By Charles Randall
28 February 2013
A new Law to penalise bowlers disrupting the non-striker's stumps on delivery is due to come into effect on 1 October at the fag end of the 2013 club season. Stump-brushing will become a no-ball almost entirely as a result of Steven Finn's mishaps while bowling for England last year.
Finn, of Langleybury CC in Hertfordshire, drew attention to an anomaly all too frequently straining for a wicket-to-wicket line, so it was no surprise when MCC announced a change last week. The existing Laws do not cover this, though Law 23.4(b)(vi) allows the umpire to call and signal dead ball if the striker is felt to have been distracted.
MCC decided to introduce the Finn Law after a meeting on Wednesday. Judging whether a batsman has actually been distracted or not has become an unnecessary burden for an umpire.
Incidents like this were usually ignored until the umpires first ruled the disturbance of the stumps by Finn as a dead ball during the second Test between England and South Africa at Headingley in August 2012. After that, there was a great deal of debate within the MCC, the ICC and wider cricketing world.
MCC head of cricket, John Stephenson, said that the decision provided "clarity" to the situation, removing the need for a subjective assessment by the umpire. "It also ensures that the striker will still be credited with any runs that he scores from the delivery", he added, "and will act as a significant disincentive to the bowler from doing it".
The MCC Laws sub-committee - including former international umpire, Simon Taufel, and ICC chief executive, David Richardson - and the MCC cricket committee discussed the matter at length and made recommendations.
Stephenson said: "MCC continues to act as a robust guardian of the Laws of Cricket and must ensure that it consults widely within the amateur and professional game before making changes that will affect anyone who plays the game".
The no-ball might be introduced earlier in international cricket as the ICC could adjust playing conditions in the interim period until October.