LAWS OF CRICKET.--AS REVISED BY THE MARLEYBONE
CRICKET CLUB, MAY, 1890.
1. A match is played between two sides of eleven players each, unless
otherwise agreed to; each side has two innings, taken alternately,
except in the case provided for in Law 53. The choice of innings
shall be decided by tossing.
2. The score shall be reckoned by runs. A run is scored--1st, so
often as the batsmen after a hit, or at any time while the ball is in
play, shall have crossed, and made good their ground from end to end.
2d, for penalties under Laws 16, 34, 41, and allowances under 44. Any
run or runs so scored shall be duly recorded by scorers appointed for
the purpose. The side which scores the greatest number of runs wins
the match. No match is won unless played out or given up, except in
the case provided for in Law 45.
3. Before the commencement of the match two umpires shall be
appointed, one for each end.
4. The ball shall weigh not less than 5½ oz., nor more than 5¾ oz.
It shall measure not less than 9 in. nor more than 9¼ in. in
circumference. At the beginning of each innings either side may
demand a new ball.
5. The bat shall not exceed 4¼ in. in the widest part; it shall not
be more than 38 in. in length.
6. The wickets shall be pitched opposite and parallel to each other,
at a distance of 22 yards. Each wicket shall be 8 in. in width and
consist of three stumps, with two bails upon the top. The stumps
shall be of equal and sufficient size to prevent the ball from
passing through, and 27 in. out of the ground. The bails shall be
each 4 in. in length and when in position, on the top of the stumps,
shall not project more than ½ in. above them. The wickets shall not
be changed during a match, unless the ground between them become
unfit for play, and then only by consent of both sides.
7. The bowling crease shall be in a line with the stumps 6 ft. 8 in.
in length; the stumps in the center, with a return crease at each
end, at right angles behind the wicket.
8. The popping crease shall be marked 4 ft. from the wicket, parallel
to it, and be deemed unlimited in length.
9. The ground shall not be rolled, watered, covered, mown or beaten
during a match, except before the commencement of each innings and
of each day’s play, when, unless the inside object, the ground shall
be swept and rolled for not more than ten minutes. This shall not
prevent the batsman from beating the ground with his bat, nor the
batsmen nor bowler from using sawdust in order to obtain a proper
foothold.
10. The ball must be bowled; if thrown or jerked, the umpire shall
call “No ball.”
11. The bowler shall deliver the ball with one foot on the ground
behind the bowling crease, and within the return crease, otherwise
the umpire shall call “No ball.”
12. If the bowler shall bowl the ball so high over or so wide of the
wicket that in the opinion of the umpire it is not within reach of
the striker, the umpire shall call “Wide ball.”
13. The ball shall be bowled in overs of five balls from each wicket
alternately. When five balls have been bowled and the ball is finally
settled in the bowler’s or wicket-keeper’s hands, the umpire shall
call “Over.” Neither a “no ball” nor a “wide ball” shall be reckoned
as one of the “over.”
14. The bowler shall be allowed to change ends as often as he
pleases, provided only that he does not bowl two overs consecutively
in one innings.
15. The bowler may require the batsman at the wicket from which he is
bowling to stand on that side of it which he may direct.
16. The striker may hit a “no-ball,” and whatever runs result shall
be added to his score; but he shall not be out from a “no ball,”
unless he be run out, or break Laws 26, 27, 29, 30. All runs made
from a “no-ball,” otherwise than from the bat, shall be scored
“no-balls,” and if no run be made one run shall be added to that
score. From a “wide ball” as many runs as are run shall be added to
the score as “wide balls,” and if no run be otherwise obtained one
run shall be so added.
17. If the ball, not having been called “wide” or “no-ball,” pass
the striker, without touching his bat or person, and any runs be
obtained, the umpire shall call “Bye;” but if the ball touch any
part of the striker’s person (hand excepted) and any run be obtained,
the umpire shall call “Leg-bye,” such runs to be scored “byes” and
“leg-byes” respectively.
18. At the beginning of the match, and of each innings, the umpire at
the bowler’s wicket shall call “Play;” from that time no trial ball
shall be allowed to any bowler on the ground between the wickets,
and when one of the batsman is out the use of the bat shall not be
allowed to any person until the next batsman shall come in.
19. A batsman shall be held to be “out of his ground” unless his bat
in hand or some part of his person be grounded within the line of the
popping crease.
20. The wicket shall be held to be “down” when either of the bails is
struck off, or, if both bails be off, when a stump is struck out of
the ground.
The striker is out:
21. If the wicket be bowled down, even if the ball first touch the
striker’s bat or person:--“Bowled.”
22. Or, if the ball, from a stroke of the bat or hand, but not the
wrist, be held before it touch the ground, although it be hugged to
the body of the catcher:--“Caught.”
23. Or, if in playing at the ball, provided it be not touched by the
bat or hand, the striker be out of his ground, and the wicket be put
down by the wicket-keeper with the ball or with the hand or arm, with
ball in hand:--“Stumped.”
24. Or, if with any part of his person he stop the ball, which in the
opinion of the umpire at the bowler’s wicket shall have been pitched
in a straight line from it to the strikers wicket and would have hit
it:--“Leg before wicket.”
25. Or, if in playing at the ball he hit down his wicket with his bat
or any part of his person or dress:--“Hit wicket.”
26. Or, if under pretense of running, or otherwise, either of the
batsmen willfully prevent a ball from being caught:--“Obstructing
the field.”
27. Or, if the ball be struck, or be stopped by any part of his
person, and he willfully strike it again, except it be done for the
purpose of guarding his wicket, which he may do with his bat, or any
part of his person, except his hands:--“Hit the ball twice.”
Either batsman is out:
28. If in running, or at any other time, while the ball is in play he
be out of his ground, and his wicket be struck down by the ball after
touching any fieldsman, or by the hand or arm, with ball in hand, or
any fieldsman:--“Run out.”
29. Or, if he touch with his hands or take up the ball while in play,
unless at the request of the opposite side:--“Handled the ball.”
30. Or if he willfully obstruct any fieldsman:--“Obstructing the
field.”
31. If the batsmen have crossed each other, he that runs for the
wicket which is put down is out; if they have not crossed, he that
has left the wicket which is put down is out.
32. The striker being caught no run shall be scored. A batsman being
run out, that run which was being attempted shall not be scored.
33. A batsman being out from any cause, the ball shall be “dead.”
34. If a ball in play cannot be found or recovered, any fieldsman may
call “Lost Ball,” when the ball shall be “dead:” six runs shall be
added to the score, but if more than six runs have been run before
“lost ball” has been called, as many runs as have been run shall be
scored.
35. After the ball shall have been finally settled in the
wicket-keeper’s or bowler’s hand it shall be “dead;” but when the
bowler is about to deliver the ball, if the batsman at his wicket
be out of his ground before actual delivery, the said bowler may run
him out; but if the bowler throw at that wicket and any run result it
shall be scored “no ball.”
36. A batsman shall not retire from his wicket and return to it to
complete his innings after another has been in without the consent
of the opposite side.
37. A substitute shall be allowed to field or run between wickets
for any player who may during the match be incapacitated from illness
or injury, but for no other reason, except with the consent of the
opposite side.
38. In all cases where a substitute shall be allowed, the consent
of the opposite side shall be obtained as to the person to act as
substitute and the place in the field which he shall take.
39. In case any substitute shall be allowed to run between wickets,
the striker may be run out if either he or his substitute be out of
his ground. If the striker be out of his ground while the ball is in
play, that wicket which he has left may be put down and the striker
given out, although the other batsman may have made good the ground
at that end, and the striker and his substitute at the other end.
40. A batsman is liable to be out for any infringement of the laws by
his substitute.
41. The fieldsman may stop the ball with any part of his person, but
if he willfully stop it otherwise the ball shall be “dead,” and five
runs added to the score. Whatever runs may have been made five only
shall be added.
42. The wicket-keeper shall stand behind the wicket. If he shall take
the ball for the purpose of stumping before it has passed the wicket,
or if he shall incommode the striker by any noise, or motion, or
if any part of his person be over or before the wicket, the striker
shall not be out, excepting under Laws 26, 27, 28, 29 and 30.
43. The umpires are the sole judges of fair or unfair play, of the
fitness of the ground, the weather, and the light for play; all
disputes shall be determined by them, and if they disagree the actual
state of things shall continue.
44. They shall pitch ther wickets, arrange boundaries where
necessary, and the allowances to be made for them, and change ends
after each side has had one innings.
45. They shall allow two minutes for each striker to come in and ten
minutes between each innings. When they shall call “Play,” the side
refusing to play shall lose the match.
46. They shall not order a batsman out unless appealed to by the
other side.
47. The umpire at the bowler’s wicket shall be appealed to before
the other umpire in all cases except in those of stumping, hit the
wicket, run out at the striker’s wicket, or arising under Law 42, but
in any case in which an umpire is unable to give a decision he shall
appeal to the other umpire, whose decision shall be final.
48 A. If the umpire at the bowler’s end be not satisfied of the
absolute fairness of the delivery of any ball, he shall call “No
ball.”
48 B. The umpire shall take especial care to call “No ball” instantly
upon delivery, “Wide ball” as soon as it shall have passed the
striker.
49. If either batsman run a short run, the umpire shall call “One
short,” and the run shall not be scored.
50. After the umpire has called “Over” the ball is “dead” but an
appeal may be made as to whether either batsman is out, such appeal,
however, shall not be made after the delivery of the next ball, nor
after any cessation of play.
51. No umpire shall be allowed to bet.
52. No umpire shall be changed during a match unless with the consent
of both sides, except in case of violation of Law 51, then either
side may dismiss him.
53. The side which goes in second shall follow their innings if they
have scored eighty runs less than the opposite side.
54. On the last day of a match, and in a one-day match at any time,
the in-side shall be empowered to declare their innings at an end.
ONE-DAY MATCHES.
1. The side which goes in second shall follow their innings if they
have scored sixty runs less than the opposite side.
2. The match, unless played out, shall be decided by the first
innings.
3. Prior to the commencement of a match it may be agreed that the
over consist of 5 or 6 balls.
Transcriber’s Notes
The following corrections have been made in the text:
Introduction, paragraph 1
- ‘cicket’ replaced with ‘cricket’
(when boys wielded a cricket bat,)
Chapter 1, paragraph 2
- ‘excldued’ replaced with ‘excluded’
(are always excluded from)
Chapter 2, paragraph 6
- ‘ealled’ replaced with ‘called’
(the man was called a rogue directly)
Chapter 2, paragraph 6
- duplicate ‘came’ removed
(Angry words came out fast)
Chapter 3, paragraph 4
- omitted ‘of’ added
(spirit of American cricket)
Chapter 3, paragraph 20
- removed duplicate ‘the’
(part of the fielder)
Chapter 4, paragraph 3
- add omitted ‘of’
(father of an upright man)
Chapter 4, paragraph 16
- ‘bateman’ replaced with ‘batsman’
(or unnatural upon the batsman)
Chapter 4, paragraph 27
- ‘powder’ replaced with ‘power’
(The power behind their cuts)
Chapter 5, paragraph 4
- ‘increaased’ replaced with ‘increased’
(batsman increased in size by pads)
Chapter 6, paragraph 6
- ‘professsional’ replaced with ‘professional’
(their professional cricketer)
End of Project Gutenberg's A 'Bawl' for American Cricket, by Jones Wister