ICC cricket committee to re-consider the legality of switch-hit

London - The International Cricket Council (ICC) cricket committee will be meeting at the Lord’s in London for its two-day annual conference starting Wednesday to re-consider the legality of switch-hit shot to retain a fair balance between bat and ball.

In May 2009, the ICC Cricket Committee endorsed the view of the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), the custodian of the game’s laws, that the switch-hit was an exciting shot which offered the bowlers a good chance of taking a wicket and thus one which should remain a legitimate part of the game.

But now with the shot becoming increasingly popular, bastmen are having an undue edge over the bowlers.

“With the more frequent and skillful use of the switch hit, the Committee will be asked to again consider the matter from the perspective of retaining a fair balance between bat and ball,” the ICC said in a statement.

Besides the legality of the switch-hit, a wide range of issues will be discussed during the two day meeting including Twenty20 strategy, the annual review of the Decision Review System (DRS) and the format of ODI cricket.

The ICC Cricket Committee will consider the role of Twenty20 cricket in the growth of the game in the developing cricket world, the volume of Twenty20 cricket, global Twenty20 ICC events and the proliferation of domestic leagues (involving foreign players and, in some cases, private ownership) and the consequent impact on international cricket.

The ICC Board and Chief Executive’s Board have already agreed that the ICC World Twenty20 will remain a joint men’s and women’s event and will be increased from 12 to 16 men’s teams from 2014 onwards.

The ICC Cricket Committee will also consider the impact of the rule changes and the outcome of the trials in ODIs and whether any other changes should be introduced to further enhance the format at international level.

The ICC Cricket Committee will receive reports of the ongoing trials and consider reports involving the development and feasibility of using different colour balls in multi-day formats in day/night conditions.

The ICC Cricket Committee will receive an update on the research project, commissioned by ICC, with the assistance of MCC, aimed at developing wearable technology that can be used to monitor bowling actions by providing real time feedback to the athlete, coach and umpires during training/match environments.

A prototype sensor has been developed capable of producing data that would indicate whether or not the bowler’s elbow is being straightened during the delivery swing. The next phase of the project will involve the further development of the sensors and the validation of the data produced.

The committee will carry out its annual review of the Decision Review System. The Committee will consider actual results, the reliability of the technologies used and the extent of improvements thereto, the appropriateness of the current DRS LBW protocols and, specifically, the impact thereof on the game (balance between bat and ball).