ICC's new playing conditions start

The new playing conditions put in place by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for all the three formats of the game begin with the series between Bangladesh and New Zealand that started in Chittagong with the first Test Wednesday.

Bangladesh are hosting New Zealand for two Tests, three ODIs and one Twenty20 International.

The ICC said that the playing conditions are applicable to international cricket and must be read together with the 'Laws of Cricket'. Whilst a playing condition may affect the 'Laws of Cricket' as they may apply to international cricket, these changes are not amendments to the Laws of Cricket themselves.

According to the new rules, if a team has changed the condition of the ball and no player has been witnessed changing the condition of the ball, then the ball will be changed, and the captain issued a first and final warning.

Such a warning will apply for the remainder of a Test match, or for the remainder of an ODI or T20I series.

If there is a further incident of the condition of the ball being changed, a five-run penalty will be awarded, the ball changed again and the captain will be held responsible and reported.

If the condition of the ball has been changed and the player responsible can be identified, then the ball will be changed, a five-run penalty will be awarded, and the player responsible will be reported.

The Decision Review System has been included in Tests as a part of the six-month trial that will end April 30.

Each team will have a maximum of two unsuccessful player review requests in the first 80 overs of the innings, and a maximum of two unsuccessful player review requests after 80 overs for the remainder of the innings.

At the end of the 80th over, a team with two remaining reviews receives no additional reviews, a team with one remaining review receives one additional review, and a team with zero remaining reviews receives two additional reviews.

In a match reduced to 25 overs or less per side before the first innings commences, each team shall have only one new ball for its innings.