Rules Still Bat-Heavy!

The latest changes in ICC’s playing conditions do very little to REDRESS the balance between bat and ball. By ABHISHEK MUKHERJEE.

- Abhishek Mukherjee

Remember Billy Bowdenflashing the red card football-style to Glenn McGrath in the early days of Twenty20? McGrath took the message smilingly as the gesture was non-serious, but according to the latest modifications in ICC’s playing conditions, a player can now actually be sent off — without the red-card formality of course — and barred from further participation in the match being played.

Cricket may not be a rush of the adrenaline as much as football, but the lawmakers seem to have realised that player-behaviour can be outrageous enough to warrant explusion from the game being contested.

The mandate is a step towards making it easier for match officials to keep player-conduct within reasonable boundaries. It will take a Level Four offence, however, for an umpire to invoke this ruling. According to ICC’s Code of Conduct, these constitute ‘conduct that is contrary to the spirit of the game,’ ‘conduct that brings the game into disrepute,’ ‘threat of assault on an umpire or match referee during an international match,’ ‘physical assault of another player, player support personnel, umpire, match referee or any other person (including a spectator) during an international match,’ and ‘any violence on the field of play during an international match.’