LAWS + CHANGES.
Bolton Cricket
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Welcome to the game of- Cricket.
The players, umpires/scorers in a game of
cricket may be of either gender and the Laws apply equally to both.
Cricket is a game played between two teams made up of eleven players each. There is also a reserve player called a "twelfth man" who is used should a player be injured during play.
The twelfth man is not allowed to bowl, bat, keepwicket or captain the team. His sole duty is to act as a substitute fielder.
To apply the laws and make sure the laws of cricket are upheld throughout the game there are two umpires and two scorers in place during games. Umpires are responsible for making decisions and notifying the scorers of these decisions.
---------------------------------------------------------------------Ways that Batsmen can be given out according to cricket laws.
There are a number of different ways a batsman can be given out in the game of cricket. When a bowler gets a batsman out it is said that the bowler gets a "wicket". The following examples are the different ways a batsman can be given out according to the laws of cricket:
- Bowled - Cricket laws state that if the ball is bowled and hits the striking batsman's wickets the batsman is given out (as long as at least one bail is removed by the ball). It does not matter whether the ball has touched the batsman's bat, gloves, body or any other part of the batsman. However the ball is not allowed to have touched another player or umpire before hitting the wickets.
- Caught - Cricket laws
state that if a batsman hits the ball or touches the ball at all with his
bat or hand/glove holding the bat then the batsman can be caught out. This
is done by the fielders, wicket keeper or bowler catching the ball on the
full (before it bounces). If this is done then cricket laws state the
batsman is out.
Leg Before Wicket (LBW) - If a ball is bowled and it hits the batsman first without touching the bat then an LBW decision is possible. However for the umpire to give this out he must first answer 5. Questions in order to give the Batsman out or not out.
(1.) Whether the bowler has bowled a legal delivery.?
(2.) Was the first point of contact the batsman.?
(3.) Did the ball pitch between wicket and wicket or on the off side?.
(4.) Was the first point of interception the striker's person or equipment and not his bat.?
(5.) The umpire must then decide would the ball have hit the wicket if the batsman was not there. If his answer to this is yes then the batsman should be given out. However if the ball hits the batsman outside the line of off stump while he was attempting to play a stroke then he is not out.
Any ball that pitches outside leg stump the umpire must give not out even if the ball would have hit the wicket.
- Stumped - A batsman can be given out according to cricket laws when the wicketkeeper puts down his wicket while he is out of his crease and not attempting a run (if he is attempting a run it would be a runout).
- Run Out - Cricket laws state that a batsman is out if no part of his bat in hand or body is grounded behind the popping crease while the ball is in play and the wicket is fairly put down by the fielding side.
- Hit Wicket - Cricket laws specify that if a batsman hits his wicket down with his bat or body after the bowler has entered his delivery stried and the ball is in play then he is out. The striking batsman is also out if he hits his wicket down while setting off for his first run.
- Timed Out - An incoming batsman must be ready to face a ball or be at the non strikers end with his partner within three minutes of the outgoing batsman being dismissed. If this is not done the incoming batsman can be given out.
- Hit The Ball Twice - Cricket laws state that if a batsman hits a ball twice (intentionally) other than for the purpose of protecting his wicket. He is out.
- Obstructing The Field - A batsman is out if he wilfully obstructs the opposition by word or action.
There are many other cricket laws. However these are most of the basics and will get you well on your way to playing or umpiring the game. Many of the more advanced laws can be learned along the way and are not vital to general play.
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Ways to score runs.
The aim of the batsmen is to score runs. One of the main cricket laws is that for batsmen to score runs they must run to each other's end of the pitch (from one end to the other). In doing this one run is scored. Cricket laws state they may run multiple runs per shot. As well as running they can also score runs by hitting boundaries. A boundary scores the batsmen either 4 or 6 runs. A four is scored by hitting the ball past the boundary after hitting the groud while a six is scored by hitting the ball past the boundary on the full (before it hits the ground). Cricket laws also state that once a 4 or 6 has been scored any runs physically ran by the batsman are null & void. They will only obtain the 4 or 6 runs.
Runs can also be scored according to the cricket laws in the following manner. No balls, wide balls, byes & leg byes. Cricket laws state that all runs scored by these methods are awarded to the batting team but not the individual batters.
- A "No Ball" can be declared for many reasons: If the bowler bowls the ball from the wrong place, the ball is declared dangerous (often happens when bowled at the batsmen's body on the full), bounces more than twice or rolls before reaching the batsman or if fielders are standing in illegal positions. The batsman can hit a no ball and score runs off it but cannot be out from a no ball except if they are run out, hit the ball twice, handle the ball or obstruct the field. The batsman gains any runs scored off the no ball for his shot while the team also gains one run for the no ball itself.
- A "Wide Ball" will be declared if the umpire thinks the batsman did not have a reasonable opportunity to score off the delivery. However if the delivery is bowled over the batsmen's head it will not be declared a wide but a no ball. Umpires are much stricter on wide deliveries in the shorter format of the game while being much more relaxed in test cricket. A wide delivery will add one run to the batting team and any runs scored by the batsman. The batsman is not able to get out off a wide delivery except if they are stumped, run out, handle the ball, hit their wicket or obstruct the field.
- A "Bye" is where a ball that isn't a no ball or wide passes the striking batsman and runs are scored without the batsman hitting the ball.
- A "Leg Bye" is where runs are scored by hitting the batsman, but not the bat and the ball is not a no ball or wide. However no runs can be scored if the striking batsman didn't attempt to play a shot or if he was avoiding the ball.
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MCC. LAW CHANGES (Oct.2013).
The following 10 questions and answers were designed by the MCC. to provide umpires, scorers, players and cricket fans with some practical examples of how the law changes will effect the outcome in certain situations. These are all based on areas of law changes that have been altered in October 2013, and the 5th. Edition of the 2000 Code of cricket laws.
Bolton Cricket
Umpires and Scorers Association.
Sponsored By----- Bolton Lock Company Ltd.
Phone - 01942 811186.
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