The Laws of Cricket is a code that specifies the rules of the game of cricket worldwide. The earliest known code was drafted in 1744. Since 1788, the code has been owned and maintained by the private Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) in Lord's Cricket Ground, London. There are currently 42 Laws (always written with a capital "L"), which describe all aspects of how the game is to be played. MCC has re-coded the Laws six times, each with interim revisions that produce more than one edition. The most recent code, the seventh, was released in October 2017; its 3rd edition came into force on 1 October 2022.
Formerly cricket's official governing body, the MCC has handed that role to the International Cricket Council (ICC). But MCC retains copyright of the Laws and remains the only body that may change them, although usually this is only done after close consultation with the ICC and other interested parties such as the Association of Cricket Umpires and Scorers.
Cricket is one of the few sports in which the governing principles are referred to as "Laws" rather than as "rules" or "regulations". In certain cases, however, regulations to supplement and/or vary the Laws may be agreed for particular competitions as required. Those applying to international matches (referred to as "playing conditions") can be found on the ICC's website.
History Oral tradition The origin of cricket is uncertain and it was first definitely recorded at Guildford in the 16th century. It is believed to have been a boys' game at that time but, from early in the 17th century, it was increasingly played by adults. Rules as such existed and, in early times, would have been agreed orally and subject to local variations. Cricket in the late 17th century became a betting game attracting high stakes and there were instances of teams being sued for non-payment of wagers they had lost.Birley, pp. 14–16.Buckley (FL18C), p. 2.Maun, p. 33.
Articles of Agreement In July and August 1727, two matches were organised by stakeholders Charles Lennox, 2nd Duke of Richmond and Alan Brodrick, 2nd Viscount Midleton. References to these games confirm that they drew up Articles of Agreement between them to determine the rules that must apply in their contests.McCann, pp. 6–7. The original handwritten articles document drawn up by Richmond and Brodrick has been preserved. It is among papers which the West Sussex Record Office (WSRO) acquired from Goodwood House in 1884.McCann, plate 1 facing page lxiv.
This is the first time that rules are known to have been formally agreed, their purpose being to resolve any problems between the patrons during their matches. The concept, however, was to attain greater importance in terms of defining rules of play as, eventually, these were codified as the Laws of Cricket.Birley, pp. 18–19. The Articles are a list of 16 points, many of which are easily recognised despite their wording as belonging to the modern Laws of Cricket, for example: (a) a Ball caught, the Striker is out; (b) when a Ball is caught out, the Stroke counts nothing; (c) catching out behind the Wicket allowed.
Points that differ from the modern Laws (use of italics is to highlight the differences only): (a) the wickets shall be pitched at twenty three yards distance from each other; (b) that twelve Gamesters shall play on each side; (c) the Batt Men for every one they count are to touch the Umpire's Stick; (d) no Player shall be deemed out by any Wicket put down, unless with the Ball in Hand. In modern cricket: (a) the pitch is 22 yards long; (b) the teams are eleven-a-side; (c) runs were only completed if the batsman touched the umpire's stick (which was probably a bat) and this practice was eventually replaced by the batsman having to touch the ground behind the popping crease; (d) run outs no longer require the ball to be in hand.Bowen, p. 43.
1744 code The earliest known code of Laws was enacted in 1744 but not actually printed, so far as it is known, until 1755. They were possibly an upgrade of an earlier code and the intention must have been to establish a universal codification. The Laws were drawn up by the "noblemen and gentlemen members of the London Cricket Club", which was based at the Artillery Ground, although the printed version in 1755 states that "several cricket clubs" were involved, having met at the Star and Garter in Pall Mall.
A summary of the main points:
there is reference to the toss of a coin and the pitch dimensions, with a length of ; the stumps must be high with a six-inch (152 mm) bail; the ball must weigh between ; overs last four balls; the no ball is the penalty for overstepping, which means the hind foot going in front of the bowling crease (i.e., in direct line of the wicket); the popping crease is exactly before the bowling crease; various means of "it is out" are included; hitting the ball twice and obstructing the field are emphatically out following experiences in the 17th century; the wicket-keeper is required to be still and quiet until the ball is bowled; umpires must allow two minutes for a new batsman to arrive and ten minutes between innings (meal and rain breaks presumably excepted); the umpire cannot give a batsman out if the fielders do not appeal; the umpire is allowed a certain amount of discretion and it is made clear that the umpire is the "sole judge" and that "his determination shall be absolute"
The 1744 Laws do not say the bowler must roll (or skim) the ball and there is no mention of prescribed arm action so, in theory, a pitched delivery would have been legal, though potentially controversial. Underarm pitching is believed to have begun in the early 1760s when the Hambledon Club was rising to prominence. The modern straight bat was introduced as a consequence, replacing the old "hockey stick" bat which was good for hitting a ball on the ground but not for addressing a ball on the bounce.Nyren, pp. 153–154.
In 1771, an incident on the field of play led to the creation of a new Law which remains extant. In a match between Chertsey and Hambledon at Laleham Burway, the Chertsey all-rounder Thomas White used a bat that was the width of the wicket. There was no rule in place to prevent this action and so all the Hambledon players could do was register a formal protest which was signed by Thomas Brett, Richard Nyren and John Small, the three leading Hambledon players. As a result, it was decided by the game's lawmakers that the maximum width of the bat must be four and one quarter inches; this was included in the next revision of the Laws and it remains the maximum width.
1774 code
On Friday, 25 February 1774, the Laws were revised by a committee meeting at the Star and Garter. Chaired by Sir William Draper, the members included prominent cricket patrons the 3rd Duke of Dorset, the 4th Earl of Tankerville, Charles Powlett, Philip Dehany and Sir Horatio Mann. The clubs and counties represented were Kent, Hampshire, Surrey, Sussex, Middlesex and London.
A summary of the main points added in the 1774 code: the bat must not exceed in the widest part; the bowler must 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 do but once in the same innings; the striker is out if he puts his leg before the wicket with a design to stop the ball, and actually prevent the ball from hitting his wicket.
The main innovation was the introduction of leg before wicket (lbw) as a means of dismissal. The practice of stopping the ball with the leg had arisen as a negative response to the pitched delivery. As in 1744, there is nothing about the bowler's delivery action. The maximum width of the bat was confirmed following the incident in 1771.
As in 1744, the 1774 code asserted that "the stumps must be twenty-two inches, the bail six inches long". There were only two stumps then, with a single bail. At the Artillery Ground on 22–23 May 1775, a lucrative single wicket match was played between Five of Kent (with Lumpy Stevens) and Five of Hambledon (with Thomas White).Haygarth, p. 21–22. Kent batted first and made 37 to which Hambledon replied with 92, including 75 by John Small. In their second innings, Kent scored 102, leaving Hambledon a target of 48 to win. Small batted last of the Hambledon Five and needed 14 more to win when he went in. He duly scored the runs and Hambledon won by 1 wicket but a great controversy arose afterwards because, three times in the course of his second innings, Small was beaten by Lumpy only for the ball to pass through the two-stump wicket each time without hitting the stumps or the bail.Nyren, p. 156. As a result of Lumpy's protests, the middle stump was introduced, although it was some years before its use became universal.Haygarth, p. 21.
1788 code MCC was founded in 1787 and immediately assumed responsibility for the Laws, issuing a new version on 30 May 1788 which was called "The LAWS of the NOBLE GAME of CRICKET as revised by the Club at St. Mary-le-bone". The third Law stated: "The stumps must be twenty-two inches out of the ground, the bail six inches in length". These were the overall dimensions and the requirement for a third stump was unspecified, indicating that its use was still not universal.Haygarth, p. 79.
The 1788 code is much more detailed and descriptive than the 1774 code but, fundamentally, they are largely the same. The main difference was in the wording of the lbw Law. In 1774, this said that the batsman is out if, with design, he prevents the ball hitting the wicket with his leg. In 1788, the "with design" clause was omitted and a new clause was introduced that the ball must have pitched straight. Also in 1788, protection of the pitch was first included in the Laws. By mutual consent between the teams, the pitch could be rolled, watered, covered and mown during a match and the use of sawdust was authorised. Previously, pitches were left untouched during a match.
Later MCC codes MCC has revised the Laws periodically, usually within the same code, but at times they have decided to publish an entirely new code: 19 May 1835 (1835 code) 21 April 1884 (1884 code) 7 May 1947 (1947 code) 21 November 1979 (1980 code) 3 May 2000 (2000 code) 1 October 2017 (2017 code). This included gender-neutral language (except that the word "batsman" was retained), and a code of conduct.New gender-neutral cricket laws officially released by MCC, The Guardian, 12 April 2017
Significant changes to the Laws since 1788 Changes to the Laws did not always coincide with the publication of a new code and some of the most important changes were introduced as revisions to the current code and, therefore, each code has more than one version. The 46 inches between the popping and bowling creases, specified in 1744, was increased to 48 inches in 1819. The length of the bowling crease, specified as three feet either side of the wicket, was increased to four feet each side in 1902 (i.e., eight feet eight inches in total). After the width of the wicket was increased from eight to nine inches in 1939, the bowling crease was by default reduced in length by half an inch on each side. The creases were originally cut into the turf. Whitewash was not introduced until the second half of the 19th century, following a suggestion made by Alfred Shaw.Altham, p. 95. Pitch protection was authorised from 1788 and a number of changes to this Law have been made including the length of time that rolling was permitted, covering of the bowler's footholds, etc. The dimensions of the wicket changed several times. From circa 1823 the wicket was 27 inches by eight inches. In 1931, the larger current size of 28 inches by nine inches was made optional and made compulsory in 1947. At the end of the 17th century, the two-stump wicket then in use is believed by some to have been 22 inches high by six inches wide.