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| Law of Cricket | |
|---|---|
| Name | Law of Cricket |
| Sport | Cricket |
| Governing body | Marylebone Cricket Club |
| First codified | 1744 |
| Current code | 2017 Code (amended) |
| Website | Marylebone Cricket Club |
Law of Cricket
The Law of Cricket is the codified set of rules that governs the sport of Cricket worldwide, maintained and published by the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) and applied in matches organized by bodies such as the International Cricket Council, England and Wales Cricket Board, Board of Control for Cricket in India, Cricket Australia, Pakistan Cricket Board, Cricket South Africa, New Zealand Cricket, and Sri Lanka Cricket. The Laws define playing conditions, equipment standards, modes of dismissal, and umpiring protocols used in competitions including the Ashes, ICC Cricket World Cup, ICC World Test Championship, Indian Premier League, Big Bash League, County Championship, Ranji Trophy, Sheffield Shield, Plunket Shield, and Caribbean Premier League.
The early codification began with the 1744 Laws of Cricket in 1744 compiled by patrons and clubs such as Hambledon Club and influential figures like Thomas Lord whose ground later became Lord's Cricket Ground, while later revisions were influenced by administrators from Marylebone Cricket Club and patrons like Earl of Winchilsea. Nineteenth-century changes reflected contests involving teams from England, Australia, South Africa, and touring sides including the Gentlemen v Players fixtures, while twentieth-century amendments responded to developments in competitions featuring bodies like International Cricket Council and innovations from franchises such as Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians. Technological and commercial pressures arising from televised events like Cricket World Cup 1992, ICC Champions Trophy, Twenty20 World Cup and landmark matches such as the 1999 Cricket World Cup semi-final and 2005 Ashes series drove revisions. Legal disputes involving entities such as Marylebone Cricket Club and national boards, arbitration cases before the Court of Arbitration for Sport, and governance reforms following incidents like the Bodyline series and the Ball-tampering scandal (2018) further shaped the Laws.
The Laws are structured into numbered sections covering the cricket pitch dimensions used at grounds like Eden Gardens, Melbourne Cricket Ground, and Wankhede Stadium, definitions of participants including batsman and bowler, equipment standards for items from manufacturers supplying teams such as Kookaburra and Gray-Nicolls, and match result determinations employed in tournaments like the Indian Premier League and County Championship. The scope addresses playing time conventions adopted in Test cricket, One Day International, and Twenty20 cricket formats, ties and super overs as seen in the 2007 ICC World Twenty20 final and 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup final, and provisions for weather-affected matches used in competitions like the Bob Willis Trophy and Sheffield Shield.
Playing conditions defined by the Laws include pitch preparation standards followed at venues such as Trent Bridge, Kensington Oval, and Newlands, ball specifications commonly met by suppliers like SG and Duke (cricket ball), bat dimensions used by players from clubs like Surrey County Cricket Club and international sides including India national cricket team and Australia national cricket team, and protective gear expectations for personnel such as Sachin Tendulkar, Brian Lara, Ricky Ponting, and Kumar Sangakkara. Light and ground conditions protocols reference institutions like the Marylebone Cricket Club and match officials in competitions sanctioned by the International Cricket Council, while pitch inspection routines reflect practice at venues managed by entities like Cricket Australia and England and Wales Cricket Board.
The Laws set standards for conduct enforced alongside codes administered by organizations such as the International Cricket Council, England and Wales Cricket Board, Board of Control for Cricket in India, and players’ associations including the Australian Cricketers' Association and Professional Cricketers' Association. Sanctions for breaches are applied in line with precedents involving individuals like Shane Warne, Mitchell Johnson, Ben Stokes, and Faf du Plessis and institutions such as International Cricket Council disciplinary panels or national disciplinary tribunals. Anti-corruption measures coordinate with agencies like the International Cricket Council Anti-Corruption Unit and legal frameworks influenced by cases heard at the Court of Arbitration for Sport and national courts including High Court of Justice (England and Wales).
The Laws enumerate dismissals (bowled, caught, leg before wicket, run out, stumped, hit wicket, handled the ball, obstructing the field, timed out, hit the ball twice) applied in matches involving players such as Virat Kohli, Joe Root, Kane Williamson, Babar Azam, David Warner, and Glenn Maxwell and in tournaments from Test series to T20 Blast. Scoring conventions define runs, boundaries familiar from classics at Kensington Oval and SCG, extras including byes and leg byes that influenced outcomes in fixtures like 1992 Cricket World Cup matches, and result determinations (win, loss, draw, tie, no result) critical to league tables in competitions such as the County Championship and Ranji Trophy.
Umpires appointed by panels of bodies like the International Cricket Council and national boards such as Cricket Australia and England and Wales Cricket Board adjudicate using signals and protocols codified in the Laws; high-profile umpires have included Dickie Bird, Simon Taufel, Aleem Dar, and Daryl Harper. The Decision Review System (DRS) integrates technology from vendors used in events like the ICC World Test Championship and ICC Cricket World Cup, employing ball-tracking, ultra-motion cameras, and snickometer technologies developed by firms associated with broadcasters of matches involving teams like England national cricket team and Pakistan national cricket team. Enforcement mechanisms link to anti-doping authorities such as the World Anti-Doping Agency where breaches by athletes from franchises like Royal Challengers Bangalore or national sides may trigger sanctions.
Amendments are published by the Marylebone Cricket Club with input from stakeholders including the International Cricket Council, national boards, and players’ associations; notable changes addressed overarm bowling acceptance in the nineteenth century, leg-before-wicket refinements after disputes involving WG Grace, helmet regulations following incidents with Andy Flower and Phil Tufnell, and boundary and ball-tampering rule clarifications after controversies such as the 2010 Pakistan spot-fixing scandal, 2013 Champions League controversy, the Bodyline series (1932–33), and the Ball-tampering scandal (2018). High-profile legal and governance controversies have involved national boards such as Board of Control for Cricket in India and Cricket South Africa and have reached tribunals including the Court of Arbitration for Sport and national courts.