Laws of Cricket - 1889 Code - As Revised in 1936
The changes in the 1936 revision were to Law 41 and the addition of the note to Law 50. The differences from the 1931 revision are given in red.
| Law 1 | A match is played between two sides of eleven players each, unless otherwise agreed to; each side has two innings, taken alternately, except in the case provided for in Law 53. The choice of innings shall be decided by tossing. | ||||
| Law 2 | The score shall be reckoned by runs. A run is scored :-
Any run or runs so scored shall be duly recorded by scorers appointed for the purpose. The side which scores the greatest number of runs wins the match. No match is won unless played out or given up, except in the case provided in Law 45. |
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| Law 3 | Before the commencement of the match two umpires shall be appointed; one for each end. | ||||
| Law 4 | 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 eight and thirteen sixteenths inches, nor more than nine in circumference. At the beginning of each innings either side may demand a new ball. | ||||
| Law 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 length. | ||||
| Law 6 | The wickets shall be pitched opposite and parallel to each other at a distance of twenty-two yards. Each wicket shall be not less than eight inches and no more than nine inches in width and consist of three stumps, with two bails upon the top. The stumps shall be of equal and sufficient size to prevent the ball from passing through, not less than twenty-seven inches nor more than twenty-eight inches out of the ground. The bails shall be each not less than four inches nor more than four inches and a half 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 sides. | ||||
| Law 7 | The bowling crease shall be in a line with the stumps; eight feet eight inches in length; the stumps in the centre; with a return crease at each end, at right angles behind the wicket. | ||||
| Law 8 | The popping crease shall be marked four feet from the wicket, parallel to it, and be deemed unlimited in length. | ||||
| Law 9 | The ground 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 ground shall be swept and rolled for not more than seven minutes. This shall not prevent the batsmen from beating the ground with his bat, nor the batsman nor bowler from using sawdust in order to obtain a proper foothold. For Australia and New Zealand only. In the event of rain falling on any day after the commencement of a match prior to or during the currency of that day's play the Groundsman shall cause the wicket to be swept and rolled for not more than ten minutes after the close of that day's play, at any time before the commencement of the next day's play, whenever he is of the opinion that such rolling will improve the wicket, and he will use such roller, after consultation with the two captains, as he thinks best calculated to produce that effect. This sweeping and rolling shall not affect the right to sweep and roll provided for in Law 9. |
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| Law 10 | The ball must be bowled; if thrown or jerked the umpire shall call "No ball." | ||||
| Law 11 | The bowler shall deliver the ball with one foot on the ground behind the bowling crease, and within the return crease, otherwise the umpire shall call "No ball." | ||||
| Law 12 | If the bowler shall bowl the ball so high over or so wide of the wicket that in the opinion of the umpire it is not within reach of the striker, the umpire shall call "Wide ball." | ||||
| Law 13 | The ball shall be bowled in overs of six balls from each wicket alternately. When six balls have been bowled, and the ball is finally settled in the bowler's or wicket-keeper's hands, the umpire shall call "Over." Neither a "no ball" nor a "wide ball" shall be reckoned as one of the "over." For Australia and New Zealand only. The ball shall be bowled in overs of eight balls from each wicket alternately. When eight ... etc. |
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| Law 14 | The bowler shall be allowed to change ends as often as he pleases, provided only that he does not bowl two overs consecutively in one innings. | ||||
| Law 15 | The bowler may require the batsman at the wicket from which he is bowling to stand on that side of it which he may direct. | ||||
| Law 16 | The striker may hit a "no ball," and whatever runs result shall be added to his score; but he shall not be out from a "no ball," unless he be run out or break Laws 26, 27, 29, 30. All runs made from a "no ball," otherwise than from the bat, shall scored "no balls," and if no run be made one run shall be added to that score. From a "wide ball" as many runs as are run shall be added to the score as "wide balls," and if no run be otherwise obtained one run shall be so added. | ||||
| Law 17 | If the ball, not having been called "wide" or "no ball," pass the striker without touching his bat or person, and any runs be obtained, the umpire shall call "Bye;" but if the ball touch any part of the striker#s person (hand excepted) and any run be obtained, the umpire shall call "Leg bye," such runs to be scored "byes" and "leg byes" respectively. | ||||
| Law 18 | At the beginning of the match, and of each innings, the umpire at the bowler's wicket shall call "Play;"from that time no trial ball shall be allowed to any bowler 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. | ||||
| Law 19 | A batsman shall be held to be "out of his ground," unless his bat in hand or some part of his person be grounded within the line of the popping crease. | ||||
| Law 20 | The wicket shall be held to be "down" when either of the bails is struck off, or if both bails be off, when a stump is struck out of the ground. |
The STRIKER is out -
| Law 21 | If the wicket be bowled down, even if the ball first touch the striker's bat or person :- "Bowled." Note: The striker would be out under this law if any part of either bail is "struck off" (see Law 20) the top of the wicket. |
| Law 22 | Or, if the ball, from a stroke of the bat or hand, but not the wrist, be held before it touch the ground, although it be hugged to the body of the catcher :- "Caught." |
| Law 23 | Or, if in playing at the ball, provided it be not touched by the bat or hand, the striker be out of his ground, and the wicket be put down by the wicket-keeper with the ball or with hand or arm, with ball in hand :- "Stumped." |
| Law 24 | 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 pitched in a straight line from it to the striker's wicket and would have hit it :- "Leg before wicket." |
| Law 25 | Or, if in playing at the ball he hit down his wicket with his bat or any part of his person or dress :- "Hit wicket." |
| Law 26 | Or, if under pretence of running, or otherwise, either of the batsmen wilfully prevent a ball from being caught :- "Obstructing the field." |
| Law 27 | Or, if the ball be struck, or be stopped by any part of his person, and he wilfully strike it again, except it be done for the purpose of guarding his wicket, which he may do with his bat, or any part of his person, except his hands :- "Hit the ball twice." |
Either BATSMAN is out -
| Law 28 | If in running, or at any other time, while the ball is in play, he be out of his ground, and his wicket be struck down by the ball after touching any fieldsman, or by the hand or arm, with ball in hand, of any fieldsman; but the Striker may not be given out thus, unless the ball has touched the bat or hand when, in playing at a No-ball, he is out of his ground and the wicket be put down by the wicket-keeper with the ball, or with hand or arm with ball in hand :- "Run out." |
| Law 29 | Or, if he touch with his hands or take up the ball while in play, unless at the request of the opposite side :- "Handled the ball." |
| Law 30 | Or, if he wilfully obstruct any fieldsman :- "Obstructing the field." |
| Law 31 | If the batsmen have crossed each other, he that runs for the wicket which is put down is out; if they have not crossed he that has left the wicket which is put down is out. | ||
| Law 32 | The striker being caught no run shall be scored. A batsman being run out, that run which was being attempted shall not be scored. | ||
| Law 33A | A batsman being out from any cause, the ball shall be "Dead." | ||
| Law 33B | If the ball, whether struck with the bat or not, lodges in a batsman's clothing, the ball shall become "Dead." | ||
| Law 34 | If a ball in play cannot be found or recovered, any fieldsman may call "Lost ball," when the ball shall be "dead;" six runs shall be added to the score; but if more than six runs have been run before "Lost ball" has been called, as many runs as have been run shall be scored. | ||
| Law 35 | After the ball shall have been finally settled in the wicket-keeper's or bowler's hand, it shall be "dead;" but when the bowler is about to deliver the ball, if the batsman at his wicket be out of his ground before actual delivery, the said bowler may run him out; but if the bowler throw at that wicket and any run result, it shall be scored "No ball." | ||
| Law 36 | A batsman shall not retire from his wicket and return to it to complete his innings after another has been in, without the consent of the opposite side. | ||
| Law 37 | A substitute shall be allowed to field or run between wickets for any player who may during the match be incapacitated from illness or injury, but for no other reason, except with the consent of the opposite side. | ||
| Law 38 | In all cases where a substitute shall be allowed, the consent of the opposite side shall be obtained as to the person to act as substitute, and the place in the field which he shall take. | ||
| Law 39 | In case any substitute shall be allowed to run between wickets, the striker may be run out if either he or his substitute be out of his ground. If the striker be out of his ground while the ball is in play, that wicket which he has left may be put down and the striker given out, although the other batsman may have made good the ground at that end, and the striker and his substitute at the other end. | ||
| Law 40 | A batsman is liable to be out for any infringement of the laws by his substitute. | ||
| Law 41 | The fieldsman may stop the ball with any part of his person, but if he wilfully stop it otherwise, the ball shall be "dead," and five runs added to the run or runs already made; if no run has been masde five shall be added. | ||
| Law 42 | The wicket-keeper shall stand behind the wicket. If he shall take the ball for the purposes of stumping before it has passed the wicket, or, if he shall incommode the striker by any noise, or motion, or if any part of his person be over or before the wicket, the striker shall not be out, excepting under Laws 26, 27, 28, 29, and 30. | ||
| Law 43 | The Umpires are the sole judges of fair or unfair play, of the fitness of the ground, the weather, and the light for play; all disputes shall be determined by them, and if they disagree, the actual state of things shall continue. | ||
| Law 44 | They shall pitch fair wickets, arrange boundaries where necessary, and the allowances to be made for them, and change ends after each side has had one innings. | ||
| Law 45 | They shall allow two minutes for each striker to come in, and ten minutes between innings. When they shall call "Play," the side refusing to play shall lose the match. | ||
| Law 46 | They shall not order a batsman out unless appealed to by the other side.
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| Law 47 | The umpire at the bowler's wicket shall be appealed to before the other umpire in all cases except in those of stumping, hit wicket, run out at the striker's wicket, or arising out of Law 42, but in any case in which an umpire is unable to give a decision, he shall appeal to the other umpire, whose decision shall be final. | ||
| Law 48 | If the umpire at either end be not satisfied by the fairness of the delivery of any ball he shall call "No ball." | ||
| Law 48A | The umpire shall take especial care to call "No ball" instantly upon delivery; "Wide ball" as soon as it shall have passed the striker. | ||
| Law 49 | If either batsman run a short run, the Umpire shall call "One short," and the run shall not be scored. | ||
| Law 50 | After the umpire has called "Over" the ball is "Dead," but an appeal may be made as to whether either batsman is out, such appeal, however, shall not be made after the delivery of the next ball, nor after any cessation of play. Note: An appeal may not be made after time has been called and the bails have been removed by both umpires. Time shall be called before the players leave the field for any interval of play as well as at the close of play. |
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| Law 51 | No umpire shall be allowed to bet. | ||
| Law 52 | No Umpire shall be changed during a match, unless with the consent of both sides, except in case of violation of Law 51; then either side may dismiss him. | ||
| Law 53 | The side which bats first and leads by 150 runs in a match of three days or more, or by 100 runs in a two days' match, shall have the option of requiring the other side to follow their innings. For Australia only. The side which bats first and leads by 200 runs in a three days' match, ... etc. |
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| Law 54 | The In-side may declare their innings at an end in a match of three days or more at any time on the second day; in a two days' match, the captain of the batting side has power to declare his innings at a close at any time but such declaration may not be made on the first day later than one hour and forty minutes before the time agreed upon for drawing stumps; in a one day match at any time. | ||
| Law 55 | When there is no play on the first day of a three-day match, Laws 53 and 54 shall apply as if the match were a two-day match, and if in a three-day match there is no play on the first two days, Laws 53, 54 and Law 1, "one-day matches" shall apply as if the match were a one-day match. When there is no play on the first day of a two-day match Law 1 "one day matches" shall apply as if the match were a one day match. |
Reproduction of the Laws of Cricket is by kind permission of Marylebone Cricket Club