THE LAWS OF CRICKET 2017 CODE (2nd edition – 2019)

© Marylebone Cricket Club

INDEX

Preface

The Preamble – The Spirit of Cricket

LAW 1 THE PLAYERS

1.1 Number of players

1.2 Nomination and replacement of players

1.3 Captain

1.4 Responsibility of captains

LAW 2 THE UMPIRES

2.1 Appointment and attendance

2.2 Change of umpire

2.3 Consultation with captains

2.4 The wickets, creases and boundaries

2.5 Conduct of the match, implements and equipment

2.6 Fair and unfair play

2.7 Fitness for play

2.8 Suspension of play in dangerous or unreasonable circumstances

2.9 Position of umpires

2.10 Umpires changing ends

2.11 Disagreement and dispute

2.12 Umpire’s decision

2.13 Signals

2.14 Informing the umpires

2.15 Correctness of scores

LAW 3 THE SCORERS

3.1 Appointment of scorers

3.2 Correctness of scores

3.3 Acknowledging signals

LAW 4 THE BALL

4.1 Weight and size

4.2 Approval and control of balls

4.3 New ball

4.4 New ball in match of more than one day’s duration

4.5 Ball lost or becoming unfit for play

4.6 Specifications

LAW 5 THE BAT

5.1 The bat

5.2 The handle

5.3 The blade

5.4 Protection and repair

5.5 Damage to the ball

5.6 Contact with the ball

5.7 Bat size limits

5.8 Categories of bat

LAW 6 THE PITCH

6.1 Area of pitch

6.2 Fitness of pitch for play

6.3 Selection and preparation

6.4 Changing the pitch

6.5 Non-turf pitches

LAW 7 THE CREASES

7.1 The creases

7.2 The bowling crease

7.3 The popping crease

7.4 The return creases

LAW 8 THE WICKETS

8.1 Description, width and pitching

8.2 Size of stumps

8.3 The bails

8.4 Junior cricket

8.5 Dispensing with bails

LAW 9 PREPARATION AND MAINTENANCE OF THE PLAYING AREA

9.1 Rolling

9.2 Clearing debris from the pitch

9.3 Mowing

9.4 Watering the pitch

9.5 Re-marking creases

9.6 Maintenance of footholes

9.7 Securing of footholds and maintenance of pitch

9.8 Non-turf pitches

LAW 10 COVERING THE PITCH

10.1 Before the match

10.2 During the match

10.3 Removal of covers

LAW 11 INTERVALS

11.1 An interval

11.2 Duration of intervals

11.3 Allowance for interval between innings

11.4 Changing agreed times of intervals

11.5 Changing agreed time for lunch interval

11.6 Changing agreed time for tea interval

11.7 Lunch or tea interval – 9 wickets down

11.8 Intervals for drinks

11.9 Agreement to forgo intervals

11.10 Scorers to be informed

LAW 12 START OF PLAY; CESSATION OF PLAY

12.1 Call of Play

12.2 Call of Time

12.3 Removal of bails

12.4 Starting a new over

12.5 Completion of an over

12.6 Last hour of match – number of overs

12.7 Last hour of match – interruptions of play

12.8 Last hour of match – intervals between innings

12.9 Conclusion of match

12.10 Completion of last over of match

12.11 Bowler unable to complete an over during last hour of match

LAW 13 INNINGS

13.1 Number of innings

13.2 Alternate innings

13.3 Completed innings

13.4 The toss

13.5 Decision to be notified

LAW 14 THE FOLLOW-ON

14.1 Lead on first innings

14.2 Notification

14.3 First day’s play lost

LAW 15 DECLARATION AND FORFEITURE

15.1 Time of declaration

15.2 Forfeiture of an innings

15.3 Notification

LAW 16 THE RESULT

16.1 A Win – two-innings match

16.2 A Win – one-innings match

16.3 Umpires awarding a match

16.4 Matches in which there is an agreement under Law 13.1.2

16.5 All other matches – A Tie or Draw

16.6 Winning hit or extras

16.7 Statement of result

16.8 Correctness of result

16.9 Mistakes in scoring

16.10 Result not to be changed

LAW 17 THE OVER

17.1 Number of balls

17.2 Start of an over

17.3 Validity of balls

17.4 Call of Over

17.5 Umpire miscounting

17.6 Bowler changing ends

17.7 Finishing an over

17.8 Bowler incapacitated or suspended during an over

LAW 18 SCORING RUNS

18.1 A run

18.2 Runs disallowed

18.3 Short runs

18.4 Unintentional short runs

18.5 Deliberate short runs

18.6 Runs awarded for penalties

18.7 Runs scored for boundaries

18.8 Runs scored when a batsman is dismissed

18.9 Runs scored when the ball becomes dead other than at the fall of a wicket

18.10 Crediting of runs scored

18.11 Batsman returning to original end

18.12 Batsman returning to wicket he/she has left

LAW 19 BOUNDARIES

19.1 Determining the boundary of the field of play

19.2 Identifying and marking the boundary

19.3 Restoring the boundary

19.4 Ball grounded beyond the boundary

19.5 Fielder grounded beyond the boundary

19.6 Boundary allowances

19.7 Runs scored from boundaries

19.8 Overthrow or wilful act of fielder

LAW 20 DEAD BALL

20.1 Ball is dead

20.2 Ball finally settled

20.3 Call of Over or Time

20.4 Umpire calling and signalling Dead ball

20.5 Ball ceases to be dead

20.6 Dead ball; ball counting as one of over

LAW 21 NO BALL

21.1 Mode of delivery

21.2 Fair delivery – the arm

21.3 Ball thrown or delivered underarm – action by umpires

21.4 Bowler throwing towards striker’s end before delivery

21.5 Fair delivery – the feet

21.6 Bowler breaking wicket in delivering ball

21.7 Ball bouncing more than once, rolling along the ground or pitching off the pitch

21.8 Ball coming to rest in front of striker’s wicket

21.9 Fielder intercepting a delivery

21.10 Ball bouncing over head height of striker

21.11 Call of No ball for infringement of other Laws

21.12 Revoking a call of No ball

21.13 No ball to over-ride Wide

21.14 Ball not dead

21.15 Penalty for a No ball

21.16 Runs resulting from a No ball – how scored

21.17 No ball not to count

21.18 Out from a No ball

LAW 22 WIDE BALL

22.1 Judging a Wide

22.2 Call and signal of Wide ball

22.3 Revoking a call of Wide ball

22.4 Delivery not a Wide

22.5 Ball not dead

22.6 Penalty for a Wide

22.7 Runs resulting from a Wide – how scored

22.8 Wide not to count

22.9 Out from a Wide

LAW 23 BYE AND LEG BYE

23.1 Byes

23.2 Leg byes

23.3 Leg byes not to be awarded

LAW 24 FIELDER’S ABSENCE; SUBSTITUTES

24.1 Substitute fielders

24.2 Fielder absent or leaving the field of play

24.3 Penalty time not incurred

24.4 Player returning without permission

LAW 25 BATSMAN’S INNINGS; RUNNERS

25.1 Eligibility to act as a batsman or runner

25.2 Commencement of a batsman’s innings

25.3 Restriction on batsman commencing an innings

25.4 Batsman retiring

25.5 Runners

25.6 Dismissal and conduct of a batsman and his/her runner

25.7 Restriction on the striker’s runner

LAW 26 PRACTICE ON THE FIELD

26.1 Practice on the pitch or the rest of the square

26.2 Practice on the outfield

26.3 Trial run-up

26.4 Penalties for contravention

LAW 27 THE WICKET-KEEPER

27.1 Protective equipment

27.2 Gloves

27.3 Position of wicket-keeper

27.4 Movement by wicket-keeper

27.5 Restriction on actions of wicket-keeper

27.6 Interference with wicket-keeper by striker

LAW 28 THE FIELDER

28.1 Protective equipment

28.2 Fielding the ball

28.3 Protective helmets belonging to the fielding side

28.4 Limitation of on side fielders

28.5 Fielders not to encroach on pitch

28.6 Movement by any fielder other than the wicket-keeper

LAW 29 THE WICKET IS DOWN

29.1 Wicket put down

29.2 One bail off

29.3 Remaking wicket

29.4 Dispensing with bails

LAW 30 BATSMAN OUT OF HIS/HER GROUND

30.1 When out of his/her ground

30.2 Which is a batsman’s ground

30.3 Position of non-striker

LAW 31 APPEALS

31.1 Umpire not to give batsman out without an appeal

31.2 Batsman dismissed

31.3 Timing of appeals

31.4 Appeal “How’s That?”

31.5 Answering appeals

31.6 Consultation by umpires

31.7 Batsman leaving the wicket under a misapprehension

31.8 Withdrawal of an appeal

LAW 32 BOWLED

32.1 Out Bowled

32.2 Bowled to take precedence

LAW 33 CAUGHT

33.1 Out Caught

33.2 A fair catch

33.3 Making a catch

33.4 No runs to be scored

33.5 Caught to take precedence

LAW 34 HIT THE BALL TWICE

34.1 Out Hit the ball twice

34.2 Not out Hit the ball twice

34.3 Ball lawfully struck more than once

34.4 Runs permitted from ball lawfully struck more than once

34.5 Bowler does not get credit

LAW 35 HIT WICKET

35.1 Out Hit wicket

35.2 Not out Hit wicket

LAW 36 LEG BEFORE WICKET

36.1 Out LBW

36.2 Interception of the ball

36.3 Off side of wicket

LAW 37 OBSTRUCTING THE FIELD

37.1 Out Obstructing the field

37.2 Not out Obstructing the field

37.3 Obstructing a ball from being caught

37.4 Returning the ball to a fielder

37.5 Runs scored

37.6 Bowler does not get credit

LAW 38 RUN OUT

38.1 Out Run out

38.2 Batsman not out Run out

38.3 Which batsman is out

38.4 Runs scored

38.5 Bowler does not get credit

LAW 39 STUMPED

39.1 Out Stumped

39.2 Ball rebounding from wicket-keeper’s person

39.3 Not out Stumped

LAW 40 TIMED OUT

40.1 Out Timed out

40.2 Bowler does not get credit

LAW 41 UNFAIR PLAY

41.1 Fair and unfair play – responsibility of captains

41.2 Fair and unfair play – responsibility of umpires

41.3 The match ball – changing its condition

41.4 Deliberate attempt to distract striker

41.5 Deliberate distraction, deception or obstruction of batsman

41.6 Bowling of dangerous and unfair short pitched deliveries

41.7 Bowling of dangerous and unfair non-pitching deliveries

41.8 Bowling of deliberate front-foot No ball

41.9 Time wasting by the fielding side

41.10 Batsman wasting time

41.11 The protected area

41.12 Fielder damaging the pitch

41.13 Bowler running on protected area

41.14 Batsman damaging the pitch

41.15 Striker in protected area

41.16 Non-striker leaving his/her ground early

41.17 Batsmen stealing a run

41.18 Penalty runs

41.19 Unfair actions

LAW 42 PLAYERS’ CONDUCT

42.1 Unacceptable conduct

42.2 Level 1 offences and action by umpires

42.3 Level 2 offences and action by umpires

42.4 Level 3 offences and action by umpires

42.5 Level 4 offences and action by umpires

42.6 Captain refusing to remove a player from the field

42.7 Additional points relating to Level 3 and Level 4 offences

Appendix A: Definitions and explanations of words or phrases not defined in the text

A1 The match

A2 Implements and equipment

A3 The playing area

A4 Positioning

A5 Umpires

A6 Batsmen

A7 Fielders

A8 Substitutes, Replacements and Runners

A9 Bowlers

A10 The ball

A11 Runs

A12 The person

A13 Off side/on side; in front of / behind the popping crease.

Appendix B: The bat (Law 5)

B.1. General guidance

B.2. Specifications for the Handle

B.3 Specifications for the Blade

B.4 Protection and repair

B.5. Toe and side inserts

B.6 Commercial identifications

B.7 Type D Bats

B.8 Bat Gauge