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In a major announcement, Cricket Australia (CA) has introduced a new rule wherein a batter will not be awarded six runs automatically if the ball hits the roof of the Marvel Stadium in Melbourne for their upcoming 2023-24 season. The new rule will be utilised during the 13th season of the Big Bash League (BBL) commencing from December 7 later this year.
The on-field umpires and the third umpire will determine if the ball is going to clear the boundary for a six, at their own discretion. If they decide it was, then the batter will be awarded six runs, or else, it will be ruled a dead ball.
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This is the third change to the aforementioned rule since the BBL started in 2011, wherein the original ruling was for all balls to be declared dead ball if they struck the roof. But, as per the report on Cricket Australia’s website, it “was first changed to differentiate between the retractable and fixed parts of the roof. It was changed a second time to award six runs for any impact with the roof.”
The decision from CA came in the wake of Joe Clarke and Beau Webster getting awarded with six runs, after their skied shots ended up into the roof, during the last season of the BBL. On both these occasions, Melbourne Renegades were denied a clear-cut catching opportunity, because the ball had landed within the 30-yard circle, far away from the boundary ropes.
Moreover, the officials will not have the option of using ball tracking or any other technology to help with their decision-making. CA explained that “feedback had indicated the technology is not always immediately available,” to help with the aforementioned process.
