Ricky Ponting and greats discuss big issues at World Cricket Committee meeting
THE horror MCG pitch and the evils of match fixing are set to be discussed by Ricky Ponting and a star-studded line-up of ex-greats when the World Cricket Committee meets.
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THE horror MCG pitch and the evils of match fixing are set to be on the agenda for Ricky Ponting and a star-studded line-up of ex-greats when the World Cricket Committee meets in Sydney.
Ponting is joined by the likes of Rod Marsh, Brendon McCullum, Mike Gatting and Kumar Sangakkara on Wednesday to conduct the annual think tank on the game’s big issues for the MCC — cricket’s official rule makers.
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Nothing will be decided at the hearing, however recommendations may be made to the International Cricket Council on the direction cricket should take with its laws and innovations.
On the agenda to be discussed is the World Test Championship concept as well as four-day and day-night cricket.
Arguments will again be made for cricket pushing itself to the IOC as an Olympic sport and on ways in which women’s cricket can be enhanced.
The committee will take an intense look at concussion and replacement players and how the ICC can quickly move forward with a workable concussion protocol to keep it in line with other major sports, particularly in the wake of the Phillip Hughes tragedy.
Corruption will again be a hot topic after allegations surfaced on the eve of the Perth Test that has been the subject of investigation by the ICC’s anti-corruption unit.
Meanwhile the Committee will talk about innovations with pitches, including drop-in wickets which have been a major controversy this Australian summer.
The MCG drop-in wicket was labelled “poor” by the ICC and there have been calls for Cricket Australia to dig up those decks and start again.
Adelaide Oval’s drop-in uses more up-to-date technology where the drop-in pitches are embedded in actual soil rather than on cement trays.
While no actual decisions will be made today, the fully independent World Cricket Committee does hold significant sway.
It was Ponting and other leading members who were instrumental in bat sizes being reduced last year.