Dubai, 20 September (AGENCY)
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has made some more changes in the rules of the game, making the ban on the use of saliva to shine the ball permanent. These changes will be effective from October 1. The run-out by a bowler when a non-striker leaves the crease before throwing the ball has now been removed from the category of ‘unfair play’ and placed in the ‘run out’ category. Such run outs were earlier considered inappropriate and there was a lot of debate on such an action at times. It was supported by many players like Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin. In such a case, the batsman will now be considered run out.
These changes were recommended by the ICC Cricket Committee, headed by former India captain and President of the Cricket Board of India, Sourav Ganguly, which was announced by its Chief Executives Committee (CEC). Earlier, the ICC had temporarily banned the use of saliva to shine the ball in the wake of the Corona Pandemic. The custodian of the Laws of Cricket, the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), amended its rules in March 2022 to ban it altogether.
Fielder will also decrease in ODIs at slow over rate
In another major decision, the ICC said that the penalty for keeping a fielder short outside the 30-yard circle if the over rate is slow in T20s will now be implemented in ODIs as well. However, this rule will be implemented after the ICC Men’s World Cup Super League 2023.
- If the fielding team uses any unfair means during the bowler’s run-up, the umpire will call that ball a ‘dead ball’ and the batting team will be awarded five penalty runs.
- In Tests and ODIs, it will now be necessary for the new batsman to be ready to take the strike within two minutes.
