Dubai: The ICC Cricket Committee has expressed deep concern at the crammed international calendar, saying "the addition of many ODIs" to the Future Tours Programme was bound to have a "severe impact" on the standard of the game and the players' fitness.

"The committee expressed concern about the congestion in the international calendar in particular the addition of many ODIs, which it felt, may have a severe impact on the quality, intensity and standard of international cricket and may result in injuries to players and a dearth of fast bowlers," the ICC said in a statement.

The Committee, which met here over the last two days under the chairmanship of Sunil Gavaskar, recommended against allowing Zimbabwe to return to Test fold.

It said that the African team must "demonstrate its ability to perform at a standard that does not risk undermining the integrity of the game" before being allowed to play the longer version of the game.

It also proposed significant changes to the ODI playing conditions including change of ball after 35 overs in an innings and allowing a free hit off the delivery that follows a no ball.

Permitting three fielders to be placed outside the inner circle during the second or third power plays, discontinuing the use of adhesives on pitches, stretching the boundaries wherever possible to a maximum of 90 yards were among the other changes recommended by the Committee.

The committee gave a thumbs-down to a trial of player appeals to TV umpire at the inaugural Twenty20 World Cup in South Africa in September. It, however, gave a go ahead to the concept being tried out in domestic championships. — PTI

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