The Marylebone Cricket Club, the organisation that oversees the Laws of Cricket, on Tuesday ratified the use of tethers that limit the distance that bails can travel when the stumps are disturbed, with an aim to protect wicket-keepers from freak injuries.
There have been several cases of keepers being injured by flying bails when standing close to the stumps, even with helmets on. The most prominent such case in recent times was that of South Africa’s Mark Boucher, who was forced to retire midway through the 2012 tour of England after he was struck by the bails in the left eye during their opening match.
“I had not worn a helmet but even if I had, it would not have avoided the accident,” Boucher had said in an interview. “Helmets are designed for balls, not bails. My recommendation would be to somehow attach the bails to the stumps, by a light string.”
Former India wicketkeeper Saba Karim’s career also came to an end after similar injury during an Asia Cup encounter against Bangladesh in Dhaka in 2000. It was a ball from Anil Kumble that struck the batsman on the boot and rose to hit Karim on the right eye. Mahendra Singh Dhoni also was hit by the bail on his right eye during the final Twenty20 International against Zimbabwe last year.
Responding to these incidents, MCC has decided to alter Law 8.3, after two companies from South Africa and UK, submitted designs for mechanisms that tether the bails to the stumps, without limiting their ability to be dislodged.
“If it prevents someone losing their eyesight, it’s got to be worth considering,” Fraser Stewart, MCC’s Laws Manager told ESPNCricinfo. “The companies involved are still working on their patents, so this is very much a work in progress, but what MCC have done is make such devices permissible in the Laws. After that, it is up to the governing bodies to allow for their use.”
The Law 8.3.4 now reads: “Devices aimed at protecting player safety by limiting the distance that a bail can travel off the stumps will be allowed, subject to the approval of the Governing Body for the match and the ground authority.”
This new law is among the new measures from MCC’s Laws Drafting Group, which includes the restriction on bat sizes. These will come into effect on October 1.
Here are the other laws that have been modified, according to the official MCC website.
- Now written in language applying to all persons, regardless of gender
- The Handled the ball Law has been deleted, with its contents merged into Obstructing the field.
- The Lost ball Law has been deleted and is now covered under Dead ball.
- Limits placed on the thickness of the edges and the overall depth of the bat.
- Injuries hoped to be prevented in a new Law which allow mechanisms tethering the bails to the stumps.
- Bowling of deliberate front foot No balls to be treated in same way as deliberate full-tosses.
- A new Law of the game, Players’ conduct, is introduced, giving an in-match consequence for poor on-field behaviour.
- The Law regarding running out the non-striker has been altered.
- ‘Bouncing bat’ Law changed, substitutes now allowed to keep wicket and concept of penalty time amended.
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