India’s repeated requests for a ball change on the last day of the Headingley Test highlighted the lack of clarity and specifics in the current rules governing when a ball can be replaced.
On the final morning of the first Test at Headingley, India played out a by now familiar ritual because they weren’t happy with the ball currently in their possession. Partway through the 14th over, came their first plea with the umpires. Chris Gaffney pulled out his callipers - memorably dubbed ‘The Rings of Spherical Purity’ on the King Cricket blog - and found, as is intended, the ball passed through one easily and wouldn’t go through the other.
There were several more requests throughout the morning before, eventually, the umpires conceded. After 27 overs, the ball was changed, and the intensity of India’s attack noticeably stepped up in the short time left before the break. There was a similar passage in the first innings, with Rishabh Pant sanctioned by the ICC for his angry reaction at a ball change denial.
Mark Butcher, on commentary, pointed out that in the second innings, the ball had gone “egg shaped”, but bowling sides are also generally hoping a change of weapon will bring about a change of characteristics and luck, with England famously benefitting from a ball change at The Oval in the 2023 Ashes, with Australia also gaining from a short passage of increased movement in the same series.
What do the rules say about ball changes?
In short, the rules say surprisingly little. There is no limit on the number of requests that are allowed to be made, or even provision for players to make a request at all. Playing condition 4 deals with the ball, with clause 4.2.4 stating: “During play, umpires shall periodically and irregularly inspect the condition of the ball and shall retain possession of it at the fall of a wicket, a drinks interval, or any other disruption in play.”
Clause 4.5 then adds: “If, during play, the ball cannot be found or recovered or the umpires agree that it has become unfit for play through normal use, the umpires shall replace it with a ball which has had wear comparable with that which the previous ball had received before the need for its replacement. When the ball is replaced, the umpires shall inform the batters and the fielding captain.”
On the definition of “unfit for play”, there is little given. Clause 4.1 deals with the specified weight and size, though only of a new ball: “The ball, when new, shall weigh not less than 5.5 ounces/155.9 g, nor more than 5.75 ounces/163g, and shall measure not less than 8.81 in/22.4 cm, nor more than 9 in/22.9 cm in circumference.” Perhaps one day we will see umpires forced to bring out a set of pocket scales with them, to ensure a ball hasn’t gained or lost weight during play.
Could a rule change or a clarification help matters?
Perhaps. Persistent requests are a bugbear of commentators and pundits, though there are more pressing concerns for a game fighting for cash and relevance. It could be that a captain is given a set number of opportunities to request a check of ball health in each 80 overs, or that how often an umpire should check the ball is mandated in the playing conditions, to stop captains from making requests. Or it could be that there is a change of emphasis, and unless a ball lands in a puddle or has a chunk taken out of it, the bowling side just has to make do.
Any tweak would need to be fully thought through, however. While ball has largely dominated bat in recent years in Test cricket, with draws few and far between, it has made the game immensely watchable, and the format is rarely better than when it feels as if there is a chance of a wicket every delivery. A change to reduce ball changes would be a change in aid of batters. That may not be a good thing.
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