Cricket Makeover Comes Next Year :Come October 1, 2017, The Gentlemen Game cricket is set to join sports like hockey and football which allow players to be removed from the field for misconduct.
In the case of cricket, players will be sent off for serious disciplinary breaches like threatening an umpire, physically assaulting a player, umpire, official or spectator, or any other act of violence.
Another major change would be restricting the size of the bat – which currently varies widely, giving batsmen an unfair advantage -was the other major recommendation of the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) World Cricket Committee.
At a recent press conference at the Wankhede , The Committee’s Chairman, former England Captain Mike Brearley along with two other members, Pakistan’s opener turned commentator Rameez Raja and former Australian Captain , batting legend Ricky Ponting – explained the raison d’être behind the panel’s revolutionary decisions. Being a formality the recommendations need to be approved by the main MCC committee.
The Marylebone Cricket Club, headquartered at Lord’s in London, is the custodian of the laws of the game.
Cricket Makeover Comes Next Year : The Dreaded Red Card
“In a survey in England, 40 percent of the umpires said that they were considering giving up umpiring because of verbal abuse. Anecdotal evidence from people who are familiar with leagues in parts of England say that the behavior has gotten worse.
The umpires have to be respected and given the best possible chance and I think cricket is the only game in which there isn’t this possibility of an in-match punishment or deterrent,” said Brearley.
Raja agreeing with Brearley said, “This is a pretty drastic change to the law. It was about giving in-house power to the umpire. It is the second or the third tier which is causing a lot of stress, the club matches and the lower tier games and so it was felt that something had to be done,” .
Cricket Makeover Comes Next Year : Bat Size Does Matter
To restore balance between the bat and ball, the panel has recommended limiting the maximum width of the edge (up to 40mm) and depth (up to 67mm) of a bat.
Justifying the decision to limit the bat size, the Australian Great Ricky Ponting said that 60 percent of the world’s professional players supported the decision to limit them to 40mm on edges and 67mm for depths, including 7mm for curvature
“We want to limit the edges to 38-42 mm. Some of the players have edges in excess of 50mm.We’re happy with what we have come up with. It will restore the balance between bat and ball. We’ve seen top-edges and leading edges going for sixes. Even with the limit in bat size, big-hitters can still clear the ropes,” the former Australian captain Brearley said.
Cricket Makeover Comes Next Year : Stump and Catch
The committee also recommends that catches off a fielder’s helmet be allowed. Under the existing law, catches and stumpings are not permitted if the ball touches any part of the helmet worn by a fielder or wicket-keeper.
