Umpires wearing gloves to inspect the ball is among changes that cricket administrators will likely implement when the sport returns amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Umpires may wear gloves to handle the ball and refuse to take a bowler’s hat whenever cricket returns from its COVID-19 stoppage, while dressing-room beers are set to remain on ice.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has released a set of guidelines, developed by the governing body’s medical advisory committee in consultation with members, for the safe resumption of the sport.
The ICC’s cricket committee had already flagged likely law changes to the highest level, with local umpires to be used and players barred from using saliva to shine the ball.
Some of the sport’s other traditions will have to be scrapped if sides are to follow medical advice from the ICC group chaired by Australian doctor Peter Harcourt.
The post-wicket huddle will no longer be possible because of social-distancing requirements, while it is now recommended teams minimise “time spent in the changing room before and after a match”.
That would mean Australia and England’s squads have to forgo a customary post-series drink at the ground, should Justin Langer’s team tour the UK in September as has been mooted.
Players and officials will be told to maintain social distancing on the field, so bowlers won’t be handing over caps, sweaters, sunglasses or any other items to the standing umpire.
Players will be told not to pass items to teammates, so the common practice of flinging a helmet and other protective equipment to a fellow fielder will need to stop.
The ICC document spells out that international players should be provided with clear guidance on the safe management of the ball.
These include not using saliva to shine the ball, “regular hand sanitising when in contact with the ball” and an edict to not touch the eyes, nose and mouth after making contact with the ball.
“Umpires may also be encouraged to use gloves when handling the ball,” the ICC back-to-cricket guidelines note.
The COVID-19 document recommends considering “a strategy to deal with potential mental health issues” and that domestic playing conditions are reviewed to minimise risks.
Langer’s team are in the process of returning to pre-season training with their respective states.
Steve Smith and other Sydney-based Test stars are set to hit the nets on June 1.
Cricket Australia’s guidelines and state-specific restrictions will govern what players can and can’t do in the nets during coming weeks.
“People will make mistakes…there’s going to be a steep learning curve,” Cricket Australia head of head of sports science Alex Kountouris said this week.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
New to panel beating? :laughing: :laughing: :happy:
Martyn50
Roar Rookie
Can players still use sand paper to shine the ball. LOL
Insult_2_Injury
Roar Rookie
They were the colours we decided epitomised English cricket, especially before and after facing Aussie fast bowlers. I know it was egg and bacon, but we chose to see fear not breakfast!
The Late News
Roar Rookie
Perth would have gold ones thank you!
The Late News
Roar Rookie
yellow and red?
The Late News
Roar Rookie
one room to go! it will be on the backburner for a bit...chock a block on the work front!
Sgt Pepperoni
Roar Rookie
Hey TLN how's things in Kal? Get your painting all finished?
Insult_2_Injury
Roar Rookie
Yellow and red striped rack at Lords? Bulls horns at Centurion?
Insult_2_Injury
Roar Rookie
Yeah, no crowd, umpires and batsmen wearing gloves and all team players tested. What are they sanitising against? South Park’s Cartman comes to mind; “Don’t question my Authori-tay”.
Insult_2_Injury
Roar Rookie
Hit the nail on the head, Flexis. The ICC like all bureaucracy has to been seen to be active for the money they pilfer from members. They are so choked by inaction and committee, that by the time they pronounce their 'rules', the landscape has changed and members have made appropriate arrangements. Anyone seeing the parallels with the UN & WHO?
The Late News
Roar Rookie
Gday sargeant...hows things? Wide world of hat stands now? Elephant tusks in Bulawayo for sure!
Flexis
Roar Rookie
Exactly. By the time teams are advised by their governments it is ok to travel internationally all these measures will look pretty damn stupid. Unless the ICC are planning on taking these matters into their own hands, which would easily trump aforementioned stupidity.
Sgt Pepperoni
Roar Rookie
Umpires may decline to take a players hat? One step closer to replacing the on field umpires with a hat stand at either end and referring 100% of decisions Of course different grounds will have different styles of hat stands to match their ethos. The SCG will have ornate wooden 1930's hat stands whereas the MCG will have solid metal stands with industrial grade hooks. Perth stadium will just build their stands out of pure cash or unrefined iron ore. We can only speculate what the hat stands will be in famous overseas grounds such as Kandy or Lahore
Marty
Roar Rookie
Players using hand sanitiser before and after handling the ball? Should make for some interesting movement. Some of this stuff is a bit silly.
Paul
Roar Guru
Your last comment is particularly pertinent. If India is going to travel to Australia, beforehand, the BCCI will surely take advice from it's Foreign Affairs Dept who will be liaising with it's Australian counterparts. They in turn will be relying on health advice from the relevant Australian experts and those folks will be relying on live sports for guidance, eg the NRL, AFL, etc. I'm really sure these Australian health folks won't be suggesting too many of the things the ICC has come up with. No doubt these ideas will help reduce the spread of the virus but are they practical or needed in such a controlled environment?
Insult_2_Injury
Roar Rookie
Spot on Paul, our Federal government says 10 people can sit and/or stand in a backyard with virus killing sunlight, without anyone monitoring them! No way a national cricket team doesn't test players who'll be sharing a bus, changeroom and masseuse. To say they can't huddle is all about bureaucracy, not virus control. The unwritten bureaucratic code comes into play, if we see it, we have to act, because the blowback may be aimed at us! Ridiculous! Not to mention CA needs to advise the ICC that they take political and medical advice from the Australian government and if the prevailing government; rightly or wrongly decides to advise against travel to a region or medical precautions then that's the rule, not some sporting body.
Paul
Roar Guru
Assuming this article is accurately reporting on & off-field changes, I think the ICC has lost the plot. All of the guys involved in international cricket will have been tested extensively for the virus, including substitutes, umpires, etc. I fail to see how a person throwing a helmet to another person, for example, could possibly transmit virus? And if a player hugs a bowler after he takes a wicket, does that mean players will be fined or have penalty points imposed? Surely these geniuses could look at what's going on in the NRL as a guide for what is acceptable in cricket? There's clearly way more contact in that sport, both on and off the field, yet they haven't gone to these lengths I'm sure. I also hope they trial these guidelines in the NT where cricket restarts soon, just to show how ridiculous some of these rules are and how impossible they'll be to enforce.