be replaced

Teams across all four professional domestic cricket competitions in England will be allowed to replace concussed players during matches, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said yesterday after it approved rule changes for the new season.

The incoming player, who will be allowed to bat and bowl, must be deemed a “like for like” replacement by the Cricket Liaison Officer appointed for the match, or by the on-field umpires if the ECB’s representative is not present.

“This is a change made in the interests of player safety and health,” ECB chief medical officer Nick Peirce said in a statement on the governing body’s website (www.ecb.co.uk).

The new rules come into play for the County Championship, the Royal London Cup, the Vitality Blast and the Kia Super League this season.

Meanwhile, England skipper Joe Root has warned that their all-rounder Ben Stokes must be on his “best behaviour” when he returns to the Test arena against New Zealand or risk getting a demerit point that could lead to a ban ahead of the first Test.

Stokes has not played Test cricket since an incident outside a Bristol nightclub last September led to him being charged with affray. He currently has three active International Cricket Council demerit points to his name and a further offence in the Auckland test will activate an automatic one-match suspension.

Root said he wanted to be sure that Stokes would be available to play for a run of matches. “You want to make sure, not just that [your players’ behaviour] is sitting well with you, but they’re able to be on the field for the next game and next series.”

The new rules come into play for the County Championship, the Royal London Cup, the Vitality Blast and the Kia Super League.