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The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) has announced a number of changes to the rules of the game, including an attempt to remove the stigma from so-called "Mankad" dismissals.
- The MCC says the "are intended to shape the game of cricket as it should be played"
- Other changes include making new batters come in at the striker's end even if the batters cross during a catch
- The changes are being announced early to give umpires and officials time to learn the new code
The changes — suggested by the MCC rules sub-committee, which dictates the rules of the game worldwide — have now been approved and will come into effect on October 1.
"The changes are intended to shape the game of cricket as it should be played," the MCC said in a statement.
The colloquial term Mankad, named after Indian cricketer Vinoo Mankad, refers to a bowler running out the batsman at the non-striker's end when the batsman leaves his crease before the bowler's delivery stride is finished.
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"Law 41.16 — running out the non-striker — has been moved from Law 41 (Unfair play) to Law 38 (Run out)," the MCC said.
"The wording of the law remains the same."
The Mankad has been debated since a Test match between Australia and India in 1947, in which Mankad ran out Australia's Bill Brown after a number of warnings to remain in his crease.
Supporters of the rule say the onus should be on the batsman to hold his ground rather than trying to gain an unfair advantage, while opponents say the mode of dismissal is against the spirit of the game.
"The bowler is always painted as the villain but it is a legitimate way to dismiss someone and it is the non-striker who is stealing the ground," MCC laws manager Fraser Stewart told the Times newspaper.
Among other moves, the MCC has resolved that no bowler or player can use saliva to help shine the ball.
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This makes permanent a temporary move brought in to limit the spread of COVID.
Players switched to using sweat to polish the ball. From now on, the use of saliva, mints or sweets will be viewed in the same way as "any other unfair methods of changing the condition of the ball", according to the MCC.
The new rules also say that regardless of whether batters cross before a catch is taken, the new batter will enter at the striker's end to face the new delivery — unless the dismissal happens at the end of an over.
The move was first used on a trial basis in The Hundred tournament in England.
Officials have also changed the rules for judging wides to take into account modern batsmen moving to one side of the crease before the ball is bowled.
The changes are being announced now to give time for officials around the world to learn the new code in time for the laws coming into force in October.