LONDON: Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) on Wednesday announced that the term “dough” neutral gender will replace “batsman” with direct effects, in an effort to strengthen the status of Cricket as an inclusive game.
Amendments to the law approved by the MCC Committee, after the initial discussion by the Club Specialist Sub-Committee Sub-Committee.
“MCC believes that the use of gender neutral terminology helps strengthen the status of cricket as an inclusive game for all,” MCC, game guards, said in a statement.
“Amendments are the natural evolution of the work done in this field and an important part of MCC’s global responsibility for sports,” added the statement.
Cricket women have enjoyed unprecedented growth at all levels throughout the world and there have been calls to adopt more neutral gender terms to encourage women and girls to play games.
A number of government institutions and media organizations have used the term “dough”.
“At the time of the last redraft in 2017 it was agreed upon, following the consultation with the International Cricket Council (ICC) and key figures in female cricket, that terminology would remain as ‘Batsman’ and ‘BATMAN’ in the game law” MCC said.
“The changes announced today reflect the wider use of the term ‘dough’ and ‘batters’ that have occurred in the cricket circle in the intervention period.” Moving to ‘dough’ is a natural development, aligning with the provisions of the Bowler and the folder already sitting in the law.
“Jamie Cox, Assistant Secretary (Cricket and Operations) at MCC said:” MCC believes in cricket into a game for all and this step acknowledges changes in the landscape of the game in modern times.
“This is the right time for this adjustment to be recognized formally and we are happy, like law guards, to announce these changes today.”