How to play cricket

The Marylebone Cricket Club is the framer of thein the middle of, is drawn at each end of the pitch so
Laws of Cricket, the rules governing play of thethat the three stumps in the set of stumps at that
game. The Laws are intended to apply to all twoend of the pitch fall on it (and consequently it is
innings matches; the International Cricket Council hasperpendicular to the imaginary line joining the centres
implemented "Standard Playing Conditions for Testof both middle stumps). Each bowling crease should
Matches" and "Standard Playing Conditions for Onebe 8 feet 8 inches (2.64 metres) in length, centred
Day Internationals" to augment the Laws of Cricket.on the middle stump at each end, and each bowling
Similarly, each cricketing country has implementedcrease terminates at one of the return creases. The
Playing Conditions to govern domestic cricket. Notepopping crease, which determines whether a
that the Laws do not provide for One Day or Limitedbatsman is in his ground or not, and which is used in
Overs cricket; these modifications have been madedetermining front-foot no balls (see law 24), is drawn
by the Playing Conditions for One Day Internationals.at each end of the pitch in front of each of the two
The Laws are organised into a Preface, a Preamble,sets of stumps. The popping crease must be 4 feet
forty-two Laws, and four appendices. The Preface(1.22 m) in front of and parallel to the bowling crease.
relates to the Marylebone Cricket Club and theAlthough it is considered to have unlimited length, the
history of the Laws. The Preamble is a new additionpopping crease must be marked to at least 6 feet
and is related to "the Spirit of the Game;" it was(1.83 metres) on either side of the imaginary line
introduced to discourage the increasing practices ofjoining the centres of the middle stumps. The return
ungentlemanly conduct. The Laws themselves dealcreases, which are the lines a bowler must be within
with the following:when making a delivery, are drawn on each side of
The first four laws cover the players, the umpireseach set of the stumps, along each sides of the pitch
and the scorers.(so there are four return creases in all, one on either
Law 1: The players. A cricket team consists of elevenside of both sets of stumps). The return creases lie
players, including a captain. Outside of officialperpendicular to the popping crease and the bowling
competitions, teams can agree to play more thancrease, 4 feet 4 inches (1.32 m) either side of and
eleven-a-side, though no more than eleven playersparallel to the imaginary line joining the centres of the
may field.two middle stumps. Each return crease terminates at
Law 2: Substitutes. In cricket, a substitute may beone end at the popping crease but the other end is
brought on for an injured fielder. However, aconsidered to be unlimited in length and must be
substitute may not bat, bowl or keep wicket. Themarked to a minimum of 8 feet (2.44 m) from the
original player may return if he has recovered. Apopping crease.
batsman who becomes unable to run may have aLaw 10: Preparation and maintenance of the playing
runner, who completes the runs while the batsmanarea. In cricket, when a ball is bowled it almost
continues batting. Alternatively, a batsman may retirealways bounces on the pitch, and how the ball
hurt or ill, and may return later to resume his innings ifbehaves depends very much on the condition of the
he recovers.pitch. Therefore detailed rules on the pitch itself are
Law 3: The umpires. There are two umpires, whonecessary. This law sets down rules governing how
apply the Laws, make all necessary decisions, andpitches should be prepared, mown, rolled, etc.
relay the decisions to the scorers.Law 11: Covering the pitch. Covering the pitch affects
Law 4: The scorers. There are two scorers whohow the ball will react when it bounces on it. For
respond to the umpires' signals and keep the score.example, a ball bouncing on wet ground will react
Equipment and laying out the pitchdifferently to one bouncing on hard ground. In
After dealing with the players, the laws move on togeneral, a wet pitch will have uneven bounce, a dry
discuss equipment and pitch specifications, except forpitch won't. The laws stipulate that the regulations on
specifications about the wicket-keeper's gloves,covering the pitch shall be agreed in advance.
which are dealt with in Law 40. These laws areBowlers' run-ups also need to be dry to reduce the
supplemented by Appendices A and B (see below).chances that they will slip. The laws therefore require
Law 5: The ball. A cricket ball is between 22.4cm andthese to be covered wherever possible when there
22.9cm in circumference, and weighs between 155.9gis wet weather.
and 163g. Only one ball is used at a time, unless it isStructure of the game
lost, when it is replaced with a ball of similar wear. ItLaws 12 to 17 outline the structure of the game.
is also replaced at the start of each innings, and may,Law 12: Innings. Before the game the teams agree
at the request of the fielding side, be replaced afterwhether it is to be over one or two innings, and
a certain number of overs have been bowled (80 inwhether either or both innings are to be limited by
Test matches). The gradual degradation of the balltime or by overs. In two-innings games, the sides bat
through the innings is an important aspect of thealternately unless the follow-on (law 13) is enforced.
game.An innings is closed once all batsmen are dismissed,
Law 6: The bat. The bat is no more than 38 inchesno further batsmen are fit to play, the innings is
(96.5cm) in length, and no more than 4.25 inchesdeclared or forfeited by the batting captain, or any
(10.8cm) wide. The hand or glove holding the bat isagreed time or over limit is reached. The captain
considered part of the bat. Ever since a highlywinning the toss of a coin decides whether to bat or
publicised marketing attempt by Dennis Lillee, whoto bowl first.
brought out an aluminium bat during an internationalLaw 13: The follow-on. In a two innings match, if the
game, the laws have provided that the blade of theside batting second scores substantially fewer runs
bat must be made of wood (and in practice, theythan the side batting first, the side that batted first
are made from White Willow wood).can force their opponents to bat again immediately.
Law 7: The pitch. The pitch is a rectangular area ofFor a game of five or more days, the side batting
the ground 22 yards (20.12m) long and 10ft (3.05m)first must be at least 200 runs ahead to enforce the
wide. The Ground Authority selects and prepares thefollow-on; for a three- or four-day game, 150 runs;
pitch, but once the game has started, the umpiresfor a two-day game, 100 runs; for a one-day game,
control what happens to the pitch. The umpires are75 runs. The length of the game is determined by
also the arbiters of whether the pitch is fit for play,the number of scheduled days play left when the
and if they deem it unfit, with the consent of bothgame actually begins.
captains can change the pitch. Professional cricket isLaw 14: Declaration and forfeiture. The batting
almost always played on a grass surface. However, ifcaptain can declare an innings closed at any time
a non-turf pitch is used, the artificial surface mustwhen the ball is dead. He may also forfeit his innings
have a minimum length of 58ft (17.68m) and abefore it has started.
minimum width of 6ft (1.83m).Law 15: Intervals. There are intervals between each
Law 8: The wickets. The wicket consists of threeday's play, a ten-minute interval between innings, and
wooden stumps that are 28 inches (71.1cm) tall. Thelunch, tea and drinks intervals. The timing and length
stumps are placed along the batting crease withof the intervals must be agreed before the match
equal distances between each stump. They arebegins. There are also provisions for moving the
positioned so they are 9 inches (22.86cm) wide. Twointervals and interval lengths in certain situations,
wooden bails are placed on top of the stumps. Themost notably the provision that if nine wickets are
bails must not project more than 0.5 inches (1.27cm)down, the tea interval is delayed to the earlier of the
above the stumps, and must, for men's cricket, befall of the next wicket and 30 minutes elapsing.
4.3125 inches (10.95cm) long. There are also specifiedLaw 16: Start of play; cessation of play. Play after an
lengths for the barrel and spigots of the bail. Thereinterval commences with the umpire's call of "Play",
are different specifications for the wickets and bailsand at the end of a session by "Time". The last hour
for junior cricket. The umpires may dispense with theof a match must contain at least 20 overs, being
bails if conditions are unfit (ie it is windy so theyextended in time so as to include 20 overs if
might fall off by themselves). Further details on thenecessary.
specifications of the wickets are contained inLaw 17: Practice on the field. There may be no
Appendix A to the laws.batting or bowling practice on the pitch except
Law 9: Bowling, popping, and return creases. This lawbefore the day's play starts and after the day's play
sets out the dimensions and locations of the creases.has ended. Bowlers may only have trial run-ups if the
The bowling crease, which is the line the stumps areumpires are of the view that it would waste no time.