It was about time that the ICC introduced a rule which allows the umpire to send-off a player for the remainder of the match for serious misconduct.
This rule, along with a few other guidelines, came into effect in all formats of international cricket on Thursday.
A player will be sent-off for a few overs, if the player intimidates an umpire or threatens to assaults a player or spectator or an official and the concerned player’s team will be penalised 5 runs.
A cricketer will be sent off for the remainder of the match if the player threatens an umpire or commits any kind of violence on the field.
Here’s a look at a few instances from the past where a player would have been sent off according to the new ICC rules.
1. Dennis Lillee Kicks Javed Miandad
When Pakistan had lost two wickets while chasing a mammoth target of 543 runs against Australia in the first Test in 1981, Australian fast bowler Dennis Lillee decided to have a bit of fun.
When Javed Miandad was taking a run, Lillee deliberately came in the way of the Pakistani batsman.
When Miandad allowed the umpire to take care of the situation, Lillee kicked Miandad from behind to provoke him. Miandad raised his bat in anger, towards the Australian bowler.
If the new rules were applicable, Miandad would have been sent off for a few overs as he threatened to hit Lillee.
And Lillee would have been sent for the entire match for his violent act.
Miandad was the top-scorer for Pakistan with 79 runs in the second innings, while Lillee picked up figures of 1/78 in Pakistan’s second innings.
2. Inzamam-ul-Haq Beats Up a Spectator
Legendary Pakistani batsman Inzamam-ul-Haq once committed a brutal act in the cricket stadium.
During the second match of the Sahara Cup against India in 1997, a fan in the stands was calling Inzamam fat on a megaphone, while the player was fielding in the slips. And every time Inzamam put his hands on his hips, the fan was calling out that the Pakistani batsman was feeling the potatoes in his stomach.
After a point of time, the Pakistani batsman lost his cool, and went into the stands. He found the fan with the megaphone and beat him up.
The incident happened when India were chasing, so even if Inzamam was sent off for his act, it wouldn’t had so much effect on the match.
3. “Get Ready For A Broken F***ing Arm”
When England were almost done and dusted in the first Ashes Test in Brisbane in 2013, England’s speedster James Anderson and the Australian captain Michael Clarke had a bit of an altercation.
England were at 173/9, while chasing a target of 561 runs on Day 4. Anderson got into a verbal tussle with George Bailey in the middle.
While the umpires tried to calm things down, Clarke came into the scene and stamped his authority.
To end the tussle, Clarke told Anderson, “Get ready for a broken f***ing arm,” which was unfortunately clearly heard through the stump microphone.
Clarke would have been sent off for his comment if the new rules were introduced at that time. But, it wouldn’t have had much effect on the match as England were all out for 179 runs.
But the interesting thing is that, according to Shane Warne, Clarke jumped into the conversation only because Anderson told Bailey he wanted to punch him in the face.
If Anderson said that, then the Test match would have ended there (according to the new rules) with the bowler being sent-off.
4. Colin Croft Barges Into An Umpire
During West Indies’ tour of New Zealand in 1980, the visitors weren’t impressed with the umpiring decisions at all. After a string of poor decisions (according to West Indies), they wanted to leave the series and go back home. But the West Indies Cricket Board told them that they didn’t have that option.
On Day 4 of the second Test in Christchurch, Colin Croft was livid with umpire Fred Goodall, when he turned down an appeal. Croft and the rest of the team thought that the bowler had dismissed Richard Hadlee caught behind.
In the very next ball, Croft bowled a no ball. While walking back to his run up, he took off the bails to show his defiance to the umpire.
In the next ball, Croft ran into Fred Goodall.
If the new rules were inroduced, Croft would have been sent off for the remainder of the match.
But, it wouldn’t have had much effect on the result as Croft picked up just one wicket in New Zealand’s first innings, and that wicket was taken before the incident.
The Test was eventually drawn when West Indies declared their innings at 447/5d on Day 5.
5. Gambhir Nudges Watson
If the send-off rule was introduced in 2008, Gautam Gambhir wouldn’t have had a highest Test score of 206 to his name.
In the third Test between India and Australia in 2008, Gambhir and Shane Watson continuously had a battle of words while the middle session of Day 1.
While taking a couple of runs, Gambhir just nudged Watson while going back to the crease. He was batting at 65 at that time.
This act by Gambhir would have led to him being sent-off, had the new rules been introduced. Which means that India would have scored 141 runs lesser than their total.
India scored 613/7d in their first innings. The match was eventually drawn.
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