SUNDAY, JUNE 28, 2015 SPORTS Rule changes in one-dayers, T20 BRIDGETOWN: Rule changes affecting 50- some relief to bowlers who were set upon over one-day and Twenty20 international mercilessly at the World Cup. matches will take effect in July, the At its annual conference in Barbados, International Cricket Council (ICC) the International Cricket Council (ICC) rati- announced Friday. fied a number of proposed changes to the The aim of the altered regulations, 50-over format, which come into effect which take effect in all series starting on or from July 5. after July 5 is to restore the balance Among them, the requirement to post between bat and ball after this year’s World catching fielders within the 30-yard circle in Cup in Australia and New Zealand wit- the first 10 overs has been dropped and nessed the largest number of 300 and even five fielders will be allowed outside of it in 400 plus total seen at the ICC’s showpiece the last 10 overs, rather than the previous tournament. From July 5, five fielders will maximum of four. be allowed outside the 30-yard circle “We have thoroughly reviewed the ODI between the 41st and 50th overs, rather format after a very successful ICC Cricket than the current four. World Cup,” ICC Chief Executive David Meanwhile there will be no compulsory Richardson said in a statement. catchers from the first to the 10thover in “There was no need to make any radical ODIs and no batting powerplays will be changes to what has proved to be a vibrant allowed between the 15th and 40th overs. and popular format but we wanted to take In both ODI and T20 internationals, all this opportunity to make the format sim- no-balls, not just foot faults, will lead to a pler and easier to follow for the public as free hit. David Richardson, the ICC chief well as maintaining a balance between bat executive, speaking about the changes, in a and ball.” statement issued Friday from the global In another notable change, all no-balls governing body’s annual conference in by bowlers will hand a free hit to batters, as Barbados, said: “We have thoroughly opposed to just foot-faults. Though reviewed the ODI format after a very suc- Australia paceman Mitchell Starc was cessful ICC Cricket World Cup. named the best player of the World Cup, “There was no need to make any radical batsmen reigned supreme in most matches changes to what has proved to be a vibrant where innings scores regularly breached and popular format but we wanted to take 350 runs and occasionally surpassed 400. this opportunity to make the format sim- The ICC are looking at the size and build COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s Kaushal Silva (left) takes off for a run as Pakistan’s Azhar Ali tries to catch the ball during the second Test cricket pler and easier to follow for the public as of bats which have sometimes compound- match. —AP well as maintaining a balance between bat ed bowlers’ misery by sending mis-hits sail- and ball. The former South Africa wicket- ing over boundary ropes for six. keeper added: “In making these adjust- Richardson also said the ICC might “tam- ments, we have tried to ensure that ODI per” with the seam on balls to see if Pakistan fight back in cricket retains the attacking, aggressive bowlers could garner any additional aid. and thrilling brand, which has recently “There is a view if we sanction or look at become the hallmark of 50-over cricket and some change to the thickness or the depth sets us on a positive path to the next World of seam it might actually be what we are Cup in England in 2019.” looking forward to give the seam bowlers a second Sri Lanka Test little bit more help, also aid swing and to BATTING POWER PLAYS enable the spinners to get more grip and to Batting power plays have been spin the ball more if we tamper with the COLOMBO: Pakistan’s batsmen bounced back Leg-spinner Yasir Shah finished with figures went off the field in the morning session after scrapped from one-day international crick- seam,” Richardson said in comments posted after the first innings debacle to throw open the of six for 96 after last man Dushmantha sending down just nine deliveries. et and field restrictions relaxed to provide on espncricinfo.com. —Reuters second Test against Sri Lanka at the P. Sara Oval Chameera was caught superbly by Younis run- But he returned after lunch to bowl seven in Colombo. ning back from the slips, leaving Rangana more overs and conceded 28 runs without any The tourists, who conceded a lead of 177 runs Herath unbeaten on 18. success. Veteran left-arm spinner Rangana after being dismissed for 138 in the first innings, Yasir had claimed seven wickets in Sri Lanka’s Herath was also wicketless in 14 overs, while closed the third day’s play at 171 for two in their second innings in Galle to fashion Pakistan’s 10- Prasad returned with one for 46 from 13.3 overs. second knock. wicket victory. Sri Lanka were dealt a scare in the The third and final Test starts in Pallekele on July When bad light halted play an hour early, field when Chameera, the debutant seamer, 3.—AFP Pakistan trailed by just six runs with eight wick- ets in hand, promising a keen tussle between bat and ball over the next two days. SCOREBOARD Sri Lanka, looking for a series-levelling win COLOMBO: Scoreboard at stumps on the third day of the second Test between Sri Lanka and Pakistan at the P. Sara after losing the first Test in Galle, removed Oval in Colombo yesterday: Mohammad Hafeez cheaply for eight before lunch, caught in the slips by Kumar Sangakkara Pakistan 1st innings: 138 (Mohammad Hafeez 42, (Kaushal), 10-315 (Chameera). off Angelo Mathews. Tharindu Kaushal 5-42, Dhammika Prasad 3-43) Bowling: Wahab 9-2-19-0 (nb1), Junaid 29-5-89-1 (w1), Opener Ahmed Shehzad hit 69 during a sec- Sri Lanka 1st innings (overnight (304-9): Babar 32-8-82-1, Yasir 41.3-5-96-6, Hafeez 10-2-19-1. D. Karunaratne c Sarfraz b Junaid 28 ond-wicket stand of 120 with Azhar Ali, the pair K. Silva run out 80 Pakistan 2nd innings: batting through the post-lunch session to defy K. Sangakkara c Shafiq b Babar 34 the Sri Lankan bowlers. Mohammad Hafeez c Sangakkara b Mathews 8 L. Thirimanne c Azhar b Yasir 7 Ahmed Shehzad not out 69 Shehzad was dismissed off the first ball after A. Mathews lbw b Yasir 77 Azhar Ali not out 64 D. Chandimal b Yasir 1 tea, top-edging a hook off Dhammika Prasad, Younis Khan not out 23 K. Vithanage b Yasir 3 but Younis Khan joined Azhar to put on 42 for Extras: (b2, lb1, w2, nb2) 7 the unbroken third wicket. D. Prasad lbw b Hafeez 35 R. Herath not out 18 Total (for two wickets, 59 overs) 171 Azhar was unbeaten on 64 and Younis, deter- Fall of wickets: 1-9 (Hafeez), 2-129 (Shehzad) mined to make his 100th match special after T. Kaushal c Misbah b Yasir 18 D. Chameera c Younis b Yasir 2 Bowling: Prasad 13.3-0-46-1 (w1), Mathews 5-3-5-1, falling for six in the first innings, closed the day Extras: (b6, lb4, nb1, w1) 12 Herath 14-3-33-0, Chameera 8.3-1-28-0 (w1), Kaushal on a watchful 23. Total (all out, 121.3 overs) 315 18-2-56-0 (nb2). Sri Lanka, who began at their overnight score Fall of wickets: 1-47 (Karunaratne), 2-98 (Sangakkara), 3- Note: Chameera went off the field after bowling three of 304-9 after a delayed start due to bad weath- 119 (Thirimanne), 4-191 (Silva), 5-194 (Chandimal), 6- balls of his second over. Prasad completed the over. er, were dismissed for 315 in their first innings in 202 (Vithanage), 7-275 (Prasad), 8-275 (Mathews), 9-303 Pakistan trail by six runs with eight wickets in hand. reply to Pakistan’s 138. Fantastic Four hype providing excitement PARIS: The prospect of the fantastic four lining up difference. Froome’s major advantage has always dition right when the Tour is being won and lost. to contest what could be the most exciting Tour de been the timetrials but there is only a 13.8km Outside of the race for the overall title it will be France in years has whet the appetite of cycling opening stage race against the clock this time an historic Tour for the fact that Eritrean pair Daniel fans since Vincenzo Nibali’s dominant victory last around in which to put some time into his rivals. Teklehaimanot and Merhawi Kudus will become year. The Tour will likely be won in the mountains, the first black Africans to race the Grand Boucle That too was supposed to produce a battle where it is the fourth member of the elite club, while their MTN-Qhubeka team becomes the first royale between three strong pretenders. But Nairo Quintana, who is perhaps the strongest- African outfit to ride the Tour. Nibali’s tour de force on the cobbles to take the going up at least. Then there are the inevitable controversies as Tour by the scruff of the neck, coupled with crashes Nibali, 30, and 32-year-old Contador are far bet- disgraced former star Lance Armstong’s intention that deprived the Grand Boucle of its two biggest ter descenders and they will have their chances to to ride a charity bike event which will cover each Alastair Cook stars, Chris Froome and Alberto Contador, resulted attack on fast downhill sections, but the waif that is stage of the Tour the day before the real event in a race that was devoid of suspense long before Quintana is imperious when the gradients increase.