Adelaide Strikers veteran Peter Siddle says he's sure players will pick up the pace after a new rule for BBL|11 requiring incoming batters to face up in 75 seconds was almost used in the first game
New BBL rule almost put into action on night one
The KFC BBL's new rule for the 11th edition of the tournament was almost put into action on night one as Melbourne Stars number 11 Syed Faridoun sprinted to the wicket to avoid veteran spinner Steve O'Keefe being given a free shot at the stumps.
The rule, which was introduced for WBBL|07 and BBL|11, has flown under the radar after not being used in the Women’s competition, but was nearly tested on Sunday night in the BBL season opener leaving commentators scrambling to explain how it works.
The official rule states that at the fall of a wicket or retirement of a batter the incoming batter must be ready to face the next delivery within 75 seconds.
If the batter fails to arrive in time, then they must stand to the side of the pitch for the first delivery of their innings and allow the bowler a free ball at the stumps.
If the ball strikes the wicket the batter is out bowled. If the ball misses the wicket it is counted as a dot ball and a ball faced.
If the bowler delivers a no-ball, the next delivery is a free hit.
And if the new batter is the non-striker (the batters crossed while the ball was in the air, the wicket fell at the end of the over or there was a run out at the bowler's end), then then same process is followed when they get on strike to face their first delivery.
Fortunately for the Stars' Pakistan import Faridoun, he just beat the 75-second timer and the rule was not implemented for the first time.
Adelaide Strikers' stand-in captain Peter Siddle said the new rule was exciting, but he was wary of being the first bowler to miss the stumps.
"I guess you do (fancy a free bowl at the stumps) but you don't want to be the first guy to do it and miss," Siddle told reporters at Marvel Stadium on Monday.
He said he was also sure batters would pick up the pace from now on.
"I think throughout the whole women's Big Bash it never happened this season, it didn't come to that," Siddle said ahead of Adelaide's first game against the Renegades on Tuesday night.
"We all know how much batters love having a hit and not missing out, so I can't imagine there'd be too many guys taking it slow this season," the 37-year-old seamer said.
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