New ICC playing conditions

For Test cricket the most significant changes are:

1. The mandatory use of lights, where available, to allow play to continue in conditions when natural light would prevent it. The decision to use lights will be at the discretion of the umpires.

2. Awarding of all 5 runs penalties on the field of play for disciplinary breaches covered by the Laws of the game (previously only restricted penalty runs could be awarded by the umpires). This will be for a trial period of twelve months. Penalty runs cover both Test and ODI matches.

3. In order to make up lost playing and spectating time after stoppages, a new provision now allows time to be added to the scheduled playing hours for the next, and subsequent day(s).

4. This is limited to an additional hour per day, and where conditions allow the first 30 minutes will be added prior to the scheduled start of the first session, and the remainder added to the last session.

5. Introduction of a no ball penalty for short pitched deliveries that prevent the striker from being able to hit them with the bat by means of a normal cricket stroke. The existing two bouncer per over rule is maintained.

6.] Judging of leg side wides, including deliveries going down the leg side when bowled into the rough outside leg stump. ICC wishes to encourage attacking bowling, particularly by spinners seeking to exploit the rough, but equally believes that umpires should be able to use judgement in calling wides, when appropriate.

Playing Conditions for ODI Cricket

A number of new Playing Conditions have also been introduced for One Day International matches:

1. The bowling of one bouncer per over
2. 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 team that achieves victory with a run rate 1.25 times that of its opponent. See below for detailed explanation and examples. 3. The Duckworth Lewis method for re-calculating target scores is to be used for a further three years

ODI Bonus Point System

1. 1 Bonus point for any team that achieves victory with a run rate 1.25 times that of the opposition.
2. A team's run rate will be calculated by reference to the number of runs scored divided by the number of overs faced.
3. Where a side is all out, the number of overs to be used is the maximum number of overs that side was otherwise eligible to face.
4. Where matches are shortened and targets revised through the Duckworth/Lewis system, bonus run rates and bonus defensive targets are derived as a function of the revised target score and maximum overs.

Team Batting First		Team Batting Second		Team Bowling Second
Score	Run Rate	Req'd Run Rate	Overs to Win	Req'd Run Rate	Target Score
300	6	7.5	40	4.8	240
275	5.5	6.875	40	4.4	220
250	5	6.25	40	4	200
225	4.5	5.625	40	3.6	180
200	4	5	40	3.2	160
175	3.5	4.375	40	2.8	140
150	3	3.75	40	2.4	120
125	2.5	3.125	40	2	100
100	2	2.5	40	1.6	80
75	1.5	1.875	40	1.2	60

A proposal originally adopted, for the introduction of a six run penalty for each over of an ODI innings not bowled, has subsequently been removed following further discussion by the Cricket Committee-Playing.

The first Test matches played under the new Playing Conditions will be the Asian Test Championship fixtures and Zimbabwe's two Test series against South Africa.

The new Conditions were approved by the ICC's Cricket Committee-Playing meeting of May 2001.

Members of the ICC Cricket Committee-Playing were:

Sunil Gavaskar, India, chairman
Allan Border, Australia
John Reid Jnr., New Zealand
Zaheer Abbas,Pakistan
Brian Basson, South Africa
Sidath Wettimuny,Sri Lanka
Kris Srikkanth, India
Andy Pycroft,Zimbabwe
Jackie Hendriks, West Indies
A Roquibal Hassan,Bangladesh
David Acfield, England
Geoff Edwards,Canada
John Everett, Scotland
Harilal Shah, Kenya