Match referee is the sole decision maker on like-for-like concussion substitutes, says ICC
Match referees will take the final call on concussion substitutes under new ICC regulations in place ahead of the Ashes series from Thursday. This gives referees the absolute power to rule out a replacement player entirely if there is no appropriate 'like-for-like' player available.
The first Ashes Test match at Edgbaston on Thursday marks the opening contest of the inaugural World Test Championship. The world's top nine teams will compete over six bilateral series each to play in a final in England in two years of time. The concussion substitute rule will also make its start in Test cricket during the match.
The ICC's most senior referee, Ranjan Madugalle, will be the primary arbiter of the new concussion rule. Umpires Aleem Dar, Joel Wilson, Chris Gaffaney and team doctors from both sides, Mark Wotherspoon and Richard Saw will also help in the process. The match referee will reserve the power to deem whether a concussion replacement is appropriate in the circumstances. ICC operations manager Geoff Allardice explained the process to ESPNCricinfo.
"The treatment of the player is the No. 1 priority with this. Whether the player is to take no further part in the game comes from the medical staff, and whether there is a replacement available is the secondary consideration. In terms of the like-for-like replacement ... the match referee is the sole decision maker on that,” Allardice told ESPNCricinfo.
Allardice confirmed that the aim of this rule is to help the teams to manage their players better. But under what circumstance which player is allowed as a replacement, what the replacement is allowed to do in the game, are decisions that are left to the referee.
“Every circumstance is going to be different depending on when the player is requested to be replaced. If a bowler is injured and they've only got a batting innings left then the decision might be different than if the same player was injured and they've only got a bowling innings left. It's very much around the circumstances of the game. The match referee could put conditions on a player being involved. If there is an allrounder replacing a batter, then he might put a condition that that player is unable to bowl during the match. The referee has the flexibility to best accommodate a like-for-like replacement,” Allardice explained.
Major concerns were raised by the Australian in particular. Many of these surround the scenario whereby Nathan Lyon, the only spinner picked in the squad, gets injured. Should Lyon be ruled out of a match while batting, the closest spin replacement Australia may have is Marnus Labuschagne, who would be batting a long way below his usual station at Lyon's usual No.10.
Allardice admits that it will take some time to implement the rules with any loopholes at all, but emphasized that the referees will be given proper instructions prior to the game.
"The referees will be given guidelines as will the teams around how to interpret those, but it's very much around what is the likely role of the injured player for the rest of the match, and who is most like for like with the role that player would play. But there'll be a bit of a period where we'll find out the rules and if there are any loopholes with the rules that have been set," Allardice added.
The discussions towards implementing the rule of concussion substitutes started after a ball that struck the head of Australian cricketer Phil Hughes caused his death in 2014.
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