The International Cricket Council made some tweaks to its Code of Conduct for players and the much-maligned Decision Review System. The new rules will come into effect from the South Africa-Ireland One-Day International match in Benoni on September 22.
In a media release on its website, the game's apex body announced that there have been no changes that have been made to the list of offences previously mentioned in the Code of Conduct for players. The duration of the suspensions, warnings, and fines remain untouched but a new system called "Demerit Points" will now see regular offenders of the Code of Conduct for players suspended. The Demerit Points will be accounted for over a period of two years, with all players' accounts starting from zero on September 22.
There were also some fresh changes to the manner in which decisions will be calculated using the DRS, which the Board of Control for Cricket in India has been a strong critic of.
According to the modified rules, for a not-out decision to go the fielding team's way, more than half the ball has to be impacting the pad in a zone covered from the outside of off and leg stump for a leg-before decision. Previously, the zone was bordered by the centre of off and leg stumps.
The impact of ball hitting the woodwork will also see a slight shift in focus. The report went on to add that the decision will go in favour of the fielding team only if the ball hits the stumps within a zone bordered by the outside of off and leg stumps, and the bottom of the bails. In the old rules, the ball needed to be hitting the centre of off and leg stump.