ICC agrees changes to playing conditions

Although the ICC executive has to reconvene on Friday to continue discussions over Zimbabwe's future, other meetings have been more productive, and among the issues discussed and decided upon were the following:

Future Tours Programme post-2012

The current FTP concludes in May 2012. The Cricket Executive Committee (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:

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

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.

The 2006 Oval Test, 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 Champions Trophy and ICC World Twenty20

The CEC agreed the playing conditions for both the Champions Trophy in 2008 and the ICC World Twenty20 in 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 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.

Updated international playing conditions

The CEC decided a series of amendments to the playing conditions all of which will come into effect from the Champions Trophy except the one on PowerPlays, which will be implemented on October 1, 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 third 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. Lloyd was selected ahead of the other nominee for the role, the former Pakistan captain Majid Khan. Lloyd replaces Sunil Gavaskar, the ex-Indian captain, who stood down in May after eight years in the role.

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.