The recent development in cricketing laws definitely has its
pros and cons. Player are usually penalized for misconduct in terms of warning,
cut in match fees or any other monetary
form but to eject them from the field has some concerns.
“As Guardian of laws” Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) has
been playing a significant role in development of cricket and the MCC World
Cricket Committee remained vital in shaping up the rules and regulations of the
game. Therefore “to
cover the most extreme cases of violence on the pitch”, the committee
seek to empower umpires at all level to eject or send off players from the
field over act of violence and threats to anyone in the field.
Though the idea of
sending off cricketer from field for inappropriate behavior or misconduct is
not new in the game, as in 2001 talks were surface of a football-style card
system for infield over-exaggeration and again in 2007 most of the ICC’ elite
panel umpires publicly showed their dissent for the introduction of red card system
in cricket. However it is the first time in 229-year cricket history that the
idea has got any legal recommendation to seek amendments in laws for the
subsequent rule effected from October 2017.
It
has been suggested that “threatening an umpire, physically assaulting another
player, umpire, official or spectator; or any other act of violence” will be considered
a sending-off offence and result in a team being reduced to ten players for the
remainder of the match. Mike Brearley, who chaired last week the committee’s
two-day meeting in Mumbai says “we had a survey of umpires and 40% said they’d
considered giving up because of abuse and anecdotal evidence from league cricket
is that behaviour has got a lot worse. Umpires have to be respected and given
the best possible chance of doing their jobs.”
Although, the technical
aspects of how the law will be implemented are yet to be decided – a red
card or introduction of any new umpiring signal – to send off player, but the
main thing is does the idea is beneficial or suitable enough in cricket to
eradicate the menace of sledging and misconduct from the game? The obvious answer
wouldn’t be a definite “yes”.
It is therefore hoped the International Cricket Council
(ICC) would see the recommendation judiciously. As the MCC can be the
custodians of the laws but it is the ICC, who has the prerogative to legislate
for every contingency which might arise in the international game.
But it must be noted that the ICC cannot rely only on the
Spirit of Cricket to sort these things out. The game demands complete impartiality
and sensibility on behalf of cricket governing body for that.
Therefore rather than sending-off any player it is wiser
and more appropriate if the ICC judiciously comes to implement the ICC Code of Ethics in letter and
spirit.
By Naseem Rajput
naseemrajput@hotmail.com
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