🏛️Official — ICCIn Season
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Team Sports
11 players
both
bat, ball
10 essential rules
Cricket is governed internationally by the International Cricket Council (ICC). The Laws of Cricket are maintained by the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), which holds the copyright and acts as the global custodian of the Laws on behalf of the worldwide cricket community. The current governing docum...
It is illegal to alter the condition of the ball by any method other than the natural polishing using accumulated sweat. Under Law 41.3.2, it is illegal to rub the ball on the ground; to pick or lift the seam; to use artificial substances; to chan...
4 runs: If the ball reaches or crosses the boundary after touching the ground, or after touching a fielder who is grounded inside the boundary, 4 runs are scored automatically and the batsmen do not need to run.; 6 runs: If the ball crosses the boundary without touching the ground (a full hit to ...
The ICC introduced formal Concussion Substitute regulations effective 1 August 2019. Key provisions include: A player suspected of sustaining a concussion must be assessed by the team's designated medical officer using an approved assessment protocol.; If the medical officer confirms a concussion...
Short-pitched bowling (Law 41.6): Deliveries that pass or would pass the batsman above shoulder height when standing upright at the crease are deemed dangerous. The umpire shall first warn the bowler; a second offence in the same innings results i...
The ball becomes dead when it is finally settled in the hands of the wicket-keeper or bowler; when a boundary is scored; when a batsman is out; when the ball lodges in the clothing or equipment of a batsman or umpire; or when a penalty is awarded....
Penalty: 5 penalty runs awarded to the batting side. The delivery is called dead ball and re-bowled.
There are ten ways a batsman can be dismissed (out): Bowled (Law 30): The ball, delivered by the bowler, breaks the wicket (dislodges a bail or knocks a stump out of the ground).; Timed Out (Law 31): A new incoming batsman must be ready to face the next ball within 3 minutes of the previous wicke...
Extras are runs added to the batting side's total that are not credited to any individual batsman's personal score: Byes (Law 24): If the ball passes the striker without touching the bat or the batsman's body, and the batsmen complete run(s) or the ball reaches the boundary, the resulting runs ar...
In a two-innings match, if the side batting first leads by a specified margin at the conclusion of the opposing team's first innings, the leading side may enforce the follow-on and require the trailing side to bat again immediately.
Host boards are responsible for ensuring spectator barriers are in place at a safe distance from the boundary rope. ICC stadium accreditation requirements (ICC Minimum Standard for International Cricket Venues) mandate that spectator areas be sepa...
Do Not Claim a Catch That Has Grounded
If a fielder knows the ball has touched the ground before completing the catch, claiming the dismissal is a serious ethical breach. Convention holds that fielders should immediately signal to the umpire that the ball grounded, even when the umpire cannot see it. Exploiting uncertainty to steal a wicket violates the game's foundational code.
TV replays and DRS have increased scrutiny of dubious catch claims and public accountability for dishonest appeals.
Sledging Must Not Become Personal, Familial, or Discriminatory Abuse
Verbal exchanges between players are accepted as part of cricket at higher levels, but a firm unwritten line prohibits comments about a player's personal life, family, or any racial, religious, or cultural identity. Sledging should relate to cricket — technique, form, pressure — not the person.
The ICC Code of Conduct formally penalises racial and religious abuse, but the unwritten rule extends the standard to all personal attacks, pre-dating formal enforcement.
Walking: Self-Dismissal Without Awaiting the Umpire
A batsman who knows they are out — typically from a clear edge to the keeper — is traditionally expected to 'walk' rather than wait for the umpire's decision. Regarded as the ultimate expression of personal integrity and the Spirit of Cricket, it is deeply ingrained in amateur culture and historically honored by select professionals.
Practice varies sharply by era and level; rare in modern international cricket where decisions are formally delegated to officials and DRS.
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Warn the Non-Striker Before Effecting a Mankad Dismissal
Dismissing a non-striker who backs up too far before delivery is legal under Law 38.3, but cricket tradition long held that a bowler must issue a clear verbal warning first. Doing it without warning was widely treated as a breach of the Spirit of Cricket, regardless of legality.
Named after Indian bowler Vinoo Mankad, who ran out Australia's Bill Brown in 1947. The MCC reclassified the dismissal from 'unfair play' to standard in the 2022 Code, eroding the warning expectation.
Do Not Bowl Sustained Bouncers at Genuine Tailenders
Targeting lower-order batsmen (typically numbers 9–11) with repeated short-pitched deliveries is considered poor form. The convention is to bowl to take wickets through skill, not to intimidate batsmen who lack the technique and reflexes to protect themselves from serious injury.
The Laws cap bouncers per over, but the unwritten rule governs sustained short-pitch tactics against tailenders beyond the legal limit question.
Show Concern, Not Celebration, When an Opponent Is Seriously Hurt
If an opposition batsman is struck by a delivery and clearly in serious pain or distress, the fielding team is expected to show concern rather than celebrate any wicket that follows immediately. Cheering while an opponent is injured is widely regarded as antithetical to cricket's values.
The death of Phil Hughes in 2014 deepened cricket's collective sensitivity around player welfare and this convention.