Cricket 1894

MAR. 22, 1894 ORICBJLTs ft WEEKL1 RECORD OF THE GAME, 37 6. The wickets Khali be pitched opposite and paraiel to each other at a distance of twenty-two yards. Each wicket shall be eight inches in width and consist of three stumps, with two bails upon the top. The stumps shall te of equal and sufficient size to pre­ vent the ball from passing through, twenty-seven inches out of the ground. The bails shall be each four inches in length, and when in position, on the top of the stumps, shall not project more than half an inch 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 eidep. 7. The bowling crease shall be in a line with the stumps; six feet eight inches in length; the stumps in the centre; with a return crease at e ch end, at rignt angles behind the wicket. 8. The popping crease shall be marked four feet from the wicket, parallel to it, and te deemed unlimited in length. 9. The ground shall not be rolled, watered, covered, mown, or beaten during a match, except before the com­ mencement of eich innings and of each day’s play, when, unless the in­ side object, the ground shall be swept and rolled for not more than ten minutes. This shall not prevent the bat^min from beating the ground with his bat, nor the batsman nor bowler from using sawdust in order to obtain a proper foothold. 4. The ball shall weigh not less than five ounces and a ha'f, nor more than five ounces and three-quarters. It thall measure not less than nine inches, nor more than nine inches and one quarter in circumference. At the beginning of each innings either side may demand a new ball. 5. The bat shall not exceed four inches and one quarter in the widest part; it shall not be more than thirty- eight inches in lergth. 18. At the beginning of ihe match, and of each innings, the umpire at the bowler’s wicket shall call “ P la y;” from that time no trial ball shall be a lowed to any bow er on the ground between the wickets, and when one of the batsmen is out, the use of the bat shall not be allowed to any person until the next batsman shall come in. 1A The ball must be bowled; if thrown or jerked the umpire shall call “ No ball.” 48 a . If the umpire at the bowler’s end be not satisfied of the absolute fair­ ness of the delivery of any ball, he shall call “ No ball.” 11. The bowler shall deliver the ball with one foot on the ground behind the bowling crease, and within the leturn crease, otherwise the umpire shall call “ No ball.” 12. If the bow ler shall bow l the ball so high over or so wide o f the w icket that in the opin ion of the u m pire it is n ot w ithin reach o f the striker, th e um pire shall ca ll “ W ide ball.” 15. The bowler may require the batsman at the wicket from which he is bowling to stand on that side of it 'whichhe may direct. 13. The ta ll shall te bow led in overs oi five balis from each w icket alter­ nately. When five balls have been bowled, and the ball is finally settled m the bow ler’s or w icket-k3epor s bands, the um pire shall call ** Over.” ■Neither a “ no b a ll” n or a ‘ w ide b all ” *hall be reckon ed as one o f th e “ over.” 4. The wickets shall be pitched opposite and parallel to each other at a distance of twenty-two yards. Each wic’ et shall be •ight inches in width, and shall consist of three slump? with two bails resting upon the top of them. The stumps shall be fixed upright, twenty-seven inches out of tl e ground, and shall be of equal and sufficient thickness t ) prevent the ball pissing betwien them. The bails shall be each four inches in length, and, when in position on tl e top of the stumps, shall not project more than balf an inch above them. 5. The position of the wickets shall not be changed duiinsf a m itch. unless the ground between them (tbe wickets, Law 56) become, in the opinion of the umpires (Law 37), unfit for play, and then only with the consent of both sides. 6 The Rowling Crease .— A white line, six feet eight inches in length, shall be drawn at each wicket in line with the stumps, three feet on either side of them. At eich end of this line another short one shall be drawn, at right angles to it behind the wicket— i.e. in a direction away from the opposite wicket—which shall be called the Return Grease. 7. The Popping Crease .—A second white line shall be drawn at each wicket, parallel to the Bowliug Crease and four feet from it in front of the wicket—i.e. in the di/eciion of the oppo-ite wicket—and shall be deemed unlimited in length. 8. The ground (including the wickets, Law 56) 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 in-side object, the wickets shall be swept and rolled for not more than ten minutes. This Law shall not be under­ stood to prevent the batsman from beating the ground with his bat, nor batsmen and bowlers from using saw­ dust in order to obtain a secure foothold. 9. The Ball shall weigh not less than five ounces and a half, nor more than five ounces and three-quarters. It shall measure not less than nine inches, nor more than nine inches and one quarter, in circumference. At the beginning of e:ch innings either side may demand a new ball. 10. The Bat shall not ba more than 38 inches in length, nor exceed four inches and one quarter in width at the widest part. P lay . 11. At the beginning of each innings of a match the umpire at the bowler’s wicket (Law 36) shall call “ Play.” From that time no trial Vail shall be allowed to any bowler ; nor, when a batsman is out, shall the use of the bat be granted to any person until the next batsman shall have come in. 12. The bowler must fairly bowl the ba ll; if he throw or j*-rk it. the umpire shall call “ no-ball.” (Laws 17, 40, 48, 50 c.) 13. The bowler shall de’iver tbe ball with one foot at least on the ground behind the bow ing crease and within the r<turn crease, other wise the umpire shall call “ No-ball.” (Lws 17, 40, 50 c.) 14. The bowler shall not bowl the ball so high over or bo wide of the wicket as to be, in the opinion of the umpire, not within the striker's reach ; should he do so, the umpire shall call “ No-ball.” (Laws 17, 40, 50 c.) 15. The bowler mav direct th batsman at the wicket from which he is bowling to stand on either side of tbe wicket, and as wide of it, as he may require. 16. The Over .—The ball shall be bowled in “ overs ” of five balls from each wicket alternately. When the five balls have been bowled and the ba'l is finally settled in the bowler’s or wicket-keeper’s hands, the umpire shall call “ Over,” and the ball shall be “ dead,” (Laws 17, 50 d.) The meaning of this law is made plainer by sundry trifling alterations. The last clause of it appears in the next law. Law 37 (present code) declares the umpires to be sole judges of the fitness of the g ound for play: hence the words “ in the opinion of the umpires ” are required to harmonise these two law.j . The present law suffers from being too terse. It does n t define the bowling crcase with sufficient fulness. The foregoing remark applies to this law. Note here the word “ wickets” is sub>titu ted for “ ground,” for that part of thelsw evidently refers to the former, and not to the ground as a whole, whereas the first sentence does include any poriion of the ground. A loose use of important terms is thus guard d again t. Re-arranged. By this law all trial balls are banished. Th-y waste time, and. moreover, they ought no more to be conceded to bowlers than to batsmen. Laws 10 and 48 of the existing code are combined here. Th« r - is no necessity for the latter, especially in its present position. Th°> addition cf the words “ at least” im ­ proves this law. This law is reworded, so as to make it follow naturally on the previous law. Position of words “ direct ” and “ require 99 changed, to give the law greater authority. A small, but useful, addition also made. The last clause of this law is embodied in the next law.