On Saturday, the International Cricket Council (ICC) introduced the updated version of the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) System along with the new ICC Code of Conduct and ICC Playing Conditions. These will come into effect from Sunday, 30 September, when the first ODI between South Africa and Zimbabwe will be played in Kimberley.
This is the third version but the second update of the DLS System since its introduction into international cricket in 2014 and has been carried out following a detailed ball-by-ball analysis of scoring patterns, including in the Powerplays, in all limited overs internationals played during the previous four years. This means the current amendment is the result came after analyzing 700 ODIs and 428 T20Is, which comprise over 240,000 outcomes of individual deliveries.
In finalizing the updated version, the scoring patterns between ODI (final 20 overs) and T20 were analyzed, as were the scoring patterns between men’s and women’s international matches. The study has confirmed that in both cases, while overall scoring rates are obviously different, wicket-adjusted resource utilisation rates are essentially identical.
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As such, it has again been confirmed that a single version of the DLS System is capable enough to be implemented in all the formats.
ICC Code of Conduct
Meanwhile, the following are some of the new offenses and the change in the level of some existing offenses in the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which will also be implemented from Sunday, 30 September. These were approved by the ICC Board during the Dublin Annual Conference on 2 July.
The maximum sanction for a Level 3 offense has been increased from eight suspension points to 12 suspension points (equivalent to 6 Test matches or 12 ODIs).
Match referees will now hear Level 1, 2 and 3 charges with a Judicial Commissioner only hearing Level 4 charges and appeals.
ICC Playing Conditions
With the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 less than a year away, the ICC has not made any major changes to the existing playing conditions. There are only a couple of minor tweaks, which are:
Clauses 11.4 (ODI), 11.7 and 12.8 (Tests) – If a result is imminent, extra time can be requested so the match can be concluded before a scheduled interval.
Clause 19 (Test, ODI, and T20I) – Unless the boundary is the maximum 90 yards from the centre of the pitch, the boundary rope cannot be any more than 10 yards from the edge of the available playing area.
The updated ICC Standard Playing Conditions for men’s cricket are available here.
