PLAY
BY THE RULES
19/03/01:
As of October 2000 several new rules were introduced to the game of cricket, writes
OLCC Secretary Phil Samuels. Many of these rules have no bearing on �friendly�
cricket played by the OLCC. Following a briefing from a local umpire here follow
some key points that may well affect us at some time this season.
- Although Robert Stein
claims to have retired it will no longer be necessary for a player to be injured
during the game to warrant the use of a runner. The matter will solely be
at the discretion of the umpires and the captains will have no influence.
- Both the batting and
fielding sides can be penalised runs as a result of several offences:
- Should a player previously
absent from the field of play return to the field without permission and
touch the ball 5 runs to batting team
- A bowler practising
on the wicket or any adjacent wickets will be penalised and prohibited from
bowling for 5 overs from the time of the contravention.
- Unfair changing of
the condition of the ball 5 runs to batting team
- Time wasting
5 penalty runs on 2nd warning
- Avoidable damage to
the pitch 5 penalty runs on 3rd warning
- Causing a deliberate
distraction 5 penalty runs
- Bowlers are not allowed
practice run ups if these are deemed by the umpires to be waste time during
which cricket could be played.
- Any runs scored from
a no-ball or a wide will be added to the score (in addition to the one run
for the illegal delivery) and all these runs count against the bowler.
- For a batsman to be
judged �in� part of their body must be in contact with the inside of the line
of the crease.
- The umpire is took take
control of the ball following the fall of every wicket.
- A batsman can be out
caught should the ball touch any part of his glove whilst the hand is in contact
with the bat (this includes wristbands)
- Should you manage to
run 5 runs before the ball crosses the boundary you will be awarded 5 runs
and not 4.
- The ball is �dead�
if:
- it reaches the boundary
- it hits the wicket
- it is in the wicket
keeper's hand
- it is in the bowlers
hand
- it is trapped in the
batsmen's pads/clothing
- the umpire feels everybody
considers the ball dead
- the batsman is out
of his ground having previously been in his ground to avoid the incoming
ball
- Under arm bowling is
only permitted if agreed to before the start of the game.
- For a bowler to run
out the non-striker he, or she, must remove the bails before he, or she, takes
their delivery stride.
- If the ball bounces
more than twice or rolls along the ground (a "Sally Gunnell") then
it is a no ball but no runs can be scored from it.
- A wide counts from when
the ball leaves the bowler's arm, i.e. if you are stumped off of a wide the
one run still counts.
- To avoid bowling a wide
the ball must be on a line that allows the batsman to play a �normal cricket
stroke� (there will be lots of wides bowled at the OLCC this year if this
rule is followed to the letter!)
- For a catch to be legitimate
not only must the ball be held and then disposed of in a controlled fashion
but the catcher must also be in control of the further movement of their body
(not many catches for Judith any more!)
- A final point for some
members being that a there is a maximum time limit for rolling between innings
of 10 minutes.
I do have a copy of the new
rule book and will take it to the games should anyone wish to read further.
Links:
ECB
Maybe now the website will stop criticising the England team?
Association
of Cricket Umpires and Scorers highly-respected organisation
Sally
Gunnell
unofficial fan site
More links...