Kumble-led ICC Cricket Committee to discuss boundary count rule in its next meeting

The final of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 between New Zealand and England was at fever pitch when it came to tension. England needed 15 runs off the last over and they had only two wickets. Crucially, Ben Stokes was on strike and he was looking in good touch. Trent Boult was given the task of bowling the final over and after two dot balls, the pressure was on England.

Stokes blasted the third ball for a six but on the fourth ball, there were controversy and pandemonium. Stokes thumped a full ball to midwicket and took off for a couple, Martin Guptill threw the ball at the striker’s end as Stokes attempted to make his ground. However, as he dived with the bat stretched, the ball hit the bat and raced away to the boundary. 

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The ICC's Anil Kumble-led Cricket Committee will discuss issues concerning the epic World Cup final, including the controversial boundary count back rule, in its next meeting, said the apex body's general manager of cricket Geoff Allardice. Cricketers -- current and former -- shared New Zealand's pain on losing the World Cup title to hosts England on boundary count rule following an epic final at the Lord's on July 14.

In a pulsating encounter, England were adjudged the winners of the World Cup on the basis of their superior boundary count - 22 fours and two sixes -- to New Zealand's 17 after the the match ended in a tie after regulation play and subsequent Super Over.

"The cricket committee will consider any issues arising from the World Cup final when it next meets (in the first quarter of 2020)," Allardice was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.

"A Super Over has been used to determine a winner in a tied match in ICC events since 2009 (replacing the bowl-out), and the tiebreaker after a tied Super Over needed to be derived from something that happened in that particular match. So it has always related to the number of boundaries scored in the match."

Continuing, he said the boundary count back rule was followed as it is in practice in T20 leagues across the world.

"Almost all the T20 leagues around the world also use boundaries as the tiebreaker in their Super Overs. We wanted to use the same Super Over regulations that are used across all professional cricket and that's why it was the way it was. Whether it should be different is something that our cricket committee will consider at some point," Allardice said.

The ICC's chief executives committee (CEC) did not deliberate at its annual conference on whether sharing the World Cup could be an option in future.

"No, that wasn't discussed. The consistent view has been that the World Cup final needs a winner, and a Super Over was in the playing conditions to decide a tied final in each of the last three World Cups," he said.

Virat Kohli has said that he has been looking forward to the World Test Championship, which begins with the Ashes on August 1, and Allardice said it is encouraging.

"Yes, it is very encouraging to hear those comments. I know players love playing Test cricket. For the first time there is a real context to the matches they play that extends beyond a particular series.

"I know the Test rankings have done a good job over a long period of time in the sense of identifying the best team, but to be able to compete on a points table and play for a spot in the final will add a new element to Test cricket and will make it more interesting to people from the countries not involved in that particular match," Allardice said.

(With Inputs: PTI)

HIGHLIGHTS

• ICC committee will discuss boundary count rule in its next meeting. 
• England was declared World Champions on boundary count rule. 
• England will be up against Australia for Ashes 2019.