PREAMBLE

Cricket is very complicated. Till about 1970,  the game was relatively simpler, as there were only Test matches and first-class matches. To make the game more popular, One-Day Limited Over matches were introduced. Those matches were restricted to fifty overs a side and one innings per side. More recently, a shorter version of the limited-over game (T20), consisting of twenty overs per side, was introduced. This is known as “instant cricket” as the match duration is about four hours only. The T20 version has promoted the game in a greater number of countries. As of today, the International Cricket Conference (ICC) boasts of 111 members, which includes 99 associate members.

The rules governing the game are also quite complicated. There are forty-two principal laws, and each law has a large number of sub-clauses. Moreover, there is no constancy about the laws and sub-clauses. They undergo continuous changes. Such changes are necessitated by the needs of logic and rationality. One of the recent changes concerns the law about batters crossing one another when a catch is taken. The new rule says that the incoming batter will take the strike irrespective of whether the batters crossed or not. This appears sensible.  Quite often, changes are introduced because the players frequently exploit the loopholes in the rules to their advantage. Some changes are made keeping in view the best interest of the paying spectators. A rule introduced about forty years back stipulates that a minimum of ninety overs need to be bowled during a full day’s play. This rule was intended to put the brakes on captains who would deliberately slow down the game.

In the future,  we can expect more and more new laws that would govern the game and playing conditions. The present article is about three changes, which I think are desirable.

OUT STUMPED OFF A WIDE DELIVERY

As per the extant law, a batter can get stumped off a ball that is declared wide. However, the bowling side is penalised for bowling an “illegal” delivery, and the batting side gets an additional run. This does not sound logical. The rule is also unfair. There are two issues to be looked into.

Let us say Team B is chasing and the scores are level. At this juncture, a wide ball is bowled, the batter misses it, and gets stumped. As per the rules, the batting side will be declared the winner. The explanation is that Team B has reached the score needed for victory at the moment the ball is declared wide. Once the team achieves victory, the ball becomes “dead,” and consequently any subsequent action has no bearing on the game. This argument is not totally convincing.

Quite often, and especially in limited-over matches, we see spin bowlers bowling wide deliveries deliberately. The strategy is to deceive the batter in line and length, drawing him forward. Often, the batter misses the ball and gets out stumped. In such cases, the bowler as well as the team have played good cricket. It is unfair that the team gets penalized by way of a penalty run.

Suggested Change

The straight umpire shall not declare WIDE instantly. He shall wait for a possible stumping chance or appeal. If there is none, he shall declare WIDE. On the other hand, if there is an appeal and the square leg umpire finds the batter to be out, there will be no WIDE.

OVERTHROWS FOLLOWING A DIRECT HIT

Quite frequently, it so happens that a fielder hits the stumps and the ball goes out of the fielder’s reach for overthrow runs. In such cases, the overthrow is mostly because the ball changes its course after hitting the stumps. As a result, the fielder who is backing up will not be well placed to prevent the overthrow runs. In such cases, the fact is that the fielding side has played good cricket but is penalised in the form of additional runs.

Suggested Change

Whenever there is a direct hit from the fielding side, 

the umpire shall not allow additional runs for the overthrow.

PLAY DURATIONS IN TEST MATCHES

Presently, each test match day’s play consists of three stipulated sessions of two hours. However, as it happens, the final (post-tea) session is invariably extended by half an hour to make up for the shortfall in the mandatory overs for the day. Thus, on all full days of cricket, the three sessions are of 120, 120 and 150 minutes duration. The last session will turn out to be very taxing for the players. This can be corrected by introducing a small change.  The suggested change is to have three sessions of 150, 120, and 90 minutes duration. In the first session, there will be a drinks break after 75 minutes. In the last session, the drinks break will be after 60 minutes. The last session will not go beyond 120 minutes. A session of 150 minutes' duration will certainly be less taxing at the start of the day as compared with the end of the day.

Suggested Change

Morning Session: Two and a half hours

Afternoon Session: Two hours

Evening Session: One and a half hours plus half an hour, if needed

SUMMARY

I believe that the foregoing suggested changes are all in a positive direction. They will promote good and fair cricket. The players as well as the spectators stand to gain. The authorities concerned will do well to deliberate on these recommendations.