Laws of Cricket - 1829 Code
| Law 1 | The BALL must not weigh less than five ounces and a half, nor more than five ounces and three quarters. At the beginning of each innings either party may call for a new ball. |
| Law 2 | The BAT must not exceed four inches and one quarter in the widest part. |
| Law 3 | The STUMPS must be twenty-seven inches out of the ground, the bails eight inches in length; the stumps of sufficient thickness to prevent the ball from passing through. |
| Law 4 | The BOWLING-CREASE must be in a line with the stumps, six feet eight inches in length (the stumps in the centre), with a return-crease at each end, towards the bowler at right angles. |
| Law 5 | The POPPING-CREASE must be four feet from the wicket, and parallel to it. |
| Law 6 | The WICKETS must be pitched opposite to each other by the umpires at the distance of twenty-two yards. |
| Law 7 | It shall not be lawful for either party during a match, without the consent of the other, to alter the ground, by rolling, watering, covering, mowing, or beating. This rule is not meant to prevent the striker from beating the ground with his bat near where he stands during the innings; nor to prevent the bowler from filling up holes with sawdust, &c., when the ground shall be wet. |
| Law 8 | After rain the wickets may be changed with the consent of both parties. |
| Law 9 | The BOWLER shall deliver the ball with one foot behind the bowling-crease, and within the return-crease; and shall bowl four balls before he changes wickets, which he shall be permitted to do but once in the same innings. |
| Law 10 | The ball shall be bowled. If it be thrown or jerked, or if any part of the hand or arm be above the elbow at the time of delivery, the umpire shall call "No Ball." |
| Law 11 | He may order the striker at his wicket to stand on which side of it he pleases. |
| Law 12 | If the bowler toss the ball over the striker's head, or bowl it so wide that it shall be out of distance to be played at, the umpire (even although he attempt to hit it) shall adjudge one run to the party receiving the innings, either with or without an appeal from them, which shall be put down to the score of "wide balls," and such ball shall not be reckoned as any of the four balls. |
| Law 13 | If the bowler bowl a "no ball" the striker may play at it, and be allowed all the runs he can get, and shall not be put out, except by running out. In the event of no run being obtained by any other means, then one run shall be scored. |
| Law 14 | In the event of a change of bowling, no more than two balls shall be allowed in practice. |
| Law 15 | The bowler who takes the two balls shall be obliged to bowl four balls. |
| Law 16 | The STRIKER is out if the bail be bowled off, or the stump bowled out of the ground. |
| Law 17 | Or, if the ball, from a stroke of the bat, or hand (but not wrists), be held before it touch the ground, although it be hugged to the body of the catcher. |
| Law 18 | Or, if in striking, or at any other time while the ball shall be in play, both his feet be over the popping-crease, and his wicket is put down, except his bat be grounded within it. |
| Law 19 | Or, if in striking at the ball, he hit down his wicket. |
| Law 20 | Or, if under pretence of running, or otherwise, either of the strikers prevent a ball from being caught, the striker of the ball is out. |
| Law 21 | Or, if the ball be struck, and he wilfully strikes it again, |
| Law 22 | Or, if in running, the wicket be struck down by a throw, or by the hand or arm (with ball in hand), before his foot, hand, or bat be grounded over the popping-crease; but if the bail be off, the stump must be struck out of the ground. |
| Law 23 | Or, if any part of the striker's dress knock down the wicket. |
| Law 24 | Or, if the striker touch or take up the ball while in play, unless at the request of the other party. |
| Law 25 | 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 delivered in a straight line to the striker's wicket, and would have hit it. |
| Law 26 | If the players have crossed each other, he that runs for the wicket which is put down is out. |
| Law 27 | When a ball shall be caught, no run shall be reckoned. |
| Law 28 | When a striker shall be run out, the run that they were attempting shall not be reckoned. |
| Law 29 | If a "Lost Ball" shall be called, the striker shall be allowed six runs; but if more than six runs shall have been run before "Lost Ball" shall have been called, then the striker shall have all which have been run. |
| Law 30 | When the ball has been in the bowler's or wicket-keeper's hands, it is considered as no longer in play, and the strikers need not keep within their ground till the umpire has called "Play;" but if the player go out of his ground with an intent to run before the ball be delivered, the bowler may put him out. |
| Law 31 | If a striker be hurt, he may retire from his wicket and return to it at any time in that innings. |
| Law 32 | If the striker be hurt, some other person may be allowed to stand out for him, but not go in. |
| Law 33 | No substitute in the field shall be allowed to bowl, keep wicket, stand at the point or middle-wicket, or stop behind to a fast bowler, unless with the consent of the adverse party. The umpires shall enforce this law. |
| Law 34 | If any person stop the ball with his hat, the ball shall be considered dead, and the opposite party shall add five runs to their score; if any be run, they shall have five in all. |
| Law 35 | If the ball be struck, the striker may guard his wicket either with his bat or his body. |
| Law 36 | The WICKET-KEEPER shall stand at a reasonable distance behind the wicket, and shall not move till the ball be out of the bowler's hand, and shall not by any noise incommode the 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. |
| Law 37 | The UMPIRES are sole judges of fair and unfair play, and all disputes shall be determined by them, each at his own wicket; but in case of a catch, which the umpire at the wicket bowled from cannot see sufficiently to decide upon, he may apply to the other umpire, whose opinion is conclusive. |
| Law 38 | The umpires in all matches shall pitch fair wickets, and the parties shall toss for the choice of innings. |
| Law 39 | They shall allow two minutes for each man to come in, and fifteen minutes between innings; when the umpires shall call "Play," the party refusing to play shall lose the match. |
| Law 40 | They are not to order a player out unless appealed to by the adversaries. |
| Law 41 | But, if the bowler's foot be not behind the bowling-crease, and within the return-crease, when he shall deliver the ball, they must, unasked, call "No Ball." |
| Law 42 | If the striker run a short run, the umpire must call "One Short." |
| Law 43 | The umpires are not to be changed during the match but by the consent of both parties. |
Reproduction of the Laws of Cricket is by kind permission of Marylebone Cricket Club