Tactical substitutions proposed for one-dayers
DUBAI, Tuesday (Reuters) - Teams could withdraw batsmen for slow
scoring during one-day internationals under radical recommendations from
an ICC committee on Tuesday.
The proposal for tactical substitutions was put forward at a two-day
meeting of the International Cricket Council's cricket committee as part
of a package of ideas aimed at increasing the attraction of the limited
overs game.
"The biggest change that we are recommending is the 12-man team,"
Sunil Gavaskar, chairman of the committee, told reporters.
"Though the on-field strength of players must not exceed 11, a
captain can substitute a player who he feels is not performing well."
"It could be anybody - a wicketkeeper, batsman, fielder or a bowler.
The substitution in line with soccer or rugby, will add more thrill to
the game and, at the same time, will give a captain more tactics to play
with.
"For instance, if a player is batting too slowly, he can replace him.
But the new batsman will start afresh and the batsman who has been
replaced will be considered retired on his individual score. "Similarly,
if a bowler is replaced, say for instance, after five overs, the new
bowler will bowl the sixth over. Each of bowler will have his own
bowling figures.
The 12-man team can be effective both in terms of tactics and injury
to a player." The committee, whose recommendations will be considered by
the ICC's chief executive's committee meeting in London at the end of
June, also proposed a change to field restrictions.
"We have decided to have 20-over field restrictions instead of 15
currently being used," Gavaskar added.
"The first 10 overs are mandatory at the start of the innings while
the fielding captain will have the option of using the rest 10 - five in
each lot - whenever he wants to. "The idea is to try and get away from
the predictability of the game, have more excitement and give more
tactical advantage to the fielding captain," he said.
The committee also recommended that on-field umpires could consult
the TV umpire whenever there was doubt - be it over lbw or bat-pad
catching - rather than just for line decisions. "All these
recommendations will be used on trial basis during the Johnny Walker
Super Series in Australia," Gavaskar said. |