ICC Announces Changes to Playing Conditions: Applying Saliva on is now Ball Banned permanently

Recently ICC announce changes to its rules, and these changes will come into effect from 1st October. Now several changes will be applied to the playing conditions.

These changes in the playing conditions of cricket introduced by the Saurav Ganguly- led Men's Cricket Committee to the ICC.

Men's Cricket Committee (MCC) updated the 3rd edition of the 2017 Code of the Laws of Cricket and shared its conclusions with the Women's Cricket Committee, who endorsed the recommendations to CEC.

A host of important changes to the Playing Conditions that come into effect at the start of next month ????https://t.co/4KPW2mQE2U

— ICC (@ICC) September 20, 2022

The main Changes in the Playing Conditions that will come into effect on 1st October are -:

Batters Returning When Caught

When a batter is out caught, the new batter will come in at the end the striker previously was, regardless of whether the batters crossed prior to the catch being taken.

Use of Saliva to Polish the Ball

Usually, we see bowlers polish the ball through their saliva, but this practice came to end due to the covid effect.

But new rules recommended a complete ban on the use of saliva to polish the ball.

Incoming Batter Ready to Face the Ball

According to new rules, the incoming batter will now be required to be ready to take strike within two minutes in tests and ODIs.;

while the current threshold of ninety seconds in T20Is remains unchanged.

Striker's Right to Play the Ball

This is restricted to require some part of their bat or person to remain within the pitch. Should they venture beyond that, the umpire will call and signal a dead ball.

Any ball which would force the batter to leave the pitch will also be called no ball.

Unfair Movement by the Fielding Side

Any unfair and deliberate movement while the bowler is running in to bowl could now result in the umpire awarding five penalty runs to the batting side, in addition to a call of Dead ball.

Running out of the non- striker

'Mankading' term used in cricket. Its meaning is bowler can run out the non–striker batsman if he tries to step out of the crease when the bowler releases the ball.

Mankading practice is considered to be 'unfair play' but with new rules introduced by ICC, this practice will no longer be unfair.

Now it is included in the 'Run out' section.

One of the good recent rules decisions by @ICC has been to officially remove any reference to mankading, instead referring to the running out of the non-striker. If the non-striker is trying to gain an advantage, they should be run out and off they go, just like in a stumping.
— Iceland Cricket (@icelandcricket) September 20, 2022

Bowler Throwing towards Striker's end Before Delivery

Previously, a bowler who saw the batter advancing down the wicket before entering their delivery stride could throw the ball to attempt to run out the striker.

This practice will now be called a dead ball.

Why #ICC is always so Pro Batsman oriented as most of its laws are against bowlers
— Mmoseen  (@TheMmoseen_87) September 20, 2022

Other Important Decisions

The in-match penalty was introduced in T20Is in January 2022, (Whereby the fielding team has to complete their over on time. Any failure to complete their overs on a scheduled cessation time leads to an additional fielder having to be brought inside the fielding circle for the remaining overs of the innings).

This in-match penalty or will now be adopted in ODI matches after the completion of the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup Super League in 2023.