ECB outlaws legal delivery

First we've had the farce whereby several illegal catches (including in International matches with ICC Elite Panel Umpires) have been allowed to stand, now we have the ridiculous unilateral decision from the ECB to ban double-bounce deliveries, which are perfectly legal under the Laws of Cricket. They are claiming the deliveries contravene the spirit of the game.

Utter nonsense. I'd suggest it takes great skill to deliberately bowl a ball that bounces twice (if it bounces a third time it's a no-ball). Furthermore, how confusing will this now become down at grass-roots level? A case in point was on Saturday, the oppo's last wicket fell when a part-time bowler on our side bowled his first ball, it bounced twice and bowled the batsman out. He questioned whether this was allowed at the time, now he'd be able to say "but the ECB has banned this delivery".

Oh, and invoking the Spirit of Cricket for this is fine, but when will the far greater contravention of the Spirit of Cricket, sledging, be outlawed? I thought as much...

I agree with you Jason. Contravening the spirit of cricket is a load of b*ll*cks. How will this apply in junior or recreational cricket where this happens frequently (usually cos' they're wubbish)?

"Sledging" is a far bigger curse on the game. I've only played a few games this season but in each of those I've been called a "useless fat c**t" or similar by some 19yr old gobsh*te. It would hurt less if it wasn't true.

Still unpleasant and unnecessary and definitely not in the spirit of the type of cricket I like to play.

Tada.

I think they (the ECB) have done this because the T20 competition is supposedly all about entertaining the crowd. Most people go to see runs being scored rather than sides being bowled out cheaply. Hence, T20 is all about hitting 6's and 4's and the 'double-bouncer' is not conducive to scoring runs - therefore ban it!

Personally, I think this season's T20 format is OTT and will probably turn many people off that format of the game.

whacker said:

I think they (the ECB) have done this because the T20 competition is supposedly all about entertaining the crowd. Most people go to see runs being scored rather than sides being bowled out cheaply. Hence, T20 is all about hitting 6's and 4's and the 'double-bouncer' is not conducive to scoring runs - therefore ban it!

Personally, I think this season's T20 format is OTT and will probably turn many people off that format of the game.

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But what the ECB has to understand is that even in T20 people don't necessarily want to see an uneven contest of who can biff the most sixes.

The most exciting match I ever saw was a Sunday League game that ended in a tie, both sides making about 130.

Jason H said:

But what the ECB has to understand is that even in T20 people don't necessarily want to see an uneven contest of who can biff the most sixes.

The most exciting match I ever saw was a Sunday League game that ended in a tie, both sides making about 130.

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I totally agree with you Jason, but the ECB and the Counties are apparently completely oblivious to this. I was chatting with my nephew at Lords last weekend and it is very clear that the powers-that-be at Northants believe that all the paying public want to see is "big sixes and lots of boundaries" (unfortunately that is precisely what they are not seeing at Northampton at the moment as the Northants side has yet to win in the T20 format!)

Tonight's televised T20 as good as proved the point that low-scoring games can be just as exciting with Somerset bowling out Hampshire for just 97 when they only had to score 105 to win - with the last 6 wickets falling for just 5 runs!

Confirmation from the ECB

http://www.ecb.co.uk/news/non-first-class/recreational/double-bounce-deliveries,310659,EN.html

Hants_red said:

Confirmation from the ECB

http://www.ecb.co.uk/news/non-first-class/recreational/double-bounce-deliveries,310659,EN.html

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Such a hotch-potch, it's ridiculous. I hope the ICC slaps the ECB about with a wet haddock for this unilateral action that doesn't even cover all competitions that one may consider to be under the auspices of the ECB.

I note the spectre of illegal catches being given out reared its head yet again yesterday in the T20 match between Notts and Durham.

Jason H said:

I note the spectre of illegal catches being given out reared its head yet again yesterday in the T20 match between Notts and Durham.

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And again - Owais the victim last night.