1. Fair and unfair play – responsibility of captains
The responsibility lies with the captains for ensuring that play is conducted
within the spirit and traditions of the game, as described in The Preamble – The
Spirit of Cricket, as well as within the Laws.
2. Fair and unfair play – responsibility of umpires
The umpires shall be the sole judges of fair and unfair play. If either umpire
considers an action, not covered by the Laws, to be unfair, he shall intervene
without appeal and, if the ball is in play, shall call and signal Dead ball
and implement the procedure as set out in 18 below. Otherwise the umpires
shall not interfere with the progress of play, except as required to do so
by the Laws.
3. The match ball – changing its condition
(a) Any fielder may
(i) polish the ball provided that no artificial substance is used and that
such polishing wastes no time.
(ii) remove mud from the ball under the supervision of the umpire.
(iii) dry a wet ball on a towel.
(b) It is unfair for anyone to rub the ball on the ground
for any reason, interfere with any of the seams or the surface
of the ball, use any implement, or take any other action whatsoever
which is likely to alter the condition of the ball, except
as permitted in (a) above.
(c) The umpires shall make frequent and irregular inspections
of the ball.
(d) In the event of any fielder changing the condition of
the ball unfairly, as set out in (b) above, the umpires after
consultation shall
(i) change the ball forthwith. It shall be for the umpires to decide on the
replacement ball, which shall, in their opinion, have had wear comparable with
that which the previous ball had received immediately prior to the contravention.
(ii) inform the batsmen that the ball has been changed.
(iii) award 5 penalty runs to the batting side. See 17 below.
(iv) inform the captain of the fielding side that the reason for the action
was the unfair interference with the ball.
(v) inform the captain of the batting side as soon as practicable of what has
occurred.
(vi) report the occurrence as soon as possible to the Executive of the fielding
side and any Governing Body responsible for the match, who shall take such
action as is considered appropriate against the captain and team concerned.
(e) If there is any further instance of unfairly changing
the condition of the ball in that innings, the umpires after
consultation shall
(i) repeat the procedure in (d)(i), (ii) and (iii) above.
(ii) inform the captain of the fielding side of the reason for the action taken
and direct him to take off forthwith the bowler who delivered the immediately
preceding ball. The bowler thus taken off shall not be allowed to bowl again
in that innings.
(iii) inform the captain of the batting side as soon as practicable of what
has occurred.
(iv) report this further occurrence as soon as possible to the Executive of
the fielding side and any Governing Body responsible for the match, who shall
take such action as is considered appropriate against the captain and team
concerned.
4. Deliberate attempt to distract striker
It is unfair for any member of the fielding side deliberately to attempt to
distract the striker while he is preparing to receive or receiving a delivery.
(a) If either umpire considers that any action by a member of the fielding
side is such an attempt, at the first instance he shall
(i) immediately call and signal Dead ball.
(ii) warn the captain of the fielding side that the action is unfair and indicate
that this is a first and final warning.
(iii) inform the other umpire and the batsmen of what has occurred.
Neither batsman shall be dismissed from that delivery and the ball shall not
count as one of the over.
(b) If there is any further such deliberate attempt in that
innings, by any member of the fielding side, the procedures,
other than warning, as set out in (a) above shall apply. Additionally,
the umpire at the bowler's end shall
(i) award 5 penalty runs to the batting side. See 17 below.
(ii) inform the captain of the fielding side of the reason for this action
and, as soon as practicable, inform the captain of the batting side.
(iii) report the occurrence, together with the other umpire, as soon as possible
to the Executive of the fielding side and any Governing Body responsible for
the match, who shall take such action as is considered appropriate against
the captain and player or players concerned.
5. Deliberate distraction or obstruction of batsman
In addition to 4 above, it is unfair for any member of the fielding side, by
word or action, wilfully to attempt to distract or to obstruct either batsman
after the striker has received the ball.
(a) It is for either one of the umpires to decide whether any distraction or
obstruction is wilful or not.
(b) If either umpire considers that a member of the fielding
side has wilfully caused or attempted to cause such a distraction
or obstruction he shall
(i) immediately call and signal Dead ball.
(ii) inform the captain of the fielding side and the other umpire of the reason
for the call.
Additionally,
(iii) neither batsman shall be dismissed from that delivery.
(iv) 5 penalty runs shall be awarded to the batting side. See 17 below. In
this instance, the run in progress shall be scored, whether or not the batsmen
had crossed at the instant of the call. See Law 18.11 (Runs scored when ball
becomes dead).
(v) the umpire at the bowler's end shall inform the captain of the fielding
side of the reason for this action and, as soon as practicable, inform the
captain of the batting side.
(vi) the ball shall not count as one of the over
(vii) the batsmen at the wicket shall decide which of them is to face the next
delivery
(viii) the umpires shall report the occurrence as soon as possible to the Executive
of the fielding side and any Governing Body responsible for the match, who
shall take such action as is considered appropriate against the captain and
player or players concerned.
6. Dangerous and unfair bowling
(a) Bowling of fast short pitched balls
(i) The bowling of fast short pitched balls is dangerous and unfair if the
umpire at the bowler's end considers that by their repetition and taking into
account their length, height and direction they are likely to inflict physical
injury on the striker, irrespective of the protective equipment he may be wearing.
The relative skill of the striker shall be taken into consideration.
(ii) Any delivery which, after pitching, passes or would have passed over head
height of the striker standing upright at the crease, although not threatening
physical injury, shall be included with bowling under (i) both when the umpire
is considering whether the bowling of fast short pitched balls has become dangerous
and unfair and after he has so decided. The umpire shall call and signal No
ball for each such delivery.
(b) Bowling of high full pitched balls
(i) Any delivery, other than a slow paced one, which passes or would have passed
on the full above waist height of the striker standing upright at the crease
is to be deemed dangerous and unfair, whether or not it is likely to inflict
physical injury on the striker.
(ii) A slow delivery which passes or would have passed on the full above shoulder
height of the striker standing upright at the crease is to be deemed dangerous
and unfair, whether or not it is likely to inflict physical injury on the striker.
7. Dangerous and unfair bowling – action by the umpire
(a) As soon as the umpire at the bowler's end decides under 6(a) above that
the bowling of fast short pitched balls has become dangerous and unfair,
or, except as in 8 below, there is an instance of dangerous and unfair bowling
as defined in 6(b) above, he shall call and signal No ball and, when the
ball is dead, caution the bowler, inform the other umpire, the captain of
the fielding side and the batsmen of what has occured. This caution shall
continue to apply throughout the innings.
(b) If there is any further instance of dangerous and unfair
bowling by the same bowler in the same innings, the umpire
at the bowler's end shall repeat the above procedure and indicate
to the bowler that this is a final warning.
Both the above caution and final warning shall continue to
apply even though the bowler may later change ends.
(c) Should there be any further repetition by the same bowler
in that innings, the umpire shall
(i) call and signal No ball.
(ii) direct the captain, when the ball is dead, to take the bowler off forthwith.
The over shall be completed by another bowler, who shall neither have bowled
the previous over nor be allowed to bowl the next over.
The bowler thus taken off shall not be allowed to bowl again in that innings.
(iii) report the occurrence to the other umpire, the batsmen and, as soon as
practicable, the captain of the batting side.
(iv) report the occurrence, with the other umpire, as soon as possible to the
Executive of the fielding side and to any Governing Body responsible for the
match, who shall take such action as is considered appropriate against the
captain and bowler concerned.
8. Deliberate bowling of high full pitched balls
If the umpire considers that a high full pitch which is deemed to be dangerous
and unfair, as defined in 6(b) above, was deliberately bowled, then the caution
and warning prescribed in 7 above shall be dispensed with. The umpire shall
(a) call and signal No ball.
(b) direct the captain, when the ball is dead, to take the
bowler off forthwith.
(c) implement the remainder of the procedure as laid down
in 7(c) above.
9. Time wasting by the fielding side
It is unfair for any member of the fielding side to waste time.
(a) If the captain of the fielding side wastes time, or allows any member of
his side to waste time, or if the progress of an over is unnecessarily slow,
at the first instance the umpire shall call and signal Dead ball if necessary
and
(i) warn the captain, and indicate that this is a first and final warning.
(ii) inform the other umpire and the batsmen of what has occurred.
(b) If there is any further waste of time in that innings,
by any member of the fielding side, the umpire shall
either (i) if the waste of time is not during the course of an over, award
5 penalty runs to the batting side. See 17 below.
or (ii) if the waste of time is during the course of an over, when the ball
is dead, direct the captain to take the bowler off forthwith. If applicable,
the over shall be completed by another bowler, who shall neither have bowled
the previous over nor be allowed to bowl the next over.
The bowler thus taken off shall not be allowed to bowl again in that innings.
(iii) inform the other umpire, the batsmen and, as soon as practicable, the
captain of the batting side of what has occurred.
(iv) report the occurrence, with the other umpire, as soon as possible to the
Executive of the fielding side and to any Governing Body responsible for the
match, who shall take such action as is considered appropriate against the
captain and team concerned.
10. Batsman wasting time
It is unfair for a batsman to waste time. In normal circumstances the striker
should always be ready to take strike when the bowler is ready to start his
run up.
(a) Should either batsman waste time by failing to meet this requirement, or
in any other way, the following procedure shall be adopted. At the first instance,
either before the bowler starts his run up or when the ball is dead, as appropriate,
the umpire shall
(i) warn the batsman and indicate that this is a first and final warning. This
warning shall continue to apply throughout the innings. The umpire shall so
inform each incoming batsman.
(ii) inform the other umpire, the other batsman and the captain of the fielding
side of what has occurred.
(iii) inform the captain of the batting side as soon as practicable.
(b) if there is any further time wasting by any batsman in
that innings, the umpire shall, at the appropriate time while
the ball is dead
(i) award 5 penalty runs to the fielding side. See 17 below.
(ii) inform the other umpire, the other batsman, the captain of the fielding
side and, as soon as practicable, the captain of the batting side of what has
occurred.
(iii) report the occurrence, with the other umpire, as soon as possible to
the Executive of the batting side and to any Governing Body responsible for
the match, who shall take such action as is considered appropriate against
the captain and player or players and, if appropriate, the team concerned.
11. Damaging the pitch – area to be protected
(a) It is incumbent on all players to avoid unnecessary damage to the pitch.
It is unfair for any player to cause deliberate damage to the pitch.
(b) An area of the pitch, to be referred to as 'the protected
area', is defined as that area contained within a rectangle
bounded at each end by imaginary lines parallel to the popping
creases and 5ft/1.52m in front of each and on the sides by
imaginary lines, one each side of the imaginary line joining
the centres of the two middle stumps, each parallel to it and
1ft/30.48cm from it.
12. Bowler running on the protected area after delivering
the ball
(a) If the bowler, after delivering the ball, runs on the protected area as
defined in 11(b) above, the umpire shall at the first instance, and when the
ball is dead,
(i) caution the bowler. This caution shall continue to apply throughout the
innings.
(ii) inform the other umpire, the captain of the fielding side and the batsmen
of what has occurred.
(b) If, in that innings, the same bowler runs on the protected
area again after delivering the ball, the umpire shall repeat
the above procedure, indicating that this is a final warning.
(c) If, in that innings, the same bowler runs on the protected
area a third time after delivering the ball, when the ball
is dead the umpire shall
(i) direct the captain of the fielding side to take the bowler off forthwith.
If applicable, the over shall be completed by another bowler, who shall neither
have bowled the previous over nor be allowed to bowl the next over. The bowler
thus taken off shall not be allowed to bowl again in that innings.
(ii) inform the other umpire, the batsmen and, as soon as practicable, the
captain of the batting side of what has occurred.
(iii) report the occurrence, with the other umpire, as soon as possible to
the Executive of the fielding side and to any Governing Body responsible for
the match, who shall take such action as is considered appropriate against
the captain and bowler concerned.
13. Fielder damaging the pitch
(a) If any fielder causes avoidable damage to the pitch, other than as in 12(a)
above, at the first instance the umpire shall, when the ball is dead,
(i) caution the captain of the fielding side, indicating that this is a first
and final warning. This caution shall continue to apply throughout the innings.
(ii) inform the other umpire and the batsmen of what has occurred.
(b) If there is any further avoidable damage to the pitch
by any fielder in that innings, the umpire shall, when the
ball is dead,
(i) award 5 penalty runs to the batting side. See 17 below.
(ii) inform the other umpire, the batsmen, the captain of the fielding side
and, as soon as practicable, the captain of the batting side of what has occurred.
(iii) report the occurrence, with the other umpire, as soon as possible to
the Executive of the fielding side and any Governing Body responsible for the
match, who shall take such action as is considered appropriate against the
captain and player or players concerned.
14. Batsman damaging the pitch
(a) If either batsman causes avoidable damage to the pitch, at the first instance
the umpire shall, when the ball is dead,
(i) caution the batsman. This caution shall continue to apply throughout the
innings. The umpire shall so inform each incoming batsman.
(ii) inform the other umpire, the other batsman, the captain of the fielding
side and, as soon as practicable, the captain of the batting side.
(b) If there is a second instance of avoidable damage to the
pitch by any batsman in that innings
(i) the umpire shall repeat the above procedure, indicating that this is a
final warning.
(ii) additionally he shall disallow all runs to the batting side from that
delivery other than the penalty for a No ball or a Wide, if applicable. The
batsmen shall return to their original ends.
(c) If there is any further avoidable damage to the pitch
by any batsman in that innings, the umpire shall, when the
ball is dead,
(i) disallow all runs to the batting side from that delivery other than the
penalty for a No ball or a Wide, if applicable. The batsmen shall return to
their original ends.
(ii) additionally award 5 penalty runs to the fielding side. See 17 below.
(iii) inform the other umpire, the other batsman, the captain of the fielding
side and, as soon as practicable, the captain of the batting side of what has
occurred.
(iv) report the occurrence, with the other umpire, as soon as possible to the
Executive of the batting side and any Governing Body responsible for the match,
who shall take such action as is considered appropriate against the captain
and player or players concerned.
15. Bowler attempting to run out non-striker before delivery
The bowler is permitted, before entering his delivery stride, to attempt to
run out the non-striker. The ball shall not count in the over.
The umpire shall call and signal Dead ball as soon as possible if the bowler
fails in the attempt to run out the non-striker.
16. Batsmen stealing a run
It is unfair for the batsmen to attempt to steal a run during the bowler's
run up. Unless the bowler attempts to run out either batsman – see
15 above and Law 24.4 (Bowler throwing towards striker's end before delivery) – the
umpire shall
(i) call and signal Dead ball as soon as the batsmen cross in any such attempt.
(ii) return the batsmen to their original ends.
(iii) award 5 penalty runs to the fielding side. See 17 below.
(iv) inform the other umpire, the batsmen, the captain of the fielding side
and, as soon as practicable, the captain of the batting side of the reason
for the action taken.
(v) report the occurrence, with the other umpire, as soon as possible to the
Executive of the batting side and any Governing Body responsible for the match,
who shall take such action as is considered appropriate against the captain
and player or players concerned.
17. Penalty runs
(a) When penalty runs are awarded to either side, when the ball is dead the
umpire shall signal the penalty runs to the scorers as laid down in Law 3.14
(Signals).
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of Law 21.6 (Winning hit
or extras), penalty runs shall be awarded in each case where
the Laws require the award. Note, however, that the restrictions
on awarding penalty runs in Laws 26.3 (Leg byes not to be awarded),
34.4(d) (Runs permitted from ball struck lawfully more than
once) and Law 41.4 (Penalty runs not to be awarded) will apply.
