The ECB has bowed to pressure from Shane Warne in his column in The Times — and other players — by announcing a drastic reduction in the number of overs bowled in the LV County Championship. From next season, the minimum overs in a day will be 96 rather than 104, bringing the county game much closer to the quota of 90 overs a day in Test cricket. The change will no doubt be justified on that criterion, ignoring that Test cricketers once played well in excess of 100 overs a day without a murmur. From 2008, there will be three two-hour sessions on all four days of matches that go the distance, starting at 11am and finishing at 6pm. Hitherto, these were the scheduled hours for the final day only, but “overtime” on the first three days has become the norm and because most Test days also overrun their scheduled course, with all manner of excuses being made for the shortfall and fines for slow over-rates gradually becoming a rarity, the county game will likely become less productive, too, in respect of the overs bowled.
Captains deliberating over field placements and bowling changes — with Warne, of Hampshire, among the most fastidious — are probably the main reasons for the slower rate. Others are bowlers posing after runs have been scored off them or a wicket has been narrowly missed, but batsmen play their part, too, fiddling with equipment, calling for a drink or meeting in mid-pitch for a conference with their partners. Fashions in the game change and those that apply in televised international cricket simply filter down through the various levels. It is a safe bet that, on the village green, far fewer overs are bowled on Saturday afternoons than was once the case.
Over-rate penalties will be doubled next season to one point for each over not bowled, but this is the thin end of the wedge and there will be no going back in the foreseeable future. Spectators who remember the game as it was will feel short-changed up to a point, but it is equally true that they see far more runs scored per over than they once did, the consequence of more powerful bats, shorter boundaries, a generally more adventurous approach from batsmen, the reluctance of captains to use a third man and, perhaps, bowling that is prepared to buy wickets rather than work for them through remorseless accuracy. Over-rates have declined inexorably, but run-scoring has compensated, despite a mixed history. In 1948, the Australia touring team famously made 721 all out on the first day from the 129 overs bowled in six hours by Essex: a rollicking rate all round. But the pace of the game has always been dictated by the character of the players. England, for example, needed 106 overs of the first day of the Georgetown Test against West Indies in 1953-54 to make 153 for two because Len Hutton waited for the second day to reach his hundred. By contrast, in the scintillating Lord’s Test of 1930, 505.4 overs were bowled in a little less than four days while 1,601 runs were scored. Despite totals of 425, 729 and 375 in the first three innings of the match (England, Australia, England), the scoring rate was only 3.1 runs an over, no more than an average rate now. Yet 126 overs were bowled in a day in that Bradman-dominated match, 30 more than have now been ordained for county cricket. In a series of adjustments, the ECB also decided to abandon the experiment in the 2007 Friends Provident Trophy that allowed three referrals to the third umpire in televised matches. They could hardly have done otherwise after the unwritten agreement between players and umpires more or less to ignore the idea. No decision was overturned and the umpires were spared embarrassment, but the experiment was invalid, which is a pity. An ECB statement said: “Subsequent to results from other referral trials, ECB should actively work with broadcasters and other parties towards technology and systems that will assist in increasing the number of correct decisions.”
The use of floodlights in the county championship is also to be discontinued. There were occasions last season when lights were turned on only for play to be suspended subsequently. “Floodlights and a red ball simply don’t work,” a statement added. On weather-interrupted days in the championship next season, a maximum of 30 minutes of time lost during the day’s play can be made up, except on the last day. No time will be carried forward from previous days. In the one-day competitions, penalties for inadequate pitches have been doubled to two points for a “poor” pitch and four points for one that is ruled “unfit”. If penalties cannot be applied in the season they are incurred, they are to be carried forward. Times of change across the board Other decisions— Further trials of an open microphone system with umpires to be conducted in the Friends Provident Trophy (FPT). — Playing conditions to confirm that once the batsman has indicated what shot he is going to play (ie, the reverse sweep), fielders should be allowed to change position as they see fit. A submission to be made to MCC for consideration within Law. — “Dead” LV County Championship matches should be allowed to finish (with the consent of both captains) at the start of the last hour regardless of the number of overs remaining to be bowled. — The white ball should be replaced automatically in FPT matches at the end of the 34th over. Any loss of the replacement ball would come from the normal box of spares. No such ball change is recommended in NatWest Pro40. — Powerplays in the FPT to be adopted as per ICC playing conditions. In NatWest Pro40, fielding restrictions to remain at the first 15 overs. ECB to raise with ICC whether the positioning of fielders within 15 yards in front of the batsman fulfils the intent of the regulation. — Guidelines for wides to be marked in all domestic one-day cricket as per international matches. — The Most Wins tiebreaker should be removed in the Twenty20 Cup. The tiebreaker that analyses the points gained in matches between teams that finish on equal points to be reintroduced instead in all one-day competitions. — The reserve day in knockout rounds in the FPT to be used in the same way as in the Twenty20 Cup. Twenty overs to constitute a match in knockout FPT games. — ECB Cricket Department to investigate the use of coloured gloves and armguards. — If a county plays a match at a neutral venue (with particular reference to another County HQ), any resulting pitch penalty is applied to the “home” team and not to the county hosting the match.
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