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BCCI to decide team composition today

The working committee of the Board of Control for Cricket in India meets in Delhi from today. By the time the meeting concludes, firm decisions are expected on the participation of the national team in the Commonwealth Games.

The meeting will also deliberate on the final report of the special committee on pitch tampering during the Tamil Nadu-Delhi Ranji Super League match in February this year, in Chennai.

The commitee consisted of C D Gopinath, T A Shekhar, Chetan Chauhan and Kirti Azad.

Besides the Commonwealth Games, the budget of the Indian team for its tours to Canada for the Sahara Cup and the tour to Zimbabwe would also be disscussed.

Despite IOA's repeated reminders, the BCCI is yet to furnish the names of the players for the cricket team for the Games. The IOA had insisted that it would accept only the best team, as speculation was rife that the board would send the 'A' team for the Games the senior team would play the five-match one-day series against Pakistan for the Sahara Cup in Toronto.

However, inside sources within the BCCI said that unofficially, a decision had already been taken that the best team would be sent to Toronto. A team of supposedly 'equal strength' would be sent to Kuala Lumpur, with the board arguing that since they were not official one dayers, there was no justification for sending a full strength side to Kuala Lumpur.

The last date for sending names for the Games was August 11, and the IOA said it would have to make special efforts to get the delayed entry accepted.

Meanwhile, ICC president Jagmohan Dalmiya indicated that henceforth, the ground umpire can consult the third umpire on all decisions excepting leg before wicket.

Dalmiya said that the third umpire could be consulted even to determine if the batsman had nicked a ball -- an option that did not exist for the ground umpires earlier.

Further, the third umpire can alert umpires in calling 'over' (a bid to do away with mistakes made when umpires have given the bowler a ball or two, over or under the standard quota of six). The third umpire can also intervene if a fielder shifts position after the batsman has taken stance.

Dalmiya says that the following rule changes will be introduced, effective September 1:

1) Umpires will be permitted to consult the third umpire, if in doubt, on all dismissals barring leg before wicket.

2) Fielders will no longer be allowed to shift positions once the batsman has taken his stance. If he does so, the umpire will call a `dead ball' under Law 42, which deals with unfair play.

3) Stern action will be taken against bowlers with suspect action. The umpire, after only one warning, may bar him from bowling if he continues to operate with a suspect action. If it is a marginal case, it will be brought to the notice of the Match Referee, who will require the concerned national board to take action.

4) Light meters will be mandatory in all international fixtures, the board taking the responsibility of supplying these gadgets to the home umpires. An additional light meter will be given by the host board to the ICC referee, who will retain it and pass it on to the National Grid panel umpire for each game.

6) In case a change of ball is sought after 110 overs, only replacement with new ball will be allowed. The BCCI, Dalmiya said, has accepted this clause with the change that it will now be mandatory to take the new ball after 100 overs in domestic matches.

7) A beamer will come under Law 42, and the bowler will be warned, and removed from the attack in case of a second offense.

8) If a batsman is found to be damaging the pitch, umpires shall follow the procedures of caution, and if proven ineffective, shall signal `dead ball' as soon as he considers there is no immediate chance of a dismissal, disallow any runs, return the batsmen to their original ends and order change of shoes.