Batters can now be slapped with a five-run penalty if they are found to be wasting time on three occasions in a single innings, and women’s cricket now has a distinctly-specified cricket ball size. These are the most-recent changes to the ICC’s playing conditions.
The major change is that batters found to be wasting time on three occasions within an 80-over block, are liable to lose five runs for their team. According to the ICC release, “if a batter is not ready to face the ball within the prescribed time, a warning will be issued for the first offence, a final warning for the second, and five penalty runs awarded to the fielding side for the third and each subsequent offence.”
The “prescribed time” is largely the amount of time that takes a fielding team and bowler to get ready for the next delivery. When the bowler is at the top of their approach, the batter is generally expected to be ready to receive the delivery. The main exception is when a dismissal has occurred, in which case the batter is given two minutes to enter the field and prepare for their first ball, or risk being timed out.
