CA seeks to introduce “Concussion Substitute” in the domestic cricket, who also can bat and bowl

Cricket Australia (CA) is very keen to allow substitute players in their domestic cricket matches who could also able to bat and bowl in the place of injured team-mates whose need to treatment at that moment.

CA CEO James Sutherland said that they are seeking for approval from the International Cricket Council (ICC) to allow ‘concussion substitutes’ in local games and expect a response from the world governing body by the end of the month.

Sutherland told reporters at the MCG (Melbourne Cricket Ground) on Wednesday, “We’re also seeking approval from the Cricket Australia playing conditions advisory committee to allow concussion substitutes in all domestic male and female competitions under our auspices,”

“One of my observations is that while we support this recommendation being explored, I think it needs to be fully discussed and socialised.

“It is one of the fundamentals of the game of cricket that it’s a game of 11 players and a substitute has not been allowed in the past and we need to work through all of the machinations of that possibility.”

However according to the law of international cricket, the substitutes are permitted for the injured players or ill players, but they can’t be allowed to bowl, bat or act as wicket-keepers.

Sutherland added, “The fundamental issue here is the desire for medical staff to have the ultimate say in an incident of concussion to be able to make a judgement and to allow that to be facilitated as easy as possible.”

Sutherland made a comment after the release of a review of Australian batsman Phillip Hughes’s death. A ball was struck on the head of Phillip Hughes when he was batting in a domestic cricket match in November 2014.

Sutherland also said, “There are also instances in the game where other injuries occur that could give rise to a substitution. I think that again is part of why this needs to be a broader discussion.”

CA CEO also confirmed that the highest British standard helmets (BS 7928:2013) would be now mandatory in domestic matches, adopting the recommendation in the Curtain report.