Makeover for domestic cricket: Ranji knockouts to be 5-day affair

Among other decisions at BCCI Technical Committee meet,Irani Cup to be played after the Ranji final

Ranji Trophy knock-out games will be played over five days,while the Irani Cup Ranji champions versus Rest of India will follow the Ranji Trophy final instead of being played before the start of the elite domestic tournament. These were the major decisions taken at the meeting of the Board of Control for Cricket in Indias (BCCI) technical committee and senior tournament committee held at the Cricket Centre here on Friday.

While the quarterfinals,semifinals and final of the Ranji Trophy will be five-day games,the league games will continue to be played over four days. The re-worked calendar will give the Ranji Trophy champions an immediate platform to play against the best of the rest. Earlier,the defending champions would play the Rest of India team only at the start of the next season.

The technical committee,headed by former India skipper Sourav Ganguly,also decided that host association will be docked two points if match officials deem the wicket to be underprepared.

The Railways Sports Promotion Board (RSPB) paid the price for hosting Saurashtra on an under-prepared wicket last season. The technical committee on Friday decided that Railways be barred from hosting games at the Karnail Singh Stadium. It asked the RSPB to suggest alternate venues.

The Committee had also summoned representatives of the Hyderabad Cricket Association following similar reports from match officials but they were let off after a warning.

However,the idea of hosting all Ranji Trophy games at neutral venues,first suggested at the working committee meeting earlier this week,was rejected by the technical committee. I feel the home and away system should continue, Ganguly said after technical committee meeting.

Also the points system was revised,but the number of points given for an outright win,first innings lead and bonus remained the same. In case of a washout or weather interference,where in there is no first-innings result,both teams will receive a point each,down from two each. If no first innings result is achieved (no weather interference) then both teams will be given a point each. This season teams received no points if a first innings result wasnt achieved. Bowlers will also be allowed two short-pitched deliveries per over in domestic ODI tournaments.