The ICC’s annual conference week, which began on Sunday, has included two-day meetings involving the ICC Chief Executives’ Committee (CEC) and the ICC Board.
Among the issues discussed and decided upon were the following:
Zimbabwe
The ICC Board had a lengthy discussion on the matter of Zimbabwe and at the conclusion of that discussion it was decided to adjourn and reassemble at 0900 on Friday 4 July.
Future Tours Programme post-2012
The current FTP concludes in May 2012.
The CEC and the ICC Board considered the future landscape of the game at international level and both groups received a presentation on the concept of an alternative structure to bilateral tours including an enhanced Test championship.
The key considerations for both the Board and the CEC were and are:
· All three formats of international cricket should be protected and promoted with Test cricket identified as the pinnacle of the sport
· The ‘icon’ Test series must be protected
· ICC should look at ways of taking greater central ‘ownership’ of international cricket outside its events or at least providing for more consistency in marketing/promotion
· The concept of a Test Championship and/or play-off should be explored further
It was agreed all ICC Directors would report back to their respective Boards to obtain updated financial information and feedback to enable a refined model to be prepared by ICC management with the plan to revisit the subject at the CEC meeting in December and the Board meeting in January 2009.
ICC Code of Conduct Levels 3 and 4 – Amendment to disciplinary process
Both the CEC and the ICC Board agreed to the recommendation that an Emirates Elite Panel ICC match referee will be entitled to report a Level 3 and Level 4 breach of the ICC Code of Conduct.
The breaches will then be referred to an independent, suitably legally qualified adjudicator. The person to be appointed will come from the existing list of ICC Appeals Commissioners.
Marlon Samuels
In May, West Indies player Marlon Samuels was banned for two years by a West Indies Cricket Board Disciplinary Committee.
The player was found guilty of offence C 4 (ix) of the ICC Code of Conduct, namely that he “received any money, benefit or other reward (whether financial or otherwise) which could bring him or the game of cricket into disrepute.”
The penalty for being found guilty of this offence is a minimum two-year ban.
An Official Enquiry made up of Mr Michael Beloff QC, the Chairman of the ICC Code of Conduct Commission, and two other ICC Code of Conduct Commissioners, has reviewed the WICB Disciplinary Committee finding to ascertain whether the disciplinary process and the punishment imposed were in keeping with the ICC regulations.
The Official Enquiry found both the process and the punishment to be appropriate and those findings were accepted by the ICC Board.
Oval npower Test match, England v Pakistan, 2006
The Board decided that the result of the above match should be altered. The change is from an England win as a result of Pakistan’s refusal to play to the match being termed abandoned as a draw.
This means the series result is altered from 3-0 to England to 2-0. All players’ performances in the match are unaffected.
The Board’s decision was based on the view that in light of the unique set of circumstances, the original result of the match was felt to be inappropriate.
ICC Champions Trophy 2008
The ICC Board received an interim, oral report from security consultants on the security arrangements for the Asia Cup, the last multi-team event in Pakistan ahead of September’s ICC Champions Trophy.
A final report will be provided to the ICC in due course following the conclusion of the ongoing tournament.
At this stage the ICC Champions Trophy will proceed as scheduled.
Playing conditions for the ICC Champions Trophy 2008 and ICC World Twenty20 2009.
The CEC agreed the playing conditions for both the ICC Champions Trophy 2008 and the ICC World Twenty20 2009. Both sets include a provision for a one-over eliminator to replace a bowl-out in the event of a tie.
The eliminator will be applicable in the semi-finals and the final in the ICC Champions Trophy and all matches in the ICC World Twenty20.
The loss of two wickets by the batting side ends its innings. If the scores are equal then the team that has hit the most sixes combined from its two innings in the main match and the one-over eliminator is declared the winner. If the scores are still equal at that point then they will be separated by determining which of them scored the most boundaries – fours and sixes – in both innings.
The playing conditions will be posted on the ICC website, http://www.icc-cricket.com/ in due course.
Updated international playing conditions
The CEC decided a series of amendments to the playing conditions all of which will come into effect from the ICC Champions Trophy except the one on PowerPlays, which will be implemented on 1 October, and the one on intervals, which will be implemented immediately.
Comfort Breaks
Clause 2 of the playing conditions will be amended to provide for the following:
Substitute fielders shall only be permitted in cases of injury, illness or other wholly acceptable reasons. ‘Wholly acceptable reasons’ should be limited to extreme circumstances and should not include what is commonly referred to as a ‘comfort break’.
Clean Catches
Clause 3.2.3.1 (b) of the playing conditions will be amended to provide for the following:
Should both umpires be unable to make a decision, they may consult by two-way radio with the 3rd umpire as to whether there is any definitive evidence as to whether the catch was taken cleanly or not. Following such consultation, the final decision will be made and given by the bowler’s end umpire. Should the bowler’s end umpire still not be able to decide, a not-out decision shall be given.
Changing of Balls (ODIs)
It was agreed to continue with the playing condition that requires a mandatory change of ball at the commencement of the 35th over in ODIs.
Intervals (ODIs)
It was agreed the playing conditions be amended so that the interval is reduced by the amount of actual playing time lost, up to a maximum of 15 minutes, rather than the current requirement of reducing the interval to 30 minutes only after more than 60 minutes have been lost.
The following amendment was also agreed:
“Where the innings of the side batting first is delayed or interrupted, the Umpires will reduce the length of the interval.“In the event of time being lost (playing time lost less any extra time provided) up to and including 60 minutes in aggregate, the length of the interval shall be reduced from 45 to 30 minutes. In the event of more than 60 minutes being lost in aggregate, the duration of the interval shall be agreed mutually by the Umpires and both Captains subject to no interval being of more than 30 minutes' duration or less than 10 minutes' duration. In the event of disagreement, the length of the interval shall be determined by the ICC Match Referee.”
Free Hits (ODIs and Twenty20 Internationals)
The current playing condition relating to free hits following a foot fault no-ball in ODIs and Twenty20 Internationals is retained.
PowerPlay Overs (ODIs)
The batting team will be permitted to choose when one of either the second or third PowerPlays takes place.
It was also agreed that three fielders be permitted outside the field restriction areas during both the second and third PowerPlays. Previously the third fielder was allowed outside the circle during either the second or third PowerPlay. The idea behind the amendment is to offer greater opportunity for spinners to bowl with the safety net of more protection for spinners
Chairman of the ICC Cricket Committee
The ICC Board selected former West Indies captain and ex-ICC match referee Clive Lloyd as the new Chairman of the ICC Cricket Committee.
Mr Lloyd was selected ahead of the other nominee for the role, the former Pakistan captain Majid Khan. Mr Lloyd replaces Sunil Gavaskar, the ex-Indian captain, who stood down in May after eight years in the role.
Chairman of the ICC Code of Conduct Commission
Michael Beloff QC was retained as Chairman of the ICC Code of Conduct Commission. Mr Beloff has held the post for the past six years.
The ICC Board consists of the Chairman or President from each of the ten Full Members plus three Associate Member representatives. Also present at ICC Board meetings is the ICC President, who chairs proceedings, the ICC Chief Executive Officer and the ICC President-Elect.
Ray Mali ICC President
David Richardson ICC acting Chief Executive Officer
David Morgan OBE President-Elect
Creagh O’Connor Australia
Major General Sina Ibn Jamali Bangladesh
Giles Clarke England
Sharad Pawar (Mr Shashank Manohar attended part of the meeting as an alternate)
India
Dr Justin Vaughan (alternate for Sir John Anderson KBE) New Zealand
Dr Nasim Ashraf Pakistan
Arjuna Ranatunga Sri Lanka
Norman Arendse South Africa
Dr Julian Hunte OBE West Indies
Peter Chingoka Zimbabwe
Associate Member Representatives
Neil Speight Bermuda
Samir Inamdar Kenya
Imran Khawaja Singapore
Mr Speight and Mr Khawaja replaced HRH Tunku Imran (retired, Malaysia) and Mr Stanley Perlman (Israel), with the choices made at the Associate Members’ meeting on 1 July.
The CEC comprises the Chief Executives of the 10 Test-playing Members and three representatives from ICC Associate Members. It is chaired by the ICC’s Chief Executive Officer. The ICC President and the Chairman of the ICC Cricket Committee will be in attendance although the latter post is currently vacant.
Ray Mali ICC President
David Richardson ICC acting Chief Executive
James Sutherland Australia
Nizam Uddin Chowdhury Bangladesh
David Collier England
Niranjan Shah India
Dr Justin Vaughan New Zealand
Shafqat Naghmi Pakistan
Gerald Majola South Africa
Duleep Mendis Sri Lanka
Dr Donald Peters West Indies
Wilfred Mukondiwa (alternate for Ozias Bvute) Zimbabwe
Associate Member Representatives
John Cribbin Hong Kong
Warren Deutrom Ireland
Laurie Pieters Namibia
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