The ICC’s amendments to playing conditions come into effect from October 1, meaning players will need to get their heads around the changes when international cricket resumes.
Proposals made by the ICC Cricket Committee at its meeting in London in May were approved by the ICC Executive Board in June, but will only get their first run-out in international cricket as series begin across the globe next month.
The first international match to fall under the new regulations will be the Twenty20 international between Bangladesh and West Indies on November 11, with the two teams set to play an ODI two days later.
One-day internationals will see two new balls used, one from each end, while the bowling and batting powerplays will only be taken between overs 16 and 40 in a continuing bid to make the middle overs more exciting.
Runners will no longer be permitted in any form of cricket, while batsmen will no longer be allowed to “significantly change” the direction in which they’re running “without probable cause”. The latter law was created in an attempt to stop batsmen from getting between the fielder’s throw and the stumps, and will be applied whether a run-out would have been affected or not.
Batsmen will also need to be more cautious about backing up, with a new playing condition reading as follows:
“The bowler is permitted, before releasing the ball and provided he has not completed his usual delivery swing, to attempt to run out the non-striker. Whether the attempt is successful or not, the ball shall not count as one of the over. If the bowler fails in an attempt to run out the non-striker, the umpire shall call and signal Dead ball as soon as possible.”
In Test matches umpires may now decide to play 15 minutes (a minimum of four overs) extra time at the scheduled lunch or tea interval of any day if requested by either captain if, in the umpires’ opinion, it would bring about a definite result in that session.
The luncheon interval had previously been immovable, but as has been the case with the tea interval, playing conditions now provide that if nine wickets are down at the time of the scheduled lunch break, the interval shall be delayed by a maximum of 30 minutes.
Finally, the minimum interval for an uninterrupted ODI match has been increased from 20 minutes to 30 minutes.
