Pollard blasts ‘ridiculous’ CPL rule

Trinbago Knight Riders Captain Kieron Pollard criticised the CPL’s new red-card ruling, after his team was issued the first ever red card in the tournament’s history for a slow over rate in their six-wicket win over St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots at Warner Park, St. Kitts recently.

Pollard was relatively pleased with his team’s performance as they got their first win of the CPL season. However, he did not hold back as he took issue with the new ruling.

“The guys bowled well, up until the 17th over. The new rules or innovation which has come about, that cost us some 25-30 runs towards the end,” Pollard said.

“To be honest, I think it’s going to take away the hard work the guys would have done throughout the innings. You are one minute (behind time) as a fielding team and you have guys (being asked to) come in.

“In the end, you have a guy who has to come off the field also. I think we’re just giving away runs for Cricinfo.”

With CPL’S over-rate rules which are being implemented for both the men’s and the women’s tournaments, teams are given a minimum of 85 minutes to complete their allocated 20 overs. However, the teams will be penalised if they are behind the over rate at the end of the 17th, 18th and 19th overs, with an additional fielder being placed in the 30-yard circle at the end of the 17th and 18th respectively.

If the team’s over rate is still too slow at the end of the penultimate over, a red card will be issued to one of the fielders to leave the field before the start of the 20th over.

While playing against the Patriots, TKR and Pollard were behind the over rate on all three occasions, with Umpire Zahid Bassarath issuing the first red card to Sunil Narine.

Down to 10 men, and with six fielders in the 30-yard circle as opposed to just two outside, Dwayne Bravo conceded 18 runs in the final over.

“I don’t know how we are going to overcome this new ruling. We are just going to continue to play cricket how we know how to play and if that’s going to determine matches and that’s what they want to see them we have to go with it.”

“But I think being penalized for 30 and 40 seconds in the tournament like this is absolutely ridiculous,” Pollard said.