MUMBAI: The Anil Kumble-led ICC cricket committee on Tuesday made a series of recommendations to improve the game and develop a “culture of respect” among competing teams and its members.
The cricket committee’s recommendations, to be shared with the chief executives’ committee in June, comes in the wake of the growing lack of sportsmanship among players, the Australian team’s ball tampering scandal on their recent tour to South Africa being the principal trigger.
Led by the former India captain, the committee urged the world cricket’s governing body to take tough measures and restore the “culture of respect” among competing teams and its players.
It also called for greater sanctions against players indulging in incidents of ball tampering.
During its two-day meeting here, the committee also decided against abolishing the spin of coin in the game’s traditional format, calling it an “integral part of the narrative of the game”.
The committee further agreed that host nations should prepare quality pitches keeping the World Test Championship in mind.
“Acknowledging that the preparation of Test pitches that could provide a risk to the competitiveness of the ICC World Test Championship, the committee urged members to continue to focus on the delivery of pitches that provide a better balance between bat and ball in line with ICC regulations,” an ICC statement issued after the meeting reads.
There were three main areas of discussion. Firstly, what can member boards do to create a better atmosphere of respect between teams and to provide for a fair contest on the field of play. Secondly, what does it mean to play in the spirit of cricket and, finally, the specific offences to be covered by the Code, the associated level of sanctions and the process for the consistent reporting, hearing and adjudication of charges brought under the Code.
The cricket committee recommendations:
Giving greater authority and support to match officials
Greater leadership accountability for Boards and team support staff
Clear expectations for the treatment of visiting teams particularly around practice facilities, warm-up matches and logistical arrangements
Greater education for all young players on the history and spirit of the game
Code of conduct offences:
Raising the sanctions associated with ball tampering
Creating a new offence for offensive, personal, insulting, offensive or orchestrated abuse
The consideration of the introduction of a new offence of attempting to gain an unfair advantage
Creating a Code of Respect
Match referee to have the authority to downgrade or upgrade a level of offence or sanction
Delegates at the annual ICC Cricket Committee meeting in Mumbai on 28 May, 2018. Delegates at the annual ICC Cricket Committee meeting in Mumbai on 28 May, 2018.
Kumble said: “We had an excellent discussion around the issue of player behavior and I’d like to thank Mike Gatting and David Boon for joining us and making valuable contributions.
“The committee echoed the sentiments of the ICC chief executives’ committee and the ICC board, and, as such, we have made a series of recommendations as part of the creation of a culture of respect we can all adhere to.
“The group felt that excessive personal abuse and ball tampering were serious offences in the game and that should be reflected in the way in which they are dealt with. There was also strong support for giving the match officials more authority and subsequently greater support around their decision making.”
Other key recommendations from the cricket committee were around the playing conditions of the ICC World Test Championship.
The committee discussed whether the toss should be automatically awarded to the visiting team but felt that it was an integral part of Test cricket which forms part of the narrative of the game.
The committee recommended a points system for the consideration of the ICC chief executives’ committee wherein points should only be awarded for each match and not a series win.
As part of this, it was proposed that there was a draw-win ratio of 0.33:1, so a draw gives each team a third of the available points.
It was also agreed to propose a reserve day for the ICC World Test Championship final to enable any time lost through bad weather to be made up.
