Laws of Cricket 1980 Code - Law 42
1. Responsibility of Captains
The captains are responsible at all times for ensuring that play is conducted within the spirit of the game as well as within the Laws.
2. Responsibility of Umpires
The umpires are the sole judges of fair and unfair play.
3. Intervention by the Umpire
The umpires shall intervene without appeal by calling and signalling "dead ball" in the case of unfair play, but should not otherwise interfere with the progress of the game except as required to do so by the Laws.
4. Lifting the Seam
A player shall not lift the seam of the ball for any reason. Should this be done, the umpires shall change the ball for one of similar condition to that in use prior to the contravention. See Note (a).
5. Changing the Condition of the Ball
Any member of the fielding side may polish the ball provided that such polishing wastes no time and that no artificial substance is used. No-one shall rub the ball on the ground or use any artificial substance or take any other action to alter the condition of the ball.
In the event of a contravention of this Law, the umpires, after consultation, shall change the ball for one of similar condition to that in use prior to the contravention.
This Law does not prevent a member of the fielding side from drying a wet ball, or removing mud from the ball. See Note (b).
6. Incommoding the Striker
An umpire is justified in intervening under this Law and shall call and signal "dead ball" if, in his opinion, any player of the fielding side incommodes the striker by any noise or action while he is receiving a ball.
7. Obstruction of a Batsman in Running
It shall be considered unfair if any fieldsman wilfully obstructs a batsman in running. In these circumstances the umpire shall call and signal "dead ball" and allow any completed runs and the run in progress or alternatively any boundary scored.
8. The Bowling of Fast Short Pitched Balls
The bowling of fast short pitched balls is unfair if, in the opinion of the umpire at the bowler's end, it constitutes an attempt to intimidate the striker. See Note (d).
Umpires shall consider intimidation to be the deliberate bowling of fast short-pitched balls which by their length, height and direction are intended or likely to inflict physical injury on the striker. The relative skill of the striker shall also be taken into consideration.
In the event of such unfair bowling, the umpire at the bowler's end shall adopt the following procedure:
a. In the first instance the umpire shall call and signal "no ball", caution the bowler and inform the other umpire, the captain of the fielding side and the batsmen of what has occurred.
b. If this caution is ineffective, he shall repeat the above procedure and indicate to the bowler that this is a final warning.
c. Both the above caution and final warning shall continue to apply even though the bowler may later change ends.
d. Should the above warnings prove ineffective the umpire at the bowler's end shall:
i. At the first repetition call and signal "no ball" and when the ball is dead direct the captain to take the bowler off forthwith and to complete the over with another bowler, provided that the bowler does not bowl two overs or part thereof consecutively. See Law 22.7 (Bowler Incapacitated or Suspended during an Over).
ii. Not allow the bowler, thus taken off, to bowl again in the same innings.
iii. Report the occurrence to the captain of the batting side as soon as the players leave the field for an interval.
iv. Report the occurrence to the executive of the fielding side and to any governing body responsible for the match who shall take any further action which is considered to be appropriate against the bowler concerned.
9. The Bowling of Fast High Full Pitches
The bowling of fast high full pitches is unfair. See Note (e).
In the event of such unfair bowling the umpire at the bowler's end shall adopt the procedures of caution, final warnings, action taken against the bowler and reporting as set out in 8 above.
10. Time Wasting
Any form of time wasting is unfair.
1. In the event of the captain of the fielding side wasting time or allowing any member of his side to waste time, the umpire at the bowler's end shall adopt the following procedure:
a. In the first instance he shall caution the captain of the fielding side and inform the other umpire of what has occurred.
b. If this caution is ineffective he shall repeat the above procedure and indicate to the captain that this is a final warning.
c. The umpire shall report the occurrence to the captain of the batting side as soon as the players leave the field for an interval.
d. Should the above procedure prove ineffective the umpire shall report the occurrence to the Executive of the fielding side and to any governing body responsible for that match who shall take appropriate action against the captain and the players concerned.
2. In the event of a bowler taking unnecessarily long to bowl an over the umpire at the bowler's end shall adopt the procedures, other than the calling of "no-ball", of caution, final warning, action against the bowler and reporting as set out in 8 above.
3. In the event of a batsman wasting time (See Note (f)) other than in the manner described in Law 31 (Timed Out), the umpire at the bowler's end shall adopt the following procedure:
a. In the first instance he shall caution the batsman and inform the other umpire at once, and the captain of the batting side, as soon as the players leave the field for an interval, of what has occurred.
b. If this proves ineffective, he shall repeat the caution, indicate to the batsman that this is a final warning and inform the other umpire.
c. The umpire shall report the occurrence to both captains as soon as the players leave the field for an interval.
d. Should the above procedure prove ineffective, the umpire shall report the occurrence to the Executive of the batting side and to any governing body responsible for that match who shall take appropriate action against the player concerned.
11. Players Damaging the Pitch
The umpires shall intervene and prevent players from causing damage to the pitch which may assist the bowlers of either side. See Note (c).
i. In the event of any member of the fielding side damaging the pitch the umpire shall follow the procedure of caution, final warning and reporting as set out in 10(a) above.
ii. In the event of a bowler contravening this Law by running down the pitch after delivering the ball, the umpire at the bowler's end shall first caution the bowler. If this caution is ineffective the umpire shall adopt the procedures, other than the calling of "no-ball", of final warning, action against the bowler and reporting.
iii. In the event of a batsman damaging the pitch the umpire at the bowler's end shall follow the procedures of caution, final warning and reporting as set out in 10(c) above.
12. Batsman Unfairly Stealing a Run
Any attempt by the batsman to steal a run during the bowler's run-up is unfair. Unless the bowler attempts to run out either Batsman - see Law 24.4 (Bowler Throwing at Striker's Wicket Before Delivery) and Law 24.5 (Bowler Attempting to Run Out Non-Striker Before Delivery) - the umpire shall call and signal "dead ball" as soon as the batsmen cross in any such attempt to run. The batsmen shall then return to their original wickets.
13. Players' Conduct
In the event of a player failing to comply with the instructions of an umpire, criticising his decisions by word or action, or showing dissent, or generally behaving in a manner which might bring the game into disrepute, the umpire concerned shall, in the first place report the matter to the other umpire and to the player's captain requesting the latter to take action. If this proves ineffective, the umpire shall report the incident as soon as possible to the Executive of the player's team and to any Governing Body responsible for the match, who shall take any further action which is considered appropriate against the player or players concerned.
Notes
A. The Condition of the Ball
Umpires shall make frequent and irregular inspections of the condition of the ball.
B. Drying of a Wet Ball
A wet ball may be dried on a towel or with sawdust.
C. Danger Area
The danger area on the pitch, which must be protected from damage by a bowler, shall be regarded by the umpires as the area contained by an imaginary line 4 feet/1.22 m from the popping crease, and parallel to it, and within two imaginary and parallel lines drawn down the pitch from points on that line 1 foot/30.48 cm on either side of the middle stump.
D. Fast Short-Pitched Balls
As a guide, a fast short-pitched ball is one which pitches short and passes, or would have passed, above the shoulder height of the striker standing in a normal batting stance at the crease.
E. The Bowling of Fast Full Pitches
The bowling of one fast, high full pitch shall be considered to be unfair if, in the opinion of the umpire, it is deliberate, bowled at the striker, and if it passes or would have passed above the shoulder height of the striker when standing in a normal batting stance at the crease.
F. Time Wasting by Batsmen
Other than in exceptional circumstances, the batsman should always be ready to take strike when the bowler is ready to start his run-up.
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