Bonus points encourage exciting Mercantile Mutual Cup cricket

Teams that play attacking cricket in the Mercantile Mutual Cup this season will be rewarded with bonus points, the Australian Cricket Board (ACB) announced today.

In an attempt to encourage positive and entertaining cricket, one bonus point will be awarded to teams that achieve a run rate 1.25 times that of the opposition.

To accurately reflect the worth of the bonus point, a win in the competition now earns four points (compared to last year's two points), making the maximum points available in a game five.

ACB Chief Executive Malcolm Speed said bonus points were an ideal way to promote an attacking and entertaining style of cricket.

"The Mercantile Mutual Cup bonus points reward positive cricket played by teams when batting and bowling," he said.

"The team batting second can gain an extra point if it chases the target score quickly, and the team bowling second can gain the same advantage if it restricts the batting side's scoring and/or dismisses it cheaply. Bonus points earned throughout the season could come in handy at the business end of the season, when teams are vying for positions in the Mercantile Mutual Cup Final."

The bonus points initiative was one of many changes detailed at the launch of the 2000-01 Mercantile Mutual Cup, held at Taronga Zoo in Sydney.

For the first time, slow over rates will be penalised with runs, ensuring the team batting second is not disadvantaged. Each over short of the required minimum overs at the scheduled cessation time will see the bowling side incur a six-run-per-over penalty.

Another significant change to the competition sees the introduction of a full home and away schedule. Thirty-one matches, including the final, will be played. This gives players more opportunities to prepare for the step up to one-day international level and allows spectators to see more quality domestic one-day cricket.

In addition to the bonus points, penalty runs and program changes, other popular Mercantile Mutual Cup innovations will continue this year, such as:

The $2500 Best New Talent, $5000 Mercantile Mutual Player of the Series, Man of the Match and $1000 Player of the Final awards will also be presented this season. The winning team will pocket $75,000, second place $40,000, third $20,000 and fourth $15,000.

About the season ahead, Mr Speed said:

"With the bonus points system joining the other popular initiatives this year, the Mercantile Mutual Cup will continue to be regarded the best domestic one-day competition in the world.

"Since its inception in 1992-93, the Mercantile Mutual Cup has been the perfect nursery for Australian one-day international cricket. Australia's 1999 World Cup triumph and last year's record for consecutive one-day games without defeat can be attributed partly to the strength of the competition and the style of cricket played in the Mercantile Mutual Cup."

Today's launch of the 2000-01 Mercantile Mutual Cup saw Australian cricket stars Michael Slater (NSW Blues), Michael Kasprowicz (Queensland Bulls), Paul Reiffel (Victorian Bushrangers), Greg Blewett (Southern Redbacks), Tom Moody (Western Warriors) and Jamie Cox (Tasmanian Tigers) detail their thoughts on the season ahead.

The first match of the Mercantile Mutual Cup takes place in Brisbane this weekend, with the Queensland Bulls taking on the Southern Redbacks. The ACB's official Internet site baggygreen.com.au will cover the match with its live ball-by ball coverage.