ICC looking to develop harsher punishments for balltampering
KOLKATA: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has asked an internal panel to suggest harsher punishment for balltampering and other misbehaviour by players in its bid to establish a ‘‘culture of respect’’, chief executive Dave Richardson said yesterday.
The game’s image was sullied in Cape Town last month when Australia batsman Cameron Bancroft was caught on camera tampering with the ball during the series against South Africa.
Bancroft, captain Steve Smith and opener David Warner were handed hefty bans by Cricket Australia.
Addressing a news conference after an ICC board meeting, Richardson said the punishments under its code of conduct for such misbehaviour were inadequate.
‘‘We want penalties in place which act as proper deterrent. Fines are not proving to be the answer.’’
ICC’s cricket committee, chaired by former India captain Anil Kumble, will review the ICC code of conduct and recommend suitable punishments for rogue behaviour.
‘‘We’ve got the spirit of cricket in the laws but we need to define it in the modern day and age,’’ Richardson, a former South Africa player, said.
‘‘Both the CEC [chief executive’s committee] and the board were very supportive of trying to develop a culture of respect across the game, both on the field and off the field.
‘‘Hopefully, through these actions of reviewing the code of conduct and developing a culture of respect . . . we will achieve that goal.’’
Borrowing from football, with its red and yellow cards, and handing out instant punishment would be considered, although Richardson was sceptical of using cards.
‘‘I’m not convinced that it would as easy to implement as it is in other sports.’’
The quarterly ICC meeting acknowledged twenty20 cricket as the vehicle to globalise the English game, deciding to grant international status to all 20overs matches between its members.
Richardson said it could prove a major step towards cricket’s Olympic inclusion at the 2028 Games in Los Angeles.
The governing body approved a new future tours programme for the 201923 cycle, which replaces the 2021 Champions Trophy with a world twenty20, less than a year after Australia hosts the 2020 edition of the event.
Richardson said was not ideal but there was no other window in the crammed calendar. — Reuters