Cricket Rules
 

The Players: 1. Number of players
A match is played between two sides,each of eleven players,one of whom shall be captain. By agreement a match may be played between sides of more or less than eleven palyers, but not more than eleven players may field at any time.

2. Nomination of players
Each captain shall nominate his playres in writing to one of the umpires before the toss.No player can be changed after the nomination with out the consent of the opposing captain.

3. Captain
If it any time the captain is not available, a deputy shall act for him.
If a captain is not available during the period in which the toss is to take place,then the deputy must be responsible for the nomination of the players,if this has not already been done,and for the toss. At any time after the toss, the deputy must be one of the nominated players.

4.Responsibility of captains
The captains are responsible at all times for ensuring that play is conducted within the spirit and traditions of the game as well as within the laws.

The Bat : 1. Width and length
The bat overall shall not be more than 38 in/96.5 cm in length. The blade of the bat shall be made solely of wood and shall not exceed 4.1/4 in/10.8 cm at the widest part.

2. Covering the blade
The blade may be covered with material for protection ,strengthening or repair. Such material shall not exceed 1/16 in/1.56 mm in thickness,and shall not be likely to cause unacceptable damage to the ball.

3. Hand or glove to count as part of bat
In these Laws:
A.Reference to the bat shall imply that the bat is held by the batsman
B.Contact between the ball and, either
(i)The striker''''s bat itself, or
(ii)The striker''''s hand holding the bat,or
(iii)Any part of a glove worn on the striker''''s hand holding the bat shall be regarded as the ball striking or touching the bat,or being struck by the bat.
The following are to be considered as part of the bat:-
* The whole of the bat itself
* The whole of a glove (or gloves) worn on a hand (or hands) holding the bat
* The hand (or hands) holding the bat, if the batsman is not wearing a glove on that hand or on those hands

Leg Before Wicket : 1. OUT LBW
The striker is out LBW in the circumstances set out below.
A. The Bowler delivers a ball, not being a No ball,and
B. The ball,if it is not intercepted full pitch, pitches in line between wicket and wicket or on the off side of the striker''''s wicket,and
C. The ball not having previously touched his bat ,the striker intercepts the ball,either full-pitch or after pitching ,with any part of his person, and
D. The point of impact, even if above the level of the bails, either
(i)is between wicket and wicket, or
(ii)is either between wicket and wicket or outside the line of the of stump,if the striker has made no genuine attempt to play the ball with his bat,and ,
E. But for the interception , the ball would have hit the wicket.

2. Interception of the ball
A.In assessing points C,D,and E in above , only the first interception is to be considered.
B.In assessing point E in 1 above , it is to be assumed taht the path of the ball before interception would have continued after interception , irrespective of whether the ball might have pitched subsequently or not,

3. Offside of wicket
The off side of the striker''''s wicket shall be determined by the striker''''s stance at the moment the ball comes into play for that delivery.

Stumped : 1. Out Stumped
a. The striker is out stumped if
(i)He is out of his crease ,and
(ii)He is receiving a ball which is not a No ball, and
(iii)he is not attempting a run, and
(iv)His wicket is put down by the wicketkeeper without the intervention of another member of the fielding side(position of wicket keeper).
b. The striker is out Stumped if all the conditions of a above are satisfied, even though a decision of Run out would be justified.

2.Ball rebounding from wicket-keeper''''s person
a.If the wicket is put down by the ball, it shall be regarded as having been put down by the wicket-keeper, if the ball
(i)rebounds on to the stumps from any part of his person or equipment, other than a protective element, or
(ii)has been kicked or thrown on to the stumps by the wicket-keeper ,
b. If the ball touches a helmet worn by the wicket-keeper,the ballis still in play but the striker shall not be out Stumped. He will, however, be liable to be run out in these cirumstances if there is subsequent ontact between the ball and any member of the fielding side.

3. Not out Stumped
a.If the striker is not out Stumped,he is liable to be out Run out if the conditions of(Run out)apply, except as set out in b below.
b. The striker shall not be out Run out if he is out of his ground , not attempting a run, and his wicket is fairly put down by the wicket-keeper without the intervention of anothermember of the fielding side,if No ball has been called

The Scores : 1. Appointment of scores
Two scorers shall be appointed to record all runs scored,all wickets taken and ,where appropriate,number of overs bowled.

2. Correctness of scores
The scores shall frequently check to ensure that their records agree. They shall agree with the umpires,atleast at every interval,and at the conclusion of the match,the runs scored,the wickets that have fallen and,where appropriate,the number of overs bowled.

3. Acknowledging signals
The scores shall accept all instructions and signals given to them by the umpires.
They should immediately agree each separate signal.

Appeals : 1. Umpire not to give batsman out without an appeal
Neither umpire shall give a batsman out,even though he may be out under the Laws,unless appealed to by the fielding side. This shall not debar a batsman who is out under any of the Laws from leaving his wicket without an appeal having been made.Note,however the provisions of & below.

2. Batsman dismissed
A batsman is dismissed if,either
a. He is given out by an umpire,on appeal,or
b.He is out under any of the Laws and leaves his wicket as an 1 above.

3.Timing of appeals
For an appeal to be valid it must be made before the bowler begins his run up or, if he has no run up, his bowling action to deliver the next ball, and before Time has been called. The call of Over does not invalidate an appeal made prior to the start of the following over provided Time has not been called(Call of Time) and (start of an over).

4. Appeal "How''''s That?"
An appeal "How''''s That?" covers all ways being out.

5. Answering appeals
The Umpire at that bowler''''s end shall answer all appeals except those arising out of any of (Hit wicket),(Stumped) or (Run out) when this occurs at the striker''''s wicket. a decision Not out by one umpire shall not prevent the other umpire from giving a decision,provided that each is considering only matters wihin his jurisdiction.When a batsman has been given Not out,either umpire may,within his jurisdiction,answer a further appeal provided that it is made in accordance with 3 above.

6. Consultation by umpires
Each umpire shall answer appeals on matters within his own jurisdiction.
If an umpire is doubtful about any point that the other umpire may have been in a better position to see , he shall consult the latter on this point of fact and shall then give his decision.If, after consultation, there is still doubt remaining the decision shall be Not out .

7. Batsman leaving his wicket under a misapprehension
An umpire shall intervene if satisfied that a batsman, not having been given out, has left his wicket under a misapprehension that he is out. The umpire intervening shall call and signal Dead ball to prevent any further action by the fielding side and shall recall the batsman.

8. Withdrawal of an appeal
The captain of the fielding side may withdraw an appeal only with the consent of the umpire with in those jurisdiction the appeal falls and before the outgoing batsman has left the field of play. If such consent is given the umpire concerned shall,if applicable revoke his decision and recall the batsman.

9. Umpire''''s decision
An umpire may alter his decision provided that such alteration is made promptly.
This apart,an umpire''''s decision,once made,is final

Wide Ball: 1. Judging a wide
A. If the bowler bowls a ball,not being a No ball, the umpire shall adjudge it a Wide if according to the defination in below, in his opinionthe ball passes wide of the striker where he is standing and would also have passed wide of him standing in a normal guard position.
B. The ball will be considered as passing wide of the striker unless it is sufficiently within his reach for him to be able to hit it with his bat by means of a normal cricket stroke.

2. Delivery not a wide
The umpire shall not adjudge a delivery as being a Wide:
a.If the striker, by moving ,either
(i)causes the ball to pass wide of him, as defined in 1-B above, or
(ii)brings the ball sufficiently with in his reach to be able to hit it with his bat by means of a normal cricket stroke.
b.If the ball touches the striker''''s bat r person.

3. Call and signal of Wide ball
a.If the umpire adjudges a delivery to be a Wide he shall call and signal Wide ball as soon as the ball passes the striker''''s wicket , It shall, however, be considered to have been a Wide from the instant of delivery,even though it cannot be called Wide until it passes the striker''''s wicket.
b.The Umpire shall revoke the call of Wide ball if there is then any contact between the ball and the striker''''s bat or person.
c.The umpire shall revoke the call of Wide ball if a delivery is called a No ball.

4. Ball not dead
The ball does not become dead on the call of Wide ball.

5. Penalty for a Wide
A penalty of one run shall be awarded instantly on the call of Wide ball. Unless the call is revoked (see 3 above), this penalty shall stand even if a batsman is dismissed, and shall be in addition to any other runs scored, any boundary allowance and any other runs scored , any boundary allowance and any other penalties awarded.

6. Runs resulting from a Wide-how scored
All runs completed by the batsmen or boundary allowance, together with the penalty for the Wide, shall be scored as Wide balls. Apart from any award of a 5 run penalty, all runs resulting from a Wide ball shall be de debited against the bowler.

7. Wide not to count
A Wide shall not count as one of the over.

8. Out from a wide
When Wide ball has been called, neither batsman shall be out under any of the Laws except(Handled the ball),(Hit wicket),(Obstructing the field).(Run out)or (Stumped)

Cricket Fielding Positions: Although a cricket team consists of 12 players, only eleven of these players will take the field during the innings in which the team is fielding, with the 12th player remaining in reserve in the likelihood of an injury to a fielding player. One player will always take the position of the wicketkeeper, another player will be designated as a bowler, leaving 9 players to adopt various positions as chosen by the captain within the field of play. The fielding tactics adopted by the captain will vary depending on whether the fielding captain has chosen to adopt either defensive or attacking tactics.

The tactics are decided after taking into account a number of variables. These will include whether or not the fielding team has already batted and if so, whether the total runs they made during their batting innings are decisive enough for the captain to decide the fielding team is in a winning position. An attacking field would be set so as to force the batting side into making errors by adopting aggressive bowling tactics and placing fieldsmen in close to the batsman. A defensive field setting would be set, in the event the fielding captain believes his team''''s previous batting total can be easily eclipsed. The fieldsmen would be placed in such a way, they would be able to save the majority of batting strokes from reaching the boundary for four or more runs. If the fielding captain is able to force the batsmen into taking single runs, the likelihood of a forced error or dismissal is more than possible.

Fielding Positions
For you to familiarise yourself with all the fielding positions, simply consult the diagram above.