Dubai, July 3:
Tampering with the ball could now lead to a ban of up to six Tests or 12 ODIs after the International Cricket Council (ICC) made it a level 3 transgression besides adding obscenity and personal abuse to the list of offences in a bid to ensure better behaviour on the field.
At the end of its annual conference in Dublin, the world body came up with its plan to curb unruly behaviour on the field that has been under the scanner for a while now in the ‘gentlemen’s game’.
Upgrading ball-tampering from a level 2 to a level 3 offence has come in the wake of the row earlier this year when Australian cricketers Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft were found guilty of changing the condition of the ball during the third Test against South Africa in Cape Town.
“I and my fellow Board directors were unanimous in supporting the recommendations of the Cricket Committee and Chief Executives’ Committee to drive improved behaviour across our sport,” ICC Chairman Shashank Manohar said.
“It is vital that there is a strong deterrent to both players and administrators to ensure we have high standards of conduct in our game,” he added.
Under the existing Code of Conduct back in March, the ICC had fined Smith for one Test and that had led to calls for a tougher punishment.
“I’d like to thank the Cricket Committee and the Chief Executives for their commitment to improving player behaviour in the game and supporting the introduction of new offences and greater sanctions,” said ICC chief executive Dave Richardson after the five-day meet.
“There is a clear desire here to reclaim cricket’s unique proposition as a game that people can trust in and for us all to live the spirit of cricket in a way that is relevant in the 21st century,” said the South African. (PTI)
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