10 MOST IMPORTANT CHANGES TO THE LAWS OF CRICKET 2017 WHICH CAPTAINS NEED TO KNOW

1. “HANDLED THE BALL” IS NO LONGER A MODE OF DISMISSAL IF A BATSMAN DELIBERATELY HANDLES THE BALL WHEN IT IS IN PLAY, IT WILL STILL BE OUT, BUT IS CONSIDERED “OBSTRUCTING THE FIELD” THEREFORE NOW ONLY 9 WAYS A BATSMAN CAN BE DISMISSED (PREVIOUSLY 10)

2. TIMING OF LUNCH AND TEA INTERVALS LUNCH IS LIKE TEA NOW, IN THAT IF 9 WICKETS DOWN AT SCHEDULED TIME FOR LUNCH - PLAY CAN BE EXTENDED FOR UP TO 30 MINUTES (UNTIL THE 10TH WICKET FALLS) BUT NOTE NO PROVISION FOR TAKING AN EARLY LUNCH IF INNS ENDS WITHIN 30 MINUTES OF LUNCH (AS THERE IS WITH AN EARLY TEA IN THIS SITUATION). LAW 11.7 REFERS

3. FIELDER ABSENT FROM THE FIELD – “PENALTY” TIME TO BE SERVED IF A FIELDER IS ABSENT WHILE HIS TEAM IS FIELDING (UNLESS ABSENCE CAUSED BY AN EXTERNAL BLOW), THE PLAYER WILL HAVE TO SERVE “PENALTY” TIME = THE TIME SPENT OFF THE FIELD, BEFORE BEING ABLE TO RESUME BOWLING; OR IF THE INNINGS ENDS, BEFORE HE/SHE IS ALLOWED TO BAT LAWS 24 AND 25 REFER MAXIMUM PENALTY TIME = 90 MINUTES THERE IS NO PERIOD OF GRACE/MINIMUM ALLOWABLE PERIOD BEFORE PENALTY APPLIES PENALTY WILL CARRY OVER INTO A NEW DAY’S PLAY

4. SUBSTITUTE FIELDER MAY ACT AS WICKETKEEPER A SUBSTITUTE PLAYER MAY KEEP WICKET, BUT ONLY WITH THE CONSENT OF THE UMPIRES. LAW 24 REFERS SUBSTITUTE PLAYERS ARE STILL PROHIBITED FROM BOWLING OR ACTING AS CAPTAIN

5. BATSMEN CAN BE RUN OUT, STUMPED OR CAUGHT IF THE BALL REBOUNDS DIRECTLY FROM A FIELDER’S HELMET A BATSMAN CAN BE RUN OUT IF A BALL REBOUNDS DIRECTLY FROM A FIELDER’S HELMET, ONTO HIS STUMPS. A BATSMAN CAN BE STUMPED IF A BALL REBOUNDS DIRECTLY FROM A KEEPER’S HELMET, ONTO HIS STUMPS. A BATSMAN CAN BE CAUGHT EVEN IF THE BALL DEFLECTS OFF A FIELDER’S HELMET. LAWS 33, 38 AND 39 REFER A BATSMAN CAN NOW BE CAUGHT IF THE BALL LODGES ACCIDENTALLY IN A FIELDER’S HELMET

6. NON-STRIKER RISKS BEING RUN OUT IF HE/SHE LEAVES THE CREASE TOO SOON IF NON-STRIKER LEAVES HIS/HER GROUND TOO SOON (BEFORE THE BALL COMES INTO PLAY UNTIL THE INSTANT WHEN THE BOWLER WOULD “NORMALLY HAVE BEEN EXPECTED TO RELEASE THE BALL”, THEN THE BOWLER IS PERMITTED TO ATTEMPT TO RUN HIM/HER OUT. LAW 41.16 REFERS DIFFERENCES FROM THE OLD “MANKAD” LAW THE BALL DOESN’T COUNT AS ONE IN THE OVER IF BOWLER’S ATTEMPT IS UNSUCESSFUL, UMPIRE WILL CALL AND SIGNAL “DEAD BALL”

7. BATSMAN NOT TO ENCROACH IN PROTECTED AREA STRIKER SHALL NOT BE PERMITTED TO TAKE GUARD EITHER IN THE PROTECTED AREA, OR TOO CLOSE TO IT. LAW 41.15 REFERS UMPIRE WILL WARN THE STRIKER, BUT IF IT RECURS UMPIRE WILL DISALLOW ALL RUNS SCORED OFF THAT DELIVERY AWARD 5 PENALTY RUNS TO FIELDING TEAM; AND REPORT THE OCCURRENCE

8. DELIBERATE DISTRACTION, DECEPTION OR OBSTRUCTION OF A BATSMAN IT IS UNFAIR FOR A FIELDER TO WILFULLY ATTEMPT, BY WORD OR ACTION, TO DISTRACT, DECEIVE OR OBSTRUCT EITHER BATMSAN AFTER THE STRIKER HAS RECEIVED THE BALL. Deception includes things such as “mock” fielding ie pretending to field the ball; also fielders especially wicket keeper, calling “Yes” to deceive the batsmen LAW 41.5 REFERS UMPIRE WILL – CALL AND SIGNAL “DEAD BALL” AWARD 5 PENALTY RUNS TO BATTING TEAM NOT COUNT THE BALL AS ONE IN THE OVER ANY RUNS SCORED WILL BE ALLOWED, INCLUDING PARTIALLY-TAKEN RUNS BATSMEN DECIDE WHO FACES NEXT DELIVERY REPORT THE OCCURRENCE

9. BOWLING OF DELIBERATE FRONT-FOOT NO BALLS IF THE UMPIRE CONSIDERS THAT THE BOWLER HAS DELIBERATELY OVER-STEPPED ON A FRONT-FOOT NO BALL, THE UMPIRE SHALL HAVE THE BOWLER SUSPENDED IMMEDIATELY FROM THE ATTACK. LAW 41.8 REFERS BOWLER WHO IS SUSPENDED WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO BOWL AGAIN IN THAT INNINGS REPORT THE OCCURRENCE

10. NO BALL IF BALL BOUNCES MORE THAN ONCE OR IF IT PITCHES OFF THE MOWN PITCH UMPIRE WILL CALL AND SIGNAL A NO BALL IF A BOWLED BALL BOUNCES MORE THAN ONCE, OR ROLLS ALONG THE GROUND, BEFORE IT REACHES THE POPPING CREASE. ALSO A NO BALL IF THE BALL PITCHES OFF THE MOWN AREA OF THE PITCH BEFORE IT REACHES THE LINE OF THE STRIKER’S WICKET LAW 21.7 REFERS BALL DOES NOT BECOME DEAD (EXCEPT IF IT COMES TO REST IN FRONT OF STRIKER).

LAW 41.7 – BOWLING OF DANGEROUS & UNFAIR NON-PITCHING DELIVERIES ANY DELIVERY PASSING, WITHOUT PITCHING, ABOVE STRIKER’S WAIST HEIGHT, IS NOW CONSIDERED DANGEROUS AND UNFAIR, REGARDLESS OF BOWLER’S PACE. 1st and 2nd Grades only UMPIRE WILL CALL SUCH DEIVERIES NO BALL All Grades ADDITIONALLY, IF BALL IS AIMED AT STRIKER OR STRIKER’S ZONE, IT WILL BE CONSIDERED DANGEROUS – FIRST AND FINAL WARNING TO BOWLER 3rd Grade and below only ON 2ND OCCURRENCE, BOWLER TO BE SUSPENDED FROM BOWLING FOR REST OF THE INNINGS AND REPORTED 3rd Grade and below only

LAW 42 – PLAYERS CONDUCT THE UMPIRES ARE INSTRUCTED TO ACT ON UNACCEPTABLE CONDUCT BY THE PLAYERS. FOUR LEVELS OF UNACCEPTABLE CONDUCT, AND CORRESPONDING ACTIONS BY THE UMPIRES, ARE NOW INCLUDED IN THE LAWS. LEVEL 1 OFFENCES INCLUDE SHOWING DISSENT, BY WORD OR ACTION, AGAINST AN UMPIRE’S DECISION MISTREATING EQUIPMENT USING OBSCENE, OFFESIVE OR INSULTING LANGUAGE ACTION BY UMPIRES – SUMMON OFFENDING PLAYER’S CAPTAIN IF LEVEL 1 OFFENCE IS A FIRST OFFENCE, ISSUE A FIRST AND FINAL WARNING ANY FURTHER LEVEL 1 OFFENCE = 5 RUN PENALTY BEING AWARDED TO OPPOSING TEAM REPORT OCCURRENCE

LAW 42 – PLAYERS CONDUCT (cont’d) LEVEL 2 OFFENCES INCLUDE SHOWING SERIOUS DISSENT, BY WORD OR ACTION, AGAINST AN UMPIRE’S DECISION MAKING DELIBERATE AND INAPPROPRIATE PHYSICAL CONTACT WITH ANOTHER PLAYER THROWING THE BALL AT A PLAYER, UMPIRE INAPPROPRIATELY OR DANGEROUSLY ACTION BY UMPIRES – SUMMON OFFENDING PLAYER’S CAPTAIN AWARD 5 PENALTY RUNS TO OPPOSING TEAM REPORT OCCURRENCE

LAW 42 – PLAYERS CONDUCT (cont’d) LEVEL 3 OFFENCES INCLUDE INTIMIDATING AN UMPIRE BY WORD OR ACTION THREATENING TO ASSAULT A PLAYER ACTION BY UMPIRES – SUMMON OFFENDING PLAYER’S CAPTAIN DIRECT CAPTAIN TO REMOVE OFFENDING PLAYER FROM THE FIELD FOR 10 0VERS (OR 20% OF THE OVERS IN A LIMITED OVERS MATCH) AWARD 5 PENALTY RUNS TO OPPOSING TEAM AND SIGNAL “LEVEL 3” TO SCORERS REPORT OCCURRENCE

LAW 42 – PLAYERS CONDUCT (cont’d) LEVEL 4 OFFENCES INCLUDE THREATENING TO ASSUALT AN UMPIRE MAKING INAPPROPRIATE/DEIBERATE PHYSICAL CONTACT WITH AN UMPIRE PHYSICALLY ASSUALTING A PLAYER OR ANY OTHER PERSON ACTION BY UMPIRES – SUMMON OFFENDING PLAYER’S CAPTAIN DIRECT CAPTAIN TO REMOVE OFFENDING PLATER FROM THE FIELD FOR THE REST OF THE MATCH AWARD 5 PENALTY RUNS TO OPPOSING TEAM AND SIGNAL “LEVEL 4” TO SCORERS