• ICC makes stop clocks permanent

    Stop clocks will become a permanent feature in international white-ball cricket.

    The decision, taken at a meeting of the ICC in Dubai, follows a successful trial that showed they saved around 20 minutes per match in ODIs.

    The fielding side has 60 seconds to start a new over. Failure to do so initially attracts two warnings before a five-run penalty is applied.

    The new playing condition comes into force on 1 June and will be used at that month’s T20 World Cup in the West Indies and USA.

    Cricket chiefs also discussed the future of bilateral internationals as fears grow that such games are under threat from the rise of global franchise leagues.

    ICC chairman Greg Barclay said there are “no easy answers” after talks on the implementation of scheduling windows to prevent fixture clashes ended without any firm recommendations.

    “We spent a number of hours constructively considering the structure of the global cricket calendar,” he said. “Whilst there are no easy answers, there is a commitment to exploring how context can be delivered and further options will be considered at upcoming meetings.”

    © Agence France-Presse

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    Simon Borchardt