New Rules Changes Proposed For One-Day Cricket

The ICC Cricket committee recommended some changes in their report to ICC. Some of the proposed changes include allowing two bouncers per over in limited overs cricket. Also, removal of the bowling powerplay was recommended. While both these changes will make the fifty over game more bowler friendly, some other changes were also suggested.

The committee proposed reducing the number of fielders in the outfield from five to four. This suggestion is drastic and its effect on the play in the middle cannot be completely envisaged at this stage. Less fielders in the outfield could mean more open spaces for boundaries yet and extra fielder in the inner 15-yard circle could yield wickets.

"The changes will help enhance what is still an exceptionally popular form of the game, " ICC General Manager of Cricket David Richardson said.

In a rain-affected match, Duckworth-Lewis (D/L) method is used to revise the target for the chasing team. This method has at times come under some fire by the fans and the commentators. An Indian mathematician, V Jayadevan, had proposed his system -- the VJD method -- but the committee preferred the D/L system as they felt it was good enough and the new system wasn’t much better.

The committee's recommendations will be ratified by the ICC Board in in Kuala Lumpur later this month.