Glamorgan captain Kiran Carlson has criticized the ECB’s new player replacement rule after the second round of the Rothesay County Championship.
Player replacements are not new in the County Championship. They were allowed for concussions, during the COVID-19 pandemic, or if a player was selected for the England squad. This year, the rule has expanded to include injuries and significant life events as part of an ICC trial.
In their second match, Glamorgan faced defending champions Nottinghamshire. Chasing 478 runs in the second innings, Glamorgan lost by 192 runs. Nottinghamshire brought in Lyndon James as an injury replacement for Fergus O’Neill on the fourth day.
While Carlson doesn’t question Nottinghamshire’s choices, he is concerned about the rule, suggesting it might give teams an unfair edge, such as having James available to bowl on the final day of the match.
“Bringing in someone later on has made a difference. This is no slight on Notts because we would have done the same in their position. But having a player who hadn’t played for three days come in to bowl is an advantage. The idea behind the rule is good, but it needs to be refined in how it is applied,” Carlson told ESPNcricinfo.
Across nine County Championship games in both divisions, there were six substitutions. Glamorgan made one change, replacing all-rounder Ben Kellaway with new arrival Sean Dickson on Day 1. Yorkshire and Somerset also used two substitutes each, as there are no limits on the number of changes a team can make.
The new rule has drawn criticism from various players, including former England player Ian Ward and Kent’s Sam Billings.
Alan Fordham, the ECB’s head of Cricket operations, cautioned domestic counties to use the rule responsibly.
“If teams begin to push the boundaries of the rule, we may have to reconsider the changes we’ve implemented,” Fordham said.