Cricket Committee supports ICC approach to research

The International Cricket Council's Cricket Committee today supported the completion of the ICC's planned research program into bowling actions before any review of the current regulations is considered.

The Cricket Committee meeting in Dubai discussed the current two-stage process for dealing with potentially illegal actions and agreed that no changes to the regulations should be made until the ICC's planned research into spin bowling is completed at the ICC Champions Trophy later this year.

ICC General Manager - Cricket, David Richardson, said that the Committee had put in place a small group to look at the issues surrounding illegal deliveries and the way in which they are addressed by the game.

"A sub-committee will look at the review procedure and the protocols that are in place such as the appropriate levels of tolerance for bowlers but there will be no recommendations made on these issues until the ICC's research program has been completed and the results properly analysed," said Mr Richardson.

"This is not likely to be until the last quarter of this year."

The sub-committee will be comprised of three members of the Cricket Committee - Angus Fraser, Arivinda de Silva and Tim May - as well as human movement specialists and independent cricket experts.

The Committee also made a number of other recommendations on cricket related issues that will now go to the meeting of Chief Executives from Test playing countries in London in June for their consideration.

These recommendations include:

INNOVATIONS

PLAYING CONDITIONS

That the minimum number of overs to constitute a One Day International be reduced to 20 overs a side;

That lost time in Test matches be made up on the day on which time is lost (up to a maximum of one hour) and on subsequent days (up to a maximum of 30 minutes per day) provided that not more than one hour extra time is played on any one day;

That Clause 16 of the Standard Test Match Playing Conditions be amended so as to make it clear that in the event of playing time being lost for any reason, it should be the time lost that shall be made up on subsequent days and not the overs lost.

STATISTICS - START OF A MATCH

That all future Test and ODI matches (including those ODI matches where the playing conditions provide that the match may be replayed on the reserve day) that are abandoned without a ball being bowled shall be included in the records provided the toss has taken place; In respect of ODI matches where the playing conditions provide that the match shall be continued on the reserve day, where the toss has taken place, where no play has been possible on the first day and where play commences on the reserve day:

i. The captains shall not be entitled to re-toss (and play new teams) unless by agreement between the two captains; and

ii. These matches shall always be regarded in the records as a single match.

TECHNOLOGY

Reports relating to `ping lines' and `stump microphone earpieces' were considered and further trials were recommended;

That earpiece communications between on-field and off-field staff should not be permitted.

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