WELLINGTON: New Zealand Cricket will follow Australia in allowing concussed players to be substituted in its domestic limited-overs competitions this season.

In October, New South Wales batsman Daniel Hughes became the first player to be replaced under the Australian rule when he was struck on the head while batting in a one-day match against Victoria.

Already this season, two batsmen have been concussed while batting in New Zealand domestic matches.

Their injuries have prompted New Zealand Cricket to introduce the substitution rule in the local Twenty20 competition which begins on Sunday and the subsequent national one-day competition.

The rule allows medical staff to assess a player on the field and, if concussion is diagnosed, allows the player to be replaced by a similar batsman, bowler or wicketkeeper.

Published in Dawn, December 3rd, 2016