Laws of Cricket

With growing concerns about lack of interest in cricket, especially the longer formats, ICC had been looking at making changes in the game which will bring crowds back to the stadiums for Tests and ODIs. However Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), which is responsible for the laws of the game, has come up with quiet a few changes in the laws of the game which might offend some of the die-hard fans. From October 1, 2010, following changes will take effect:

Umpires will now make all decisions regarding bad light without consulting the batsmen

This is probably a good decision, considering how many teams waste a lot of time in the last session of a Test. Batsman are seen asking for adjustment of the sight screen, changing gloves, taking an unscheduled drinks break, bowlers taking time in getting back to their run-ups, field changes after every other ball, which not only frustrate the other team but also the viewers. 

However we won't be seeing anymore of matches like the Karachi Test in 2000 when England won in near darkness.

At least one umpire will also now be required to attend the toss and the winning captain must notify his counterpart of his decision to bat or field immediately.

Previously, captains could choose to bat or bowl until 10 minutes before the start of the game, but in some cases, to the losing side’s disadvantage, this was being exploited to keep the other team in the dark for too long – and therefore contravened the Spirit of Cricket.

Preventing bowlers from delivering the ball with their front foot having crossed an imaginary line between the middle stumps e.g. declaring they were bowling over the wicket but releasing the ball as if they were bowling round the wicket.

Bowlers like Malinga, Johnson and Zaheer Khan who come too close to the stumps to bowl will have to think up some new tricks. Had McGrath been playing, he wouldn't like this one.

Giving batsmen who damage the pitch just one warning before penalty runs are issued, rather than two – to mirror the punishment for fielders.

This will be a major problem for Pakistan. Most of our players are fond of running on the pitch, and the umpires are more than eager to point out the Pakistani batsmen.

Forbidding bowlers bowling the ball into the ground to a team-mate, this damages the ball and may waste time.

This rule should have been confined to the T20s. Bowlers would want to warm up before bowling a new spell in Tests and ODIs. No captain likes their first ball to be a loosener. But this may help in curtailing ball tampering.

Fielders will no longer be able to practise with a 12th man or coach outside the boundary during a game, as this affords them an opportunity to prepare that is not granted to the batsmen in the middle.

Probably wouldn't affect the game.

A fielder’s first contact with the ball must be within the boundary or, if he is airborne, when his last contact with the ground was within the field of play. He may subsequently step outside the rope, but a four or six will be scored if he makes further contact with the ball whilst grounded outside the boundary.

Good news for Pakistan, since other teams field like that and we don't, but it’s a shame we won't be seeing many athletic saves.

If a batsman’s bat breaks in the act of playing a shot and the broken part of the bat hits the stumps, he will now be out.

A warning for the bat manufacturers perhaps?

To protect a batsman who is well in his ground – for example a sprinting batsman who has run past his stumps – but whose feet and bat happen to be in the air as the bails are removed. He will now be deemed to be in.

Again Pakistanis, especially Afridi and Misbah would be delighted. Inzamam might have had a lot more runs had this rule been in place earlier.