🏁 Frenetic 2023 F1 Calendar Announced
Also: Aussies trounce India in 1st ODI, day 3 of no club football, and nothing to watch today
21st September | 52nd Edition
Happy hump day everyone.
Still no sign of life football on the horizon.
Even the pathetic UEFA Nations League is a day away (which I am not going to watch so it’s worthless).
In today’s edition:
F1 reveals the 2023 calendar
Australia takes 1-0 lead after stunning chase
ICC makes several changes to playing conditions
Formula 1
24 races, 2 x triple headers in the 2023 F1 calendar
Record 24 races for the first time in F1 history
Kicks off in Bahrain on March 5, and concludes in Abu Dhabi on November 26.
China and Qatar are set to return, and Las Vegas arriving as the penultimate round for a Saturday night race.
2 x triple headers, 6 x doubleheaders, no break longer than 2 weeks.
IND x AUS | 1st T20i
Green and Wade set up a spectacular chase
India 208/6 in 20 overs (Hardik Pandya 71*, KL Rahul 55, Suryakumar Yadav 46; Nathan Ellis 3-30)
lost to Australia 211/6 in 19.2 overs (Cameron Green 61, Matthew Wade 45*; Axar Patel 3-17) by four wickets
With 55 needed in 24 balls, Australia had a rousing finish
First, Bhuvneshwar Kumar went for 15 runs followed by Harshal Patel's 22-run over. The latter was swung for two sixes by Matthew Wade and one by Tim David as he finished with forgettable figures of 0/49 on international return.
Bhuvneshwar was then toyed with for three consecutive boundaries in the penultimate over by Wade, who managed to hit him through cover as well as midwicket making a mockery of the lines.
Australia eventually overhauled India's highest-ever total against them quite comfortably by four wickets.
Next match: 23rd Sep, Fri @ 19:00 IST | Nagpur
ICC makes wholesale changes
The ICC has made several changes to the playing conditions across formats, which will come into effect from October 1, 2022. The Men's T20 World Cup in Australia will be played with the new rules in place.
New batter takes strike: This rule was announced as early as March this year, stating that irrespective of whether the two batters cross before a catch is taken, the batter that walks in at the fall of the wicket will take strike.
Saliva ban made permanent: The pandemic forced cricket to be played within bio-bubbles and with restrictions such as the ban on the usage of saliva to shine the ball. After a two-year period when Covid-19 has had a big impact on the world, the ICC has decided that the ban on the usage of saliva would be made permanent, even as bio-bubbles aren't mandatory anymore.
Running out the non-striker: Running out the non-striker for backing up too far has often attracted spirit-of-the-game debates. This method of affecting a dismissal has now been moved from the 'unfair play' section to the 'run out' section. The mode of dismissal, often referred to as 'Mankading', will now be considered a regular run out.
Timed out in ODIs and Tests: Previously in ODIs and Tests, a batter had three minutes to walk out at the fall of a wicket and take strike. That timing has been shortened, and a new batter is required to take strike within two minutes of a dismissal in the two formats. The threshold of 90 seconds in T20Is remains unchanged.
Five-run Penalty for unfair field movement: Any unfair or deliberate movement by the fielding side when the bowler is running in to bowl could now lead to a five-run penalty awarded to the batting team as well as the ball being called dead.
Over-rate penalty: In January 2022, an in-match penalty was introduced in T20Is. As per this, a fielding side must be in a position to bowl the first ball of the final over of the innings by the scheduled or rescheduled time for the end of the innings. If they are not in such a position, one fewer fielder will be permitted outside the 30-yard circle for the remainder of the innings. This rule will now be adopted in ODIs as well, after the completion of the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup Super League 2023.
No-ball for venturing out of the pitch: If a batter moves beyond the confines of the pitch to play a delivery, it will be deemed a no-ball. Some part of the batter or the bat is needed to remain within the pitch.
Today’s Action
No action whatsoever, unless you want to watch Scotland host Ukraine in the Nations League. Then that’s at 00:15 hours IST.