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ODI playing conditions changes take effect from start of India - Australia series

Changes to the playing conditions for ODI cricket take effect from today (Saturday 29 September), the ICC has confirmed.

Brian Murgatroyd

Changes to the playing conditions for ODI cricket take effect from today (Saturday 29 September), the ICC has confirmed.

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The changes have been adopted after approval by the ICC Chief Executives' Committee and ratification by the ICC Board following proposals made by the ICC Cricket Committee at its meeting in Dubai in May.

The changes were due to take effect from 1 October but will apply with immediate effect to avoid confusion during series that overlap that date (India - Australia and Sri Lanka - England). Both these series will take place under the new playing conditions.

The ODI playing conditions, including the changes, can be found here

The main changes to the ODI playing conditions include:

  • Mandatory change of ball at the start of the 35th over of each innings

  • Free hit (batsman cannot be dismissed by the bowler) applies to the delivery following a front foot no-ball; this regulation applied most recently during the ICC World Twenty20 South Africa 2007

  • Boundaries square of the wicket must be a minimum of 150 yards (137.16m) (previously 140 yards (128.01m)) with the minimum on one side of 65 yards (59.44m) and straight boundaries must be a minimum of 70 yards (64m) (previously 60 yards (54.86m)*

  • Where space is available the largest playing area must be used to the maximum of a 90-yard (82.29m) boundary*

  • The fielding captain can nominate either the second or third powerplay to have a third fielder outside the 30-yard (27.43m) circle; the signal by the umpire for this will be the usual power-play signal (rotation of the arm) followed by a hand signal where he raises three fingers

  • In circumstances when the number of overs of the batting team is reduced, the number of powerplay overs shall be reduced accordingly and also spaced out proportionately. As an example, if an innings is reduced to between 20 and 22 overs per side, then the eight powerplay overs will be divided up into three blocks of four, two and two overs. This will apply in both innings of a reduced overs match. Further examples can be found in the ODI playing conditions

  • If a team is bowled out within 30 minutes of the scheduled interval between innings, then the interval will start immediately and the restart will take place correspondingly earlier

  • If more than 60 minutes is lost in a match (minus any extra time added) then the interval between innings shall be reduced to 30 minutes

  • The use of polyvinyl acetate (PVA) or other adhesives is not permitted in the preparation of pitches

  • The match referee has to final say in the awarding of a match to a side in the event of the other side refusing to play

  • Umpires shall be empowered to impose time-wasting penalties as allowed for under the Laws if a new batsman is not ready to face his first delivery within two minutes of the fall of the previous wicket

    • The changes in playing conditions relating to the use of PVA, the size of boundaries, the awarding of a match in the event of a side refusing to play, time-wasting, the responsibilities of the match referee in relation to any allegation of ball-tampering and the fact the captain is held responsible if it is not possible to identify the person/s responsible for changing the condition of the ball are also applicable to the Test match and Twenty20 International (T20I) playing conditions from 1 October.

    The Test match playing conditions can be found here

    The new T20I playing conditions will appear on the ICC website https://www.icc-cricket.com/ in due course.

    The ICC Cricket Committee that met in May and made the recommendations that have been adopted was chaired by former India captain and ICC Cricket World Cup winner Sunil Gavaskar and included former Australia captain Mark Taylor, Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene and Michael Holding, the ex-West Indies fast bowler.

    It also featured Umpire of the Year Simon Taufel, chief ICC match referee and former Sri Lanka captain Ranjan Madugalle, Craig Wright, the former Scotland captain, Tom Moody, the ex-Australia all-rounder who coached Sri Lanka to the final of the ICC Cricket World Cup in the Caribbean and Tim May, former Australia off-spinner and the Chief Executive Officer of the Federation of International Cricketers' Associations.

    * Any ground which has been approved to host international cricket prior to 1 October 2007 or which is currently under construction as of this date which is unable to conform to these new minimum dimensions shall be exempt. In such cases the regulations in force immediately prior to the adoption of these regulations shall apply.

    Brian Murgatroyd is ICC Manager - Media and Communications