Cricket Australia (CA) has announced a new system that will guarantee a result even when the Sheffield Shield final is drawn.
The rule changes, recommended by the Playing Conditions Advisory Committee will initially operate on a one-year trial.
Under the new system, if the Shield Final is drawn, the winner will be resolved by a bonus points system used throughout the season.
The system will only come into play if the match is drawn and at least 270 overs have been bowled. It is designed to encourage both teams to push for a winning result.
The bonus point system gives teams 0.01 bonus points for each run scored above 200 in the first 100 overs of each innings. Within those 100 overs, 0.1 bonus points are also given for each wicket.
Since the 1982-3 season, in the event of a draw, the trophy has been given to the higher-ranked team.
The previous rule, in effect encouraged negative, dull play by the top-ranked team, who only had to play for a draw to win the competition. It often led to lacklustre matches which didn’t resemble the high quality of play on display throughout the regular season.
“The previous rule allowing the home team to win the final in the case of a draw was not consistent with how this competition is generally played,” CA’s Head of Cricket Operations Peter Roach said.
In the past, CA has been criticised for using the Sheffield Shield for experimentation, but this initiative has been met with general positivity.
A change is long overdue.
In the past six seasons, four have been decided by draws and only six of 36 finals have been won by the second-placed team.
While cricket is hardly a game that needs to add more figures and mathematical equations, this change seems to only have positive implications for the players, fans and cricket in general.
It’s no surprise that a rule change intended to make the Sheffield Shield Final more exciting coincides with it being broadcast on Fox Sports as part of Cricket Australia’s new TV deal.
“We believe it [the bonus points] will encourage the teams involved to push for a result and improve the spectacle in the tournament’s showcase match,” Roach said.
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