ICC announces new cricket rules, makes saliva ban permanent: ‘Mankading’ no more ‘unfair play’

DUBAI Sept 20: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced several changes to its Playing Conditions after the Chief Executives’ Committee (CEC) ratified recommendations from the Sourav Ganguly-led Men’s Cricket Committee.

The ICC also said that “an incoming batter will now be required to be ready to take strike within two minutes in Tests and ODIs, while the current threshold of ninety seconds in T20Is remains unchanged.”

Regarding run-outs at non-striker’s end, the ICC said the playing conditions will follow “the Laws in moving this method of effecting a Run out from the ‘Unfair Play’ section to the ‘Run out’ section.”

Among other changes to the Playing Conditions, the ICC said some part of the striker’s bat or person has to remain within the pitch and “should they venture beyond that, the umpire will call and signal Dead ball.”

The use of saliva to polish the ball was on Tuesday banned permanently as the ICC announced a slew of changes to its Playing Conditions, which will come into effect on October 1. The game’s governing body also changed running out of the non-striker by the bowler from the ‘Unfair Play’ section to the ‘Run out’ section.

The changes were announced after the Chief Executives’ Committee (CEC) ratified recommendations made by the ICC Cricket Committee, led by former India captain and BCCI president Sourav Ganguly.

The ICC had earlier barred use of saliva to shine the ball in view of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Custodian of cricket laws, the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) in March had completely banned its application in its amendments to the 2022 code.

“This prohibition has been in place for over two years in international cricket as a Covid-related temporary measure and it is considered appropriate for the ban to be made permanent,” the ICC said in a statement.

Regarding the position of the new batter at the crease when his teammate is caught, the ICC said: “When a batter is out Caught, the new batter will come in at the end the striker was, regardless of whether the batters crossed prior to the catch being taken.”

The game’s governing body also said that “an incoming batter will now be required to be ready to take strike within two minutes in Tests and ODIs, while the current threshold of ninety seconds in T20Is remains unchanged.”

Regarding run-outs at non-striker’s end, the ICC said the playing conditions will follow “the Laws in moving this method of effecting a Run out from the ‘Unfair Play’ section to the ‘Run out’ section.”

Earlier, running out a non-striker for backing up too much was considered unfair but such dismissals have often triggered heated debates on spirit of the game with several players such as off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin advocating for it as a fair mode of dismissal.

Among other changes to the Playing Conditions, the ICC said some part of the striker’s bat or person has to remain within the pitch and “should they venture beyond that, the umpire will call and signal Dead ball.”

“Any ball which would force the batter to leave the pitch will also be called ‘No ball’,” it said.

The apex body also said, “any unfair and deliberate movement while the bowler is running in to bowl could now result in the umpire awarding five penalty runs to the batting side, in addition to a call of Dead ball.”

In another change, the practice of bowlers throwing the ball towards striker’s end before delivery in an attempt to run-out the batter will not be considered now.

“Previously, a bowler who saw the batter advancing down the wicket before entering their delivery stride, could throw the ball to attempt to Run out the striker. This practice will now be called a Dead ball,” he said.

In another major decisions, ICC said the penalty of having one fielder less outside the 30-yard circle in T20s if teams fail to keep up with the scheduled time and are guilty of slow overrate will now be adopted in ODIs as well.

“The in-match penalty introduced in T20Is in January 2022, (whereby the failure of a fielding team to bowl their overs by the scheduled cessation time leads to an additional fielder having to be brought inside the fielding circle for the remaining overs of the innings), will now also be adopted in ODI matches after the completion of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League in 2023.”

“I was pleased with the productive contribution of the Committee members which resulted in key recommendations being made. I thank all members for their valuable input and suggestions,” Ganguly said.

The ICC’s playing condition rule changes will come into effect from Oct 1.

Here are the rule and its implication on the teams:

Rule 1. Batters returning when caught: When a batter is out caught, the new batter will come in at the end the striker is, regardless of whether the batters crossed prior to the catch being taken.

Implication: In close games, this rule will be gold dust for the bowling teams. Often when the last couple of wickets are left and at least one established batter at the non-striker’s end, normally during a catch the crossing over would give a distinct advantage to the set batter. But the rule change means that at the fall of the ninth wicket due to a catch, No. 11 will have to take strike.

Rule 2: Use of saliva to polish the ball: This prohibition has been in place for over two years in international cricket as a Covid-related temporary measure, and it is considered appropriate for the ban to be made permanent.

Implication: The saliva is heavier than body sweat and over decades, it has helped bowlers use it as one of the methods to keep the shine on one side and make it heavier as the other side scruffs up. That is how reverse swing came into play and if one looks at the Test matches in the last two years, conventional swing is taking over reverse in red ball format.

Rule 3: Incoming batter ready to face the ball: An incoming batter will now be required to be ready to take strike within two minutes in Tests and ODIs, while the current threshold of ninety seconds in T20Is remains unchanged.

Implications: This is done to avoid deliberate time wasting tactics, especially in close Test matches on the fifth day, when a team batting in the fourth innings during final stages tries to delay proceedings.

Rule 4: Striker’s right to play the ball: This is restricted so as to require some part of their bat or person to remain within the pitch. Should they venture beyond that, the umpire will call and signal dead ball. Any ball which would force the batter to leave the pitch will also be called no ball.

Implications: There is no such significance as this is very, very rare at the highest level.

Rule 5: Unfair movement by the fielding side: Any unfair and deliberate movement while the bowler is running in to bowl could now result in the umpire awarding five penalty runs to the batting side, in addition to it being called a dead ball.

Implications: Fielders normally backup and cover some ground, but that would now be deemed unfair if it happens before the delivery is completed. Some quick singles inside the circle, that used to be saved, might not be otherwise.

Rule 6: Running out of the non-striker: The playing conditions follow the laws in moving this method of effecting a run out from the ‘unfair play’ section to the ‘run out’ section.

Implication: The rule has always been in place, but it is the bowler who has got the stick from the cricket community as the Australians and English saw it as going against the spirit of cricket. Bowlers have been judged over the years for what is deemed legal in letter but not in spirit. It will change now.

Rule 7: Bowler throwing towards striker’s end before delivery: Previously, a bowler who saw the batter advancing down the wicket before entering their delivery stride, could throw the ball in an attempt to run out the striker. This practice will now be called a dead ball.

Implication: Nothing much as most bowlers aren’t seen using this ploy. Especially fast bowlers are in motion, and even if they find a batter giving charge while loading up, it’s difficult to pull out of the action as it could cause injuries.

Rule 7: The in-match penalty introduced in T20Is in January 2022 (whereby the failure of a fielding team to bowl their overs by the scheduled cessation time leads to an additional fielder having to be brought inside the fielding circle for the remaining overs of the innings), will also be adopted in ODI matches after the completion of the ICC Men’s World Cup Super League in 2023.

Implication: The teams are now taking nearly four hours at times to complete the 50 overs knowing that only a token financial penalty is in place, and that too, paid by the boards. This rule would mean that one less fielder outside the 30-yard circle in the last two or three overs could massively impact the game. Especially for sides defending.