CA’s James Sutherland: Discussions likely to redefine short-pitched bowling

CA’s James Sutherland: Discussions likely to redefine short-pitched bowling

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Cricket Australia’s chief executive James Sutherland has suggested possible discussions between the game’s custodians over the definition of short-pitched bowling following the NSW coroner’s month-long inquest into the death of Australian batsman Phillip Hughes.

Left-handed Hughes was hit by a rising Sean Abott delivery while batting for South Australia against New South Wales at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Nov 25, 2014 and died two days later in a Sydney hospital. The coroner concluded that Hughes’ death was a ‘tragic accident.’

ICC umpires training manager Simon Taufel had said at the inquest that it was difficult to define exactly how many short balls were targeted at Hughes during his fateful final day of cricket because not all of them fitted the definition set out in the laws.

"The observation of the coroner is there's some ambiguity between the laws of the game and our playing conditions for Sheffield Shield cricket which were specifically under review by the coroner," Sutherland told ABC Radio.

"I think that by extension because our Shield playing conditions are virtually a mirror of Test cricket playing conditions there is some relevance to international cricket and therefore the ICC.

"So we'll have a close look at that to understand exactly what that was. His findings come from when Simon Taufel was on the stand and was questioned, and that obviously gives rise to something we will pursue and fix up.”

"The extension applies down through the grades and in community cricket. The foundation for how the game’s played everywhere is the laws of the game. They're the absolute starting point for everyone, and then each competition has their own playing regulations. In this case for Sheffield Shield cricket we'll obviously review where there are some grey areas and fix it from there."

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