Stars could be sent off in the Ashes!
Umpires given power to eject players for violence
England and australia will have to watch their manners during this winter’s ashes after the introduction of new laws giving umpires the power to send off players.
For the first time, cricket officials will enjoy a range of disciplinary measures after MCC — the laws’ custodians — confirmed changes to be introduced at the start of October.
Sanctions include the addition of five penalty runs and, for serious offences, such as ‘committing any act of violence’, the ejection of players, either temporarily or for the rest of the game.
There is nothing in the new Code of laws, approved by MCC last month, governing punches thrown in nightclubs. But when the first Test begins at Brisbane on november 23, there will be more attention than usual on feisty australian opener david Warner, who connected with Joe Root’s chin in Birmingham’s Walkabout during the 2013 Champions Trophy. With Ben Stokes, Jimmy anderson and australian captain Steve Smith not known for their reticence either, the possibilities are endless.
Plans to empower umpires have been under discussion for a while following a spate of incidents at club level, with successful trials last summer in a handful of highlevel club matches and games between university sides.
The move will bring cricket into line with other major sports, where punishments can be applied instantly, although the ICC insist that their code of conduct, with its emphasis on retrospective bans, is effective.
Red and yellow cards have been resisted, while umpires will ask the captain to remove his own player from the field, in keeping with the tradition of a captain being responsible for his players.
In another sign of the sport’s attempts to keep pace with the modern world, the new Code of laws — the first to be issued since 2000 — will be gender-neutral, with ‘he/she’ replacing ‘he’.
But the word ‘ batsman’ will remain, because, according to an MCC statement, ‘it is seen as a term of the game that is equally applicable to females’.
The dimensions of the bat will also be limited following fears that technology has assisted batsmen more than bowlers. From October 1, professionals will have to ensure their bat conforms with a gauge measuring 108mm in width, 67mm in depth and 40mm at the edges.
Meanwhile, Chris Woakes has called on England’s middle order to take more of the strain after his unbeaten 68 from no 8 secured their one-day series win over West Indies in antigua on Sunday.
Woakes, who added an unbeaten 102 for the seventh wicket with Joe Root after his team-mates had collapsed to 124 for six against spin, said: ‘The fact we bat so deep is a good thing, but we don’t want to leave it to the lower order the whole time. It would be nice to watch from the dressing-room occasionally.
‘Hopefully we can win in Barbados and take a 3-0 win back home. That will breed confidence going into the summer.’
England will take part in the first day/night Test for women as they attempt to regain the ashes down Under. The four-day game will take place under lights at the north Sydney Oval, starting on november 9, and is part of a multi-format series also including three 50-over and three Twenty20 internationals.