Sports: ICC’s ‘Stop Clock’ Trial: Bowlers Face 5-Run Penalty for Over Delays in Men’s ODIs and T20Is
Dubai, 24th November 2023: In a move to address concerns raised about the impact of new rules on bowlers, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has modified its regulations once again. In an upcoming trial period, if a bowler exceeds 60 seconds to deliver the next over for the third time in a single innings during men’s ODIs and T20 International cricket matches, the bowling team will face a penalty of 5 runs.
The decision emerged from discussions in the ICC board meeting, with the Chief Executive Committee opting to implement a ‘stop clock’ trial in men’s ODIs and T20 Internationals. This trial period is set to run from December 2023 to April 2024.
The ‘stop clock’ mechanism will be employed to monitor the time elapsed between two overs. According to the ICC, bowlers must commence their delivery within 60 seconds after the conclusion of the preceding over. Should this violation occur for the third time within the same innings, a penalty of five runs will be enforced on the bowling team.
Additionally, the ICC has revised its criteria for banning pitches from hosting international cricket. Changes to pitch and outfield monitoring rules aim to simplify the evaluation process. Notably, the demerit points required to strip a ground of its international status have been reduced from five to six within a five-year period.
Drawing a parallel with the ‘time out’ rule that penalizes late arrivals of batsmen to the pitch, this new regulation operates similarly. In this case, if a bowler exceeds the stipulated 60 seconds for the third over, the bowling team will incur a 5-run penalty, aligning with the ICC’s commitment to refining the balance between batting and bowling in the sport.
