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ICC amends cricket laws and warns illegal sized bat users
By Marlon Fernandopulle
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has amended some of the Laws of Cricket and also brought in further regulations pertaining to the Match Umpires following the inaugural meeting of all the Board Umpires Managers held recently. The most significant changes are the introduction of a bat and ball gauge for umpires to inspect bats inorder to prevent illegal sized bats being used and the match umpires role in the event of a bump ball and clean catch.

Illegal sized bats
The Sunday Times learns from an ICC Official that there have been instances in the past where batsmen have used and attempted to use bats that were illegal in size.A top Indian batsman was once accused of this offence a few years ago.With the intention of eradicating this practice the ICC has introduced an enclosed bat and ball gauge to all International Umpires who will have to measure any bats if they are requested to do so by the match referee.

The ICC reiterates that these checks will be random and that no team or individual will be singled out.Sri Lanka Cricket's International Umpires have already received the enclosed bat and ball gauge. The usage of an illegal sized bat has been specified as a level two offence in the ICC Code of conduct.

Thus the penalty for such an offence will be a fine of the equivalent of between 50% of the players match fee upto their full match fee and /or a one test match or two ODI match ban.

Clean catches
The ICC have also decided that the 'clean catch' can no longer be referred to the television umpire except in the unusual event of both on -field umpires having obscured the view of what has happened.

If the bowlers’ end umpire is unable to decide whether or not a catch was taken cleanly, he shall first consult the square leg umpire. If both umpires are unable to make a decision, a not out decision shall be given by the bowlers’ end umpire.

Only if the line of vision of both umpires is obscured, the bowlers end umpire is entitled to refer the decision to the third umpire.The Third umpire has to then determine whether the batsman has been caught and not whether or not he hit the ball.

Bump ball
The ICC has also now
empowered the umpire to refer to the TV umpire to see if a catch was taken from a stroke which was a bump ball or not.

If the bowlers end umpire is unable to decide whether a catch was taken from a bump ball or not, he shall first consult with the square leg umpire.If both the on-field umpires are unable to decide,the bowlers end umpire shall be entitled to refer the decision to the third umpire to review a TV replay of the batsmans’ stroke.The third umpire has to determine whether the ball bumped or not and communicate his decision to the bowlers end umpire.

In addition laws of cricket relating to Players returning without permission, deliberate short runs,leg byes, hit wicket,fielding the ball, deliberate distraction or obstruction,penalty runs, legality of the wicket keepers gloves have been amended. All these new laws and regulations came into effect from the 24th of September 2003.
ICC's Chris Kelly and David Richardson together with delegates from all test playing countries were present at the Board Umpire's Managers Meeting.

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