Cricket could look at shot clock to speed up play - MCC World Cricket committee

Cricket could introduce a "shot clock" to improve the pace of play, says a group of leading figures in the sport.

The MCC World Cricket committee, an independent panel that can propose changes to the sport's Laws, said it was concerned at declining over rates.

Test over rates are at their lowest for 11 years and Twenty20 over rates have fallen to their lowest ever level.

"A shot clock probably seems a little extreme but the rates have declined," said the panel's Ricky Ponting.

The panel suggested measuring the "dead time" in the game between overs.

"At the end of an over, the fielders and the bowler have to be back in position and ready to bowl by a certain time and that's non-negotiable," said former Australia captain Ponting.

He added the shot clock would not be used to enforce "a certain amount of time for an over to be bowled" because that could be affected by other factors.

Ponting said the panel of former and current players and umpires also discussed different penalties for slow over rates, adding that there was a sense that the current system of fining teams had not necessarily worked, nor been used regularly.

He suggested that a more immediate run penalty administered during the match could be an option.

"You would imagine captains would then take huge responsibility in making sure their players are in a position to go. If, through the course of a game or a day, they're not in position for three or four overs then that could be 20 runs."

Referring to England's 31-run victory over India in the first Test on Saturday, Ponting added such a penalty could decide the outcome of a match.

The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCCC) is the guardian of the laws and spirit of the game. Its world cricket committee - established in 2006 - is currently chaired by former England captain Mike Gatting and includes former internationals Brendon McCullum and Kumar Sangakkara and New Zealand women's captain Suzie Bates.