Twenty20: No stumpings on wide balls

Here are a few of the more interesting among the 'Playing Conditions' framed by the venerable ICC for the inaugural Twenty20 Championship.

Law 8.2 - Size of stumps

The following shall apply in addition to Law 8.2
For televised matches the Home Board may provide a slightly larger cylindrical stump to accommodate the stump camera. When the larger stump is used, all three stumps must be exactly the same size.

Comments: Why can't they simply write: Size of stumps in case stump-camera is used shall be X.

More interestingly, i am waiting for the 'bowl-out'(which will happen in case of a tie, to decide the winner). I am waiting to see what kinds of stumps are used then - the one with the smaller radius or the larger one with the stump-cam. For a list of 'laws' where they have gone to ridiculous lengths to be comprehensive, it's surprising they missed out on this point. Can Ponting or any other captain raise an issue that they had practised 'bowl-outs' with the regular ICC authorised size?!!

Law 19.3 - Scoring a boundary
The following shall apply in addition to Law 19.3.
If an unauthorized person enters the playing arena and handles the ball, the umpire at the bowler’s end shall be the sole judge of whether the boundary allowance should be scored or the ball be treated as still in play or called dead ball if a batsman is liable to be out as a result of the unauthorized person handling the ball.

Law 24.2

For any free hit, the striker can be dismissed only under the circumstances that apply for a no ball, even if the delivery for the free hit is called wide ball.

Comment: Watch out for more discussions and debates on the definitions of a 'run-out' vs 'stumping'!

Law 41.2.5

If an innings is interrupted during an over and if on the resumption of play, due to the reduced number of overs of the batting team, the required number of Fielding Restriction Overs have already been bowled, the remaining deliveries in the over to be completed shall not be subject to the fielding restrictions.

Law 3.2.2 d.

When reviewing the TV replay(s), if the third umpire finds the batsman has been bowled rather than hit wicket or stumped, he shall indicate that the batsman was dismissed.

Getting lawyers to frame laws is one thing. Explaining and making the umpires and referees understand it is quite another - as we saw during the World Cup Final. Thankfully, both Aleem Dar and Steve Bucknor are not on the Twenty 20 Umpires Panel.