ODI rule modifications could get early start

Captains could agree to play under new rules before the official implimentation

25-Sep-2007

The modifications to one-day international rules, as proposed by the ICC in June 2007, could be implemented early if the Indian and Australian captains and respective boards agree. The rules are supposed to come into effect on October 1 but the seven-ODI series between India and Australia starts on September 29.

Earlier in June, the ICC had ruled the following changes in ODI playing conditions:

An additional fielder will be allowed outside the fielding circle during the second or third Powerplays.

If an ODI innings is reduced, the numbers of overs making up each of the three Powerplays shall be reduced proportionately.

If a bowler bowls a front foot no-ball in an ODI, the following delivery will be deemed a free hit and the batsman cannot be dismissed by the bowler from that delivery. He can only be run out.

There will be a mandatory change of the ball after 35 overs of each innings in an ODI; the replacement will be a clean used ball.

The ICC had also increased the stipulated minimum boundary sizes for all international matches.

If Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Ricky Ponting agree to follow the new rules from Saturday's first one-dayer itself, they will save themselves the trouble of adjusting mid-series. The matter will be sorted out at the match referee's meeting before the first ODI in Bangalore.

The ICC, on its part, would have no objections if the two teams want to give the new rules an early start. As an ICC official said, "It's something for the captains, coaches and respective boards to thrash out among themselves."

There is a precedent for this: the ICC had not objected when England and Australia gave the Powerplays and Supersubs an early debut in July 2005, while the rules' trial was officially slated to begin from August 2005.

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