By IANS
London : In a revolutionary change in the playing conditions of One-day Internationals announced here Friday and opposed by India, a batsman will now get a free hit off the delivery bowled after a front-foot no ball from a bowler. The batsmen cannot be dismissed on this ball.
This and several other new changes in the playing conditions of ODIs approved by the International Cricket Council (ICC) at its annual meetings here, will come into effect this October 1.
Ironically, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), represented by its current and former presidents, Sharad Pawar and I.S. Bindra, opposed the free hit rule as the recommendation for the changes had come from the ICC cricket committee headed by an Indian, former captain Sunil Gavaskar.
"We opposed the move to have the free hit but the majority was for the change, so we could not do anything except going with them," BCCI secretary Niranjan Shah told IANS over phone from London.
This is the first time in the history of the game – already heavily titled towards batsmen – that a batsman could not be dismissed of any kind of delivery. It is surely bad news for bowlers the world over, and expected to draw sharp reactions from them.
"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," ICC said in a statement.
Among the other changes will be a mandatory change of the ball after 35 overs in each innings of an ODI. The replacement will be a clean used ball.
The other changes approved by the ICC board of directors were:
* An additional fielder will be allowed outside the fielding circle during the second or third power play (spells of five overs) in an ODI.
* If an ODI innings is reduced, the numbers of overs making up each of the three power plays (the first power play compulsorily comprises 10 overs) shall be reduced proportionately.
* Minimum boundary sizes in all international matches will be increased with the square boundary measuring at least 150 yards from one side of the ground to the other (minimum 65 yards on one side; previous total minimum size was 140 yards); and the straight boundaries 70 yards at both ends (previous minimum was 65 yards); maximum boundaries to be used allowing for three yards between boundary rope and advertising boards up to a maximum of 90 yards from the centre of the pitch.