Richardson talks about amendments to playing conditions which take effect from Saturday

On this week's ICC World Radio Show, ICC General Manager - Cricket, David Richardson, talks about changes to the ICC playing conditions for Tests, One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) which take effect from Saturday 1 October.

Mr Richardson, who played 42 Tests and 122 ODIs for South Africa from 1991 to 1998, for the convenience of the listeners, also explains the difference between a Law and a playing condition and speaks about the procedure which is followed to amend or introduce a new playing condition.

He says: "The Laws are the provisions which regulate the playing of cricket at all levels and are under the control and administration of the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC). A playing condition is a regulation which applies to a particular event or a series of matches.

"For international cricket, we have standard playing conditions that apply to Tests, ODIs and T20Is. These playing conditions enhance the Laws. So, for example, in the Law of Cricket it says that you must have a boundary marking. In our playing conditions, we say that the boundary must be of a certain size. So, the playing conditions compliment the Laws and make them relevant and appropriate to international cricket.

"The ICC Cricket Committee, which represents all the stakeholders in game - current players, former players, media, broadcasters, umpires and match referees, and administrators - meets once a year. After the ICC Cricket Committee has considered the matters, it makes recommendations to the ICC Chief Executives' Committee and then onwards to the ICC Executive Board which approves the recommendations that have emanated or originated from the ICC Cricket Committee."

Mr Richardson also talks in detail about various amendments to the playing conditions, including the use of two new balls per innings and powerplays in ODIs, the abolishment of runners, obstructing the field and the introduction of a new playing condition relating to the run-out of a non-striker by the bowler.

"Some of the amendments are very simple some of them are a little bit more complicated. But I think what they do is improve all formats of the game to make them a better spectacle for the fan watching," he concludes.

The show can be used in whole or part by radio stations that want free cricket content for editorial use, while the public can also download it straight from www.icc-cricket.com or from iTunes.

Also on the show, ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat shares his excitement as the United Arab Emirates (UAE) prepares to host Pakistan's domestic international season. From 18 October 2011 to 27 February 2012, three UAE venues - Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah - will host six Tests, nine ODIs and three T20Is and the sides visiting the Sheikhdom will be Sri Lanka and England.

Mr Lorgat says: "It is going to be a bumper season. There's lots of international cricket and let's not forget that these international matches will be followed by the ICC World Twenty20 2012 Qualifier.

"I know it is exceptionally good for Pakistan cricket. Of course, they would still be very disappointed and rightly so, that these matches are not being played at home. But I have always been determined to ensure that Pakistan continues to play international cricket.

"The Pakistan Task Team (PTT) also endorsed that recommendation quite strongly and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has embraced it. So, it is absolutely correct that they continue to fulfil fixtures at the international level and remain competitive."

In an ICC World Radio Show special, renowned novelist Lord Jeffrey Archer speaks exclusively with ICC's Chandresh Narayanan and pays tribute to his Oxford University friend and former India captain Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi who passed away last Thursday in New Delhi at the age of 70.

Lord Archer says: "He was a charming, well-mannered and graceful man and it was a real pleasure to be in his company.

"What I remember most was he was a natural captain and men wanted to be led with him. People forget that in the time of Pataudi, India was not a leading cricket nation. They were in Div.2 and he took them to Div.1 and since, of course, they have become the best in the world.

"I will remember him with affection, with respect and I shall miss him sadly because I took it for granted whenever I was in India or he was at The Oval or Lord's. For him, the game and the team were more important than the individual. That for me will be the abiding memory."

This show has been put together by the ICC's global broadcast partner, ESPN STAR Sports.