The County Championship’s new substitutes rule has come under fire for being “ridiculous” amid a slew of changes in the first two rounds of the season.
The England and Wales Cricket Board are conducting a trial this summer allowing substitutes for players who are injured, unwell, or attending a significant life event such as the birth of a child.
This follows trials over the winter in Australia, South Africa and India, at the behest of the International Cricket Council, who are exploring substitutes in Test cricket following major injuries to the likes of Chris Woakes and Nathan Lyon that have left one team playing with 10 men for long periods of the game.
The county cricket trial has more latitude than any other, however, with a like-for-like substitute allowed at any point in the game, pending clearance from club doctors. Any player ruled out through injury or illness faces an eight-day stand-down period where they are not allowed to play. Previously substitutes have only been allowed for concussion (and contracting Covid-19), and substitutes for tactical reasons are still not allowed.
In the first round of the season, there were two substitutions, with those pulled out (Tom Westley and Jonny Bairstow) therefore unavailable this week, although their hand injuries were severe enough to rule them out anyway.
In the ongoing round of the action, there have so far been five substitutions for reasons of injury and illness. However, next week only eight of the 18 counties have a Championship match, meaning some of those substituted will not automatically miss their county’s next game.
Yorkshire have made two changes to their team against Hampshire for reasons of illness, with bowlers Jhye Richardson and Jack White replaced by Logan van Beek and Ben Cliff. With Yorkshire not playing next week, Richardson and White will both be available next time they play, against Sussex on April 24. Likewise Glamorgan’s Ben Kellaway could be available for their next match against Leicestershire, if he has recovered from his hip injury.
While there is no suggestion of any sharp practice from counties, many fans on social media criticised the new regulations for being too lenient, and were joined by players and broadcasters.
“This County Championship sub rule is complete nonsense,” said Ian Ward, the Sky cricket anchor and former Surrey, Sussex and England batsman, said on Saturday.
On Sunday, in response to a tweet from Yorkshire about Richardson being allowed to play in their next match, Kent’s Sam Billings, who is now a T20 specialist playing at the Pakistan Super League, said: “This is a ridiculous rule already!”
It was a substitute, Archie Vaughan, who put a seal on the first win of the round, with Somerset thrashing Essex by 10 wickets at Chelmsford.