ICC’s cricket committee-playing has recommended domestic trials of innovations through which two batsmen could be dismissed off the same ball and the batting teams could dictate when the field restrictions would apply in ODIs.The radical changes are part of a number of recommendations made by the committee after it met in Dubai, a statement from the game’s governing body said here today. The experiments would have to be approved by the chief executives of the Test playing nations.12-member teamsOne of the suggestions is that teams will play 12-member teams with different batting and bowling elevens in a one-day match. This means, Saurav Ganguly and other captains can pack their side with seven batsmen and still have five specialist bowlers.Scrap overthrowsAnd scrapping of overthrows as a result of the ball rebounding from a batsman’s body or bat while allowing extra runs arising out of the ball hitting the stumps has also been suggested.One ball, two wicketsA typical instance of ‘double-play’ to be trialed would be an appeal for leg before and the umpire considering it while the batsmen steal a single; then the appeal is upheld while a fielder runs the non-striker out.Batsmen to set fieldThe batsmen will also gain more advantage over the bowlers in the shorter version of the game as they will have the liberty of dictating the opposition in which over to apply the field restrictions. Moreover, the restrictions need not be in 15 successive overs.The committee also suggested that the minimum number of overs to constitute an ODI be reduced to 20 from 25. In one-day matches where the play begins on a reserve day, there shall be no re-toss or change in eleven made on the first day unless the two captains arrive at an agreement.
