The International Cricket Counsel (ICC) Chief Executives’ Committee (CEC) unanimously recommended universal standards for the Decision Review System (DRS) in all Test matches and One-Day Internationals subject to availability and commercial considerations.
The agreed standards will include infra-red cameras and audio-tracking devices.
The CEC also agreed that further independent and expert research will be carried out into ball-tracking technology and its accuracy and reliability. The continued use of ball-tracking technology as a decision-making aid will depend on bilateral agreement between the participating Members.
CEC, which also approved the Cricket Committee’s recommendation to reduce the number of unsuccessful reviews in ODIs from two to one, believed that this was a step forward as the game embraces the principles of technology.
The CEC agreed with the ICC Cricket Committee’s recommendations for the further enhancement of international 50-over cricket with the restriction of the elective powerplays to between the 16th and 40th overs of each innings and also to the use of two new balls per innings – one from each end. This will come into effect from 1 October.
The CEC agreed with the Cricket Committee’s recommendation to abolish runners in international cricket.
The CEC, like the ICC Cricket Committee, was concerned at the slow over-rates in Test match cricket and agreed on stricter sanctions against captains for over-rate breaches. A captain will now be suspended for two over-rate breaches in a 12-month period in any one format of the game rather than the current position which is three breaches prior to suspension.
Other ICC Cricket Committee recommendations including the continued research into the use of different colour balls to facilitate day/night Test matches and the directive that batsmen can be given out for obstructing the field if they change their direction when running between the wicket to block a run-out chance, were also approved.
The CEC recommended that there should be a qualification process for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 but did not make a recommendation to the ICC Executive Board on the number of teams that should compete in the event to be held in Australia and New Zealand.
CEC gave its unanimous support to the present Reliance ICC Rankings system following a presentation by statistician David Kendix, who devised and operates the system for the ICC.
The CEC agreed and recommended the Future Tours Programme (FTP) 2012-2020 to the ICC Executive Board for adoption.
The ICC Executive Board will meet in Hong Kong on 28 and 29 June 2011.