ICC approves changes in cricketing laws
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has given its approval to three of the many recommendations proposed by ICC's cricket committee during its annual meeting in May. ICC has given a nod to restriction on bat dimensions, run out law and the newly demanded power for the umpires. These new laws will now go to ICC's Chief Executives' Committee for approval.
Bat sizes to be restricted
To strike a balance between the bat and the ball, ICC has put on restrictions on the size of the bats. As per the new law, the thickness of the bat can not be more than 67mm, including an allowance of 60mm for depth and an extra 7mm for a possible curve on face of the bat with an edge limit of 40mm.
Sending off a player
The umpires have been empowered to send a player off the field in case of violent or rash behaviour. Once sent off the field, the player will not be able to play the whole match; be it a single day or a multi-day game.
A twist in the run-out law
As per the new run-out law a batsman cannot be given out if his bat bounces after landing inside the crease. This comes as a respite for the batsmen, since many have lost their wickets after their bats bounced off though they had crossed the crease. If this new law was in place, Rohit Sharma would have been declared not-out in the Ind-Pak match.
What's next?
The three laws will have to be approved by the ICC's Chief Executives' Committee and if approved, they will come into effect from the first day of October this year.
