The changes will apply to all international series that start on 1 October or later, with ongoing series played as per previous regulations. The International Cricket Council (ICC) has introduced a series of changes to its Playing Conditions, including new measures to address time-wasting, standardise ball specifications and clarify certain aspects of fielding. The updated Playing Conditions for Men and Women across all formats are now available in the Rules and Regulations section of the ICC website and incorporate changes to the MCC Laws of Cricket that come into effect today.
Pink Balls: As a trial, pink balls may be used in daytime Tests by mutual agreement to reduce loss of play due to bad light. Batters wasting time (men’s cricket): This playing condition has been refined. If a batter is not ready to face the ball within the prescribed time, a warning will be issued for the first offence, a final warning for the second, and five penalty runs awarded to the fielding side for the third and each subsequent offence. Code of Conduct provisions may also be invoked in case of repeated offences. Ball ‘finally settled’: The umpire will now have greater leeway in determining whether a ball is finally settled, which can often be extremely important, particularly on the final ball of a close game. The ball no longer must necessarily be in the bowler’s or wicketkeeper’s hands to be finally settled. The decision cannot be changed after the match has started. Switching from red to pink ball is also not allowed once the match has commenced.
The use of a pink ball must be agreed before the start of the Test and once agreed, must apply for the duration of the match.
Because it does not save time as the remaining deliveries still need to be bowled the next day, while it will also reward the fielding team and keep drama in the game, this change has been made.
Sourav Ganguly , ICC Men’s Cricket Committee Chair, said: “There are some important changes to the Playing Conditions, including provisions relating to cricket balls, greater clari/y around certain aspects of fielding and measures aimed at improving the pace of the game. Final over of a day’s play does not necessarily end at the fall of a wicket: Play will not automatically come to an end at the fall of a wicket in the last over of the day if that over has not been completed, if the weather and conditions are fit for play to continue. Wide ball: The leg-side wide trial has been added permanently to the ODI and T20I PCs. Mr. “These changes have been carefully considered to ensure the Playing Conditions continue to reflect the needs of the modern game while maintaining its integrity and consistency. I am pleased with the quality of the discussions throughout the process and the constructive approach taken by all the committee members. ICC Men’s Cricket Committee: Sourav Ganguly (Chair); Desmond Haynes, Hameed Hassan (Past Players); Temba Bavuma , VVS Laxman (Current Player Representatives); Jonathan Trott (Full Member Team Coach Representative), Paul Reiffel (Umpires’ Representative); Richie Richardson (ICC Referees’ Representative); Scott Edwards (Associate Members’ Representative); Shaun Pollock (Media Representative); Jay Shah (ICC Chairman, Ex Officio), Sanjog Gupta (ICC CEO, Ex Officio); David Kendix (Statistician); Freddie Young (Committee Secretary).
