DUBAI – *International Cricket Council (ICC) Chief Executive DavidRichardson has announced New rules for the matches and the playersbehaviour. *

*ICC has announced to lead review into cricket behaviour. The review willdeal with standards expected of players and “developing a culture ofrespect”.*

The ICC has commissioned a wide-ranging review into player behaviour, thespirit in which the game is played and the Code of Conduct, said a pressrelease.

The review will consult widely with the sport in contemporising thestandards expected of player behaviour and developing a culture of respect.

It will focus on two things: firstly, the ICC Code of Conduct, reviewingthe levels of offence based on seriousness, more clearly defining theconduct that will constitute each offence and reviewing the sanctions thatshould apply to the various offences.

Secondly, the establishment of a ‘spirit of cricket code’ based on aculture of respect. This will define more clearly what it actually means toplay the modern game and will draw opinions from respected former players,match officials, the MCC and current players.

The ICC chief said: “We have seen a number of incidents of poor playerbehaviour in recent weeks which has included ugly sledging, send-offs,dissent against umpires’ decisions, a walk-off and ball tampering. This hasbeen perhaps one of the worst periods in recent memory for consistentlypoor player behaviour and the global outcry in relation to the balltampering is a clear message to cricket: *enough is enough*.”

“That is why, with the full support of the ICC Board, we will undertake awide-ranging review into player behaviour, the spirit in which the game isplayed and the Code of Conduct. The spirit of cricket is precious to oursport and so intrinsically linked with good behaviour – the turn of phrase‘that’s just not cricket’ is not an accident. We must protect that spirit.

“The review will bring together some well respected former and currentplayers along with the Cricket Committee, the MCC and match officials as weconsider the current offences in the code and the sanctions as well as howto make the spirit of the game a more integral part of that code. We wantthis review to be collaborative in nature and have a long-term positiveimpact on the game,” he said.

Richardson said: “There has been significant debate over the last few weeksaround behaviour of players and the leniency or otherwise in some cases ofthe associated punishments. The match officials work within the frameworkof the current ICC Code of Conduct and sanctions are applied according tothat. To go outside of this current framework would be to disregard therules.

“This is an opportune moment, therefore, to shape what the game looks likein the 21st century and take a much broader look at the issues currentlyfacing the sport and consider how we define what it means to play withinthe spirit of the game.

“The spirit of the game, contained in the preamble of The Laws of Cricket,is something unique to our sport and the review will consider how we canproactively make players and indeed everyone involved in the game, moreaccountable for the role they have in upholding the Spirit of Cricket.Respect is central to the Spirit of Cricket and rebuilding and maintaininga culture of respect that can be embedded across the game is fundamental towhat this review is trying to achieve.

“We want this review to be collaborative and have a long-term positiveimpact on the game and we will bring together a cultural cross section ofplayers who played in a manner that epitomised fair play as well as the ICCCricket Committee, the MCC, match officials and, of course, currentplayers. The outcomes of this group, which will be convened as soon as ispractically possible, will go through the ICC Cricket Committee and to theICC Board for discussion and adoption.

“I’d like to commend Cricket Australia on their response to what we haveseen over the last week and I’d like to thank the ICC Members for theirfull support of this review as we look to turn around recent issues andre-establish respect for the game.”

Further details on the composition of the group, terms of reference andmeeting date will be made available in due course