The Big Bash League will allow a substitute player as part of three rule changes made to enliven the looming competition.
Key points:
- Cricket Australia says the changes will introduce new strategies to the game
- A bonus point will be available to the team that scores more in the first 10 overs
- The first part of the Big Bash fixture has been released with all games listed up to December 31
Teams will be able to sub in a so-called X-factor player after 10 overs of the first innings while the six-over power play has been split.
The initial power play will now be four overs, with the batting team to call on the last two overs of the power play from the 11th over.
The points system has also been altered.
Four competitions points will be on offer in each match.
Loading
Three points will be for the overall win, with one bonus point on offer to the chasing team if they are ahead of their opponent’s 10-over score.
If the chasing team is behind after 10 overs, the fielding team will receive the bonus point.
“The … [changes] prioritise scoring, exciting cricket, introduce new strategic angles and ensure there’s always something to play for throughout the entire match,” Cricket Australia’s head of Big Bash Leagues Alistair Dobson said in a statement on Monday.
“We’re confident our fans will love what these innovations bring to the game.”
Trent Woodhill, the BBL’s player acquisition and cricket consultant, who was involved in developing the new Hundred competition in England, said the change was important for leagues.
“The best T20 leagues across the globe are the ones that continue to innovate, push the boundaries and challenge the status quo,” he said in the statement.
“The introduction of these new playing conditions firmly puts the Big Bash League in that category.”
The BBL starts on December 10 with a group of games in Tasmania and the ACT before moving to Queensland and South Australia later in the month.
Organisers have announced a schedule until December 31 for the initial 21 games of the 56-match season.
AAP/ABC
