“The ability to send a player off would therefore come into effect at all levels of the game from 1st October 2017”

Image courtesy of: The Independent

The MCC World Cricket committee is set to introduce red cards that would send players off the field in all formats of the game.

The punishment, which will apply to all levels of the sport from Tests to village cricket, could come into effect in October next year.

Showing a red card, which was discussed at the MCC World Cricket committee meeting in Mumbai on Wednesday, will only be possible if a player is found to be “threatening an umpire, physically assaulting another player, umpire, official or spectator, or any other act of violence on the field of play”.

“The World Cricket committee believes that the game must now include a mechanism to deal with the worst disciplinary offences during the match, and not subsequent to it as is presently the case,” the committee statement said. “If approved, the ability to send a player off would therefore come into effect at all levels of the game from 1st October 2017.”

The idea of implementing sin bins or run penalties for lesser offences was also discussed, but it will not be introduced into the Laws of Cricket.

“The committee debated sanctions for lesser offences – including run penalties and sin bins – but did not believe anything should be introduced to the Laws, where it would be harder to achieve consistency of application around the world,” the statement added. “However, MCC will look to devise such a system as an appendix to the Laws which governing bodies or leagues may wish to implement within their own playing regulations.”