DIRECTOR of Cricket Steve Rhodes has welcomed the new ‘toss’ rule if it leads to ‘better’ wickets that are more like Test pitches.
The England & Wales Cricket Board has agreed the new regulation on a trial basis for the 2016 County Championship in both Division One and Two.
In the forthcoming season, the visiting captain will be offered the opportunity to bowl first and, if he declines, the toss will take place as normal. If he accepts there will be no toss.
County skipper Daryl Mitchell and paceman Charlie Morris have already given their backing to the change and now Rhodes believes the change will benefit the game.
“I think it will be a good thing. Wickets last year were judged by the umpires which puts them in a very awkward position, so I think something needed doing,” said Rhodes.
“If this makes for better wickets that are more like Test Match pitches then that has got to be good for our game,” he added.
Rhodes, back at the helm at New Road after his coaching stint with England Lions this winter, is also happy the new regulation will be enforced in both divisions.
“I’m really pleased because I don’t think it’s fair in any capacity at all to belittle Division Two,” he said.
“Each year you’ve got sides that come up and go down, but we’ve seen some big international venue clubs like Lancashire and Surrey go up for 2016 and they were only in Division Two a few months ago.”