Sir Alastair Cook has proposed a radical new rule that could re-shape Test cricket.
Cook was speaking with Michael Vaughan, David Lloyd and Phil Tufnell about any tweaks to the laws of the game that could improve the sport, especially the five-day format.
And the former England skipper suggested a rule that may help teams to take 20 wickets in a match, as well as adding another tactical element of decision-making.
“A new rule I would add would be how about, in 160 overs, you can take the new ball whenever you want?” said Cook, speaking on The Overlap and Betfair’s Stick to Cricket show.
“You've got two new balls for those 160 overs, and you can take that second ball whenever you want. You could take one after 30 overs if you wanted to.”
Currently in Test cricket, the fielding side can opt to take a new ball every 80 overs but Cook’s suggestion would allow them to go earlier in order to make the breakthrough, although the trade-off would be potentially subsequently using an older ball for a longer stretch.
Cook’s fellow panellists also had their own ideas on how the laws of cricket could be changed with Vaughan advocating the use of substitutes – and not just for concussions or specific instances as the rules currently dictate.
“In the first innings of the game, like-for-like, Rishabh Pant at Lord’s is the perfect example,” explained Vaughan. “He takes a knock to his left hand, so he can bat but he can’t [wicket]-keep – Dhruv Jurel comes on and keeps for him.
“You can't spend the whole game off the field, not fielding and then bat. Nathan Lyon at Lord’s in the last Ashes popped his calf early – is the game worse off for losing a player early in the game?
“We have concussion subs, so if somebody gets hit early on the swede, you can replace that person. So why don't we have substitutes? All of the other sports have it – why are we allowing the game to be reduced in quality if someone gets a clip.
“The key to it will be an independent doctor on-site, but the independence will be very difficult to manage. But I think Test cricket now should have subs.
“It's got to be a serious injury – it might have to be if you've got a bone break. Or you have to have a scan to prove. Nathan Lyon had clearly popped his calf badly and he's not going to play any part in the game. Should Australia have had a sub that day? I think so.
“It was Matt Parkinson who played for England as a concussion replacement for Leachy (Jack Leach). That happened because Leachy got a blow on the head. If we're having concussion subs, then why don't we just have subs.”
Former England coach and umpire Lloyd also suggested taking an idea from other sports, with red and yellow cards mooted by the 78-year-old, to be used at the umpires’ discretion.
“The governing body are telling the umpires to go ‘softly softly’, get on the same wavelength, don’t upset the players,” said Lloyd. “Rather than, ‘you are the authority of the game’. No, we're not changing it – get on with it.
“I used to be on the elite umpire’s selection committee, and I always went on about red cards and yellow cards. Give them a yellow card then give them a red card.
“They said ‘no, you’ve got to try and get on the same wavelength over five days, or a four-day game whatever it is and try to work with them, the players’. They don't take a blind bit of notice now, the players.”
