A Look @ MCC’s recommendations

Every normal cricket fan knows about the ICC. But who frames the rules by which the games should be played? It is the MCC, Marylebone Cricket Club when puts its recommendations and sooner or later it becomes a law. So, the outcome of the latest MCC meeting is doing some rounds and what are they?

Sending off (red card system like in football) in cricket:

Remember this occasion… Well now, what if I told you are going to see many like that in the coming future??? Yes you guessed it right… Red Cards are going to be introduced in cricket…This is done in order for cricket to maintain its tag line “GENTLEMAN’S GAME”. There have been so many unwanted spats in the history like Warne-Samuels, Lillee-Miandad, McGrath-Sarwan… The fact that it is to be implemented from the lower-grades makes the young players to respect and play within the laws of the game. In international level, it is to reduce the physical violence as several umpires reported that they consider leaving the arena as they were threatened by some players… But the red-card system can be extended to verbal-spats… “Now, respect the game Aussies…”

Regulating bat-thickness and edge-thickness:

                                 

Edge: <= 40mm
Spine: <= 67mm

All worried faces when you saw your opponent batsman’s mishit going for a 6 please note… happier days have come… with the new recommendation on the regulation of bat thickness, those players who used excessive sized bats are going to face the problem of timing… and mishits shall remain as mishits and are bound to land in a fielder’s hand… Finally, some good measure to ensure the balance of game between bat and ball…

Ball-tampering law:

                              

The Faf du Plessis saga which was doing some rounds… and players including his rival captain SPD Smith came in his support…  As far as that there is no modification to the existing law but the ICC will act upon such players when they have proofs of ball-tampering…

Four-day or five-day Tests?

As always, a main topic of discussion… the 5-day match should exist as a part of the tradition and changing it will affect the game which has a lot of history and would bring down the quality of test cricket…and also, we have seen some great matches which produced results on the 5^th day in the past 18 months…

Cricket in Olympics:

                                  

Nearest possibility is in 2024, and the ICC have asked all members to come on board quickly and make a move… and also cricket will become more global with countries like China taking part… Just tell them cricket is in Olympics and then look… they train hard and bring-in their best team in the Olympics and may be pull an upset against the regular nations…

Legalisation of catches of Helmets:

The other topic which was doing some discussion is deeming a catch legal when caught off the fielder’s helmets when they wear it. It should be considered as same as taken off a wicket keeper’s pads, and balls caught in grilles be considered like ball trapped in keeper’s pad, sweaters and pockets of fielders…

All of these are the proposals by the committee which would come in effect from Oct-1-2017 if subjected to approval from ICC….



- Guha Karthikeyan S T