Sunny switches lights on Tests

New playing conditions for Test and One Day International cricket have been agreed in London, but the International Cricket Council's Cricket Committee-Playing (CC-P) has decided to retain status quo for using TV technology to assist the umpires' decision-making.

Discussions on adapting missile tracking technology, known as Hawk Eye, to help umpires adjudicate LBWs has been deferred for at least a year.

For Test cricket, the Sunil Gavaskar chaired CC-P has approved the mandatory use of lights to permit play to continue in conditions where natural light is fading. The decision to use lights will be at the discretion of the umpires.

An ICC spokesman told this correspondent that the Committee had also agreed to the use of all 5 penalty runs on the field of play for disciplinary breaches, as covered by the Laws of the game. "This will be for a trial period of 12 months", the spokesman explained. "Penalty runs cover both Test and ODI (one day international) matches."

An Australian Cricket Board proposal to use disciplinary cards was discussed and will be further reviewed next month (June) when the Cricket Committee-Managing meets.

The spokesman reviewed the new playing conditions that had been approved to avoid the apparent predictability of many ODI matches.

These include the bowling of one bouncer per over and allocation of bonus points for tournaments and series involving three or more teams. Winning teams will be awarded four points, with a tie or no result counting for two points. A single bonus point will be available to the side winning the series.

"A detailed statistical assessment of the formula used to calculate the awarding of bonus points will be agreed at the CC-M meeting in June", the spokesman added.

He said a six-run penalty for each over of an innings not bowled within the scheduled time was approved. This will apply to both innings of a match.

The Duckworth Lewis method for recalculating target scores was approved for a further three years.

On the use of TV technology to help umpires make "line decisions", the CC-P has decided to maintain the status quo. The ICC spokesman said, "This allows TV replays to assist umpires in making what are termed 'line decisions' covering stumpings, hit wicket, run out and boundaries. Replays can also be used to determine if a catch has been cleanly taken by a fielder."

Commenting on the CC-P's meeting, Gavaskar said, "In reaching the decision to maintain the current level of technological assistance the Committee considered the merits of all options available to it. These included using more or even less technology.

"Our final decision was influenced by the ICC's recommendations on the restructuring of the international panel of umpires. This proposes to appoint an elite panel of the best umpires to officiate in all Test matches from April 2002.

"The view of the Committee was that the consistent use of the most highly regarded umpires will improve the overall standard of decision making and that further use of technology would not at present be required.

"This decision does not mean that the game is rejecting the extension of TV-based technology in the long term. The Committee will review the matter on a regular basis rather than consider it every three years, as per other playing regulations."

The ICC spokesman confirmed that Hawk Eye technology had been mentioned to Committee members. "If it is still around in 12 months time, they will need to look at it", the spokesman said.