James Lillywhite's Cricketers' Annnual 1881

T H EL A W SO F C R I C K E T . 2 1 1 [This law should be read in a liberal spirit , and consent to persons to act as substitutes should rarely be withheld, unless the proposal be very unreasonable . X XXIII. If any Fieldsman stop the ball with his hat, the ball shall be considered dead, and the opposite party shall add five to their score. If anybe run they shall have five in all . [This should be strictly enforced . M yexperience shows that it is specially applicableto someof ourpublic schools.] X X X I V. The ball having been hit , the Striker may guard his wicket with his bat, or with any part of his body except his hands; that the 23rd L a wm a ynot be disobeyed . [H emusttake care , however, to complywith L a w20, which declares that hemustnot wilfully , with intent to score off it, strike the ball a second time.] X X X V. The Wicket-keeper shall not take the ball for stumping until it havepassed the wicket ; he shall not move until the ball be out of the Bowler's hand; he shall not by any noise incommodethe Striker ; and if any part of his person be over or before the wicket , although the ball hit it, the Striker shall not be out. [Umpires are frequently lax onthis point. Wicket-keepers often , especially with slow bowling, take the ball in front of the wickets ; and Umpires should recollect that an active batsmancan sometimes get back into his ground as soon as theball can pass the wicket. Therefore , wicket-keepers should be watched.] X X X V I. The Umpires are the sole judges of fair and unfair play ; and all disputes shall be determined by them, each at his ownwicket ; but in case of a catch which the Umpire at the wicket bowled fromcannot see sufficiently to decide upon, he may apply to the other Umpire whose opinion shall be conclusive . [A n dinm yopinion heshould always so apply in case ofdoubt.] X X X V I I. The Umpires in all matches shall pitch fair wickets ; and the parties shall toss up for choice of innings . The Umpires shall change wickets after each party has hadone innings . [I nthis law the word' wickets' is usedin twodifferent senses. Ifo nt h e second occasion of its use it read ' ends' it would perhaps be clearer .] X X X V I I I. They shall allow two minutes for each Striker to comein and ten minutes between each innings . Whenthe Umpire shall call ' Play ' the party refusing to play shall lose the match. [This is to guard against either side taking an unfair advantage of the other in cases where time is of importance , and Umpires should jealously watch any attempt at unfairness .] X X X I X. They are not to order a Striker out unless applied to by the adversaries. [Norby inference , should an Umpire give an intimation to the adversaries thatitw o u l dbe advisable for t h e mto appeal.] X L. But if one of the bowler's feet be not on the ground behind the kowlingcrease and within the return crease whenhe shall deliver the ball the Umpireat his wicket , unasked, must call ' N o Ball .' [See Noteto Law9.] P 2