Batting powerplays gone from ODIs
MELBOURNE: Batting powerplays have been scrapped from one-day international cricket and field restrictions relaxed to provide some relief to bowlers who were set upon mercilessly at the World Cup.
At its annual conference in Barbados, the International Cricket Council (ICC) ratified a number of proposed changes to the 50over format, which come into effect from July 5.
Among them, the requirement to post catching fielders within the 30-yard circle in the first 10 overs has been dropped and five fielders will be allowed outside of it in the last 10 overs, rather than the previous maximum of four.
“We have thoroughly reviewed the ODI format after a very successful ICC Cricket World Cup,” ICC Chief Executive David Richardson said in a statement.
“There was no need to make any radical changes to what has proved to be a vibrant and popular format but we wanted to take this opportunity to make the format simpler and easier to follow for the public as well as maintaining a balance between bat and ball.”
In another notable change, all no-balls by bowlers will hand a free hit to batters, as opposed to just foot-faults.
Though Australia paceman Mitchell Starc was named the best player of the World Cup, batsmen reigned supreme in most matches where innings scores regularly breached 350 runs and occasionally surpassed 400.
The ICC are looking at the size and build of bats which have sometimes compounded bowlers’ misery by sending mis-hits sailing over boundary ropes for six.
Richardson also said the ICC might “tamper” with the seam on balls to see if bowlers could garner any additional aid.
“There is a view if we sanction or look at some change to the thickness or the depth of seam it might actually be what we are looking forward to give the seam bowlers a little bit more help, also aid swing and to enable the spinners to get more grip and to spin the ball more if we tamper with the seam,” Richardson said in comments posted on espncricinfo.com.
Suspended
The USA Cricket Association’s (USACA) membership of the International Cricket Council (ICC) has been suspended with immediate effect, the sport’s governing body said on Friday.
The decision to suspend USACA was made after findings set out in an ICC review group report expressed “significant concerns about the governance, finance, reputation and cricketing activities of USACA.
“The ICC Board has made this difficult decision in the best interest of the game and all cricketers in the USA,” ICC chairman Narayanaswami Srinivasan said in a statement.
“The country has tremendous potential but because of governance, financial and cricketing challenges, the opportunity to grow the game is not being properly nurtured.”
The suspension means USACA will not get ICC funding but the sport’s governing body said the U.S. will be able to play in next month’s ICC World Twenty20 qualifiers in Ireland and Scotland.
The ICC board put USACA on notice in January hoping it would urgently address and improve areas identified as weaknesses but the ICC believes the response has been inadequate.
To have its suspension lifted and membership reinstated, the ICC said USACA must demonstrate that conditions relating to governance, finance and its cricket activities have been addressed and remedied in full.
In another notable change, all no-balls by bowlers will hand a free hit to batters, as opposed to just foot-faults. ICC are looking to size and build of bats too ...