The ICC is conducting a trial run of a shot clock, which should be made a permanent part of cricket games with more stringent regulations in order to speed up all three formats of the game. The trial will commence on the West Indies vs. England men’s ODI series next Sunday. Fielding teams will have 60 seconds at the end of each over to be prepared for the next one, and three transgressions in an innings will result in five penalty runs being imposed. While the idea has merit, it should be taken further. A minute is more than sufficient time to prepare for the next over, so it should be reduced to 45 seconds at least in white-ball games. Additionally, the same rules should apply to the batting side, with a five-run penalty for any delays in getting ready to receive the ball between overs. Furthermore, the virtually pointless rule of “timed out” as a form of dismissal should be replaced with penalty runs. Once a dismissal has been signaled, a countdown clock on the big screen should inform the incoming batter of how long they have to get ready. If they fail to do so, a five-run penalty is more appropriate than being dismissed. Extraordinary incidents should not hinge on the fielding captain’s appeal; rather, it should be a black and white issue of a player being ready in time or not. The shot clock may also provide an additional way for fans to participate in the game by counting down the seconds if a player is taking too long. On a six month trial run, the ICC has been monitoring the in-between overs shot clock, following a five-year-old recommendation from the MCC rules committee. The clock is used to regulate the time taken between overs, and a five-run penalty will be imposed if the bowling team is unprepared to bowl the next over within 60 seconds of the previous one being completed. However, a three-strikes warning system is considered too lenient; the fielding team should only be issued one warning, and then penalized for future transgressions. Penalty runs are more effective as a deterrent than the current system, which focuses on field placement. Furthermore, a shot clock in between deliveries may be implemented if teams continue to delay. Empowering umpires to issue the five-run penalty for deliberate time wasting should also be encouraged, as umpires currently seem hesitant to intervene when teams drag their feet. Though the shot clock is a significant step in the right direction, implementation may still face challenges due to reluctance from some teams and the ICC. There has also been a change in the sanctions for poor pitches, with venues now requiring six demerit points over five years to suffer a ban from hosting international matches. Overall, the shot clock and changes to sanctions for poor pitches are steps forward for cricket, but they must be implemented effectively.
