(Material) Changes to the Laws
•“Finn No Ball”
•Scope of Handled Ball - now only applies as striker
plays it
•No runs off lawfully defending wicket
•Practice on field amended
•Can only take a third new ball after 80 (or
whatever) full overs with the second(!)
•Minor change to stumped law as regards runners
“Finn No Ball”
24.6 Either umpire shall call and signal No ball if, other than in an
attempt to run out the non-striker under Law 42.15, the bowler breaks the
wicket at any time after the ball comes into play and before he completes
the stride after the delivery stride.
Scope of handled ball reduced
33.1 The striker is out Handled the ball if, except in the circumstances of 2 below, in
the act of playing a ball delivered by the bowler, he wilfully strikes the ball with a
hand not holding the bat.
Everything else is obstructing the field, Michael.
No runs from lawfully defending wicket
Not even overthrows as previously. Treat as with
disallowed leg byes:
•If it crosses the boundary or when they
complete a run call dead ball.
•Can be run out before that.
•No ball applies if called, but no penalty runs
if it hits helmet.
Practice on field
Bowler may have warm up delivery to a team
mate without run up as long as doesn’t delay
the game or damage the ball, however….
A fielder may not practice bowling (ie
with a run up) during the game or he may
not bowl again for lesser of 30 mins’ play,
one hour elapsed.
Batsman may not practice on the field during
play:
First offence: warning. Further offences:
5 penalty runs etc etc.
Potential Mentoring Scheme
70 umpires thru L1 in 5 years, but few have made it to Panel
CCB has ECB funds for player retention for agreed delivery plan
2013 survey highlighted quality of umpiring as crucial
Would you be a mentor?
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You would be given one or more recently qualified L1 mentees
Stand with them for two or more games which you would source (e.g.
Evening League, Youth games) for which you would be paid a fee
Help them through the game, encourage them
Give them feedback, fill in form
When they are ready, pass onto Appointments Officer for League
appointments
Additional modest “bounty” for any of your mentees who does 6 Panel
games in a season
Test your understanding
Q1) A batsman with a runner is on strike. The ball is a No
ball. The striker moves out of his ground to play at the ball
but he misses it. He tries to get back into his ground but is
not able to do so before the wicket-keeper puts the wicket
down. The runner is within his ground at square leg. There
is an appeal. What is your decision and why? If he is out,
state the method of dismissal.
He is not out. The injured striker is now protected from what
would have been a stumping if it was not a No ball. See Law
2.8(e)
Test your understanding
Q2) Between deliveries in the middle of an over, you notice
a fielder at fine leg bowling some practice balls to a coach
who is standing beyond the boundary. They are not using
the match ball for this. The fielder in question had bowled
the preceding over. What should you do?
This form of practice is illegal, as it involves a ball other than
the match ball and also involves someone who is not a
member of the fielding side. (Either one of these conditions
is enough to breach Law 17.) The fielder must not be
allowed to bowl until at least 30 minutes playing time has
elapsed from the moment of the contravention, or until one
hour has elapsed, whichever is the sooner. (See Law 17)
Test your understanding
Q3) The striker hits the ball, which is not a No ball, in the air towards the
boundary. A fielder near the boundary ‘catches’ the ball on the run within
the field of play but his momentum is taking him towards the boundary. He
throws the ball in the air before he steps over the boundary. A second
fielder, who is nearby, steps outside the boundary and, from that position,
leaps in the air to parry the ball (while he is airborne) back into the field of
play, where it is caught by the first fielder, who has by now stepped back
inside the boundary. Is the striker out or, if not, how many runs should be
scored?
Yes, the striker is out Caught. The first fielder’s first contact with the ball
must be when he is grounded within the boundary or, if he is airborne,
when he took off from within the boundary. However, any subsequent
contact by any fielder can be made from any position, as long as the
fielder is not in contact with the ball and the ground beyond the boundary
at the same time. (See Laws 19 and 32)
Test your understanding
Q4) The striker hits a ball, which is not a No ball, and it lobs in the air and
it seems it might land on his own stumps. The wicket-keeper was
standing next to the stumps but, before he could take what would have
been a simple catch, the striker knocks the ball away with a hand not
holding the bat. There is an appeal. Should the striker be out and, if so,
how?
The striker is out Obstructing the field. Although the circumstances of Law
33 (Handled the ball) are met, the fact that a catch was obstructed means
that he should be out Obstructing the Field. (See Laws 33 & 37).
Test your understanding
Q5) During a drinks interval, you notice one of the batsmen getting some
coaching from his coach on the outfield. This involves the coach throwing
him some balls to practice his forward defence shot. The batting side has
not been warned previously about practising during the innings. What
action should you take?
This form of practice is not allowed – see Law 17.3. You should warn the
player that the practice is not permitted, and inform the other umpire, the
captain of the fielding side and, as soon as practicable, the captain of the
batting side of the reason for this action. This warning shall apply
throughout the innings. The umpire shall so inform each incoming
batsman. (Note, any subsequent breach by the batting side will incur a
five run penalty.)
Test your understanding
Q6) A batsman with a runner is on strike. The ball is not a No ball. The
striker moves out of his ground to play at the ball but he misses it. He just
manages to get back into his ground before the wicket-keeper puts the
wicket down. However, when the wicket is put down, the striker’s runner is
out of his ground at square leg. There is an appeal. What is your decision
and why? If he is out, state the method of dismissal.
The striker is out Run out. He cannot be out Stumped because of the
position of his runner. (See Law 2.8(e))
Test your understanding
Q7) The bowler delivers the ball from a position close to the return
crease but it is not a No ball. You are sure that the bowler has not
touched the stumps at any stage during the delivery. The batsman hits
the ball in the air and is caught at mid off. As he is about to walk off, he
notices a bail is on the ground at the bowler’s end wicket. He suggests
to you that it should be a No ball. What is your decision?
The striker is out Caught. You are sure that the bowler did not breach
Law 24.6 and so the ball is not a No ball. No ball should only be called
if you are sure that it was the bowler who broke the wicket. You may
consult your colleague for verification if needed.
Test your understanding
Q8) The batsmen are running and a run out might occur. The ball is
powerfully thrown by a fielder towards the wicket keeper. One of the
batsmen, who is running to make good his ground on a straight and
wholly acceptable path, raises his hand and uses it to defend himself
from the ball, which was likely to hit him on the head – he is not wearing
a helmet. But for this interception, you are confident that a Run out was
likely to occur. There is an appeal. What is your decision?
The batsman is not out. If you are sure that the batsman’s act was one
of self-defence, he is not out. (See Law 37.1). The fact that a run out
might have occurred is irrelevant in this incident.
Test your understanding
Q9) The striker hits the ball a second time in safeguarding his wicket
and it goes towards square leg. The batsmen run. A fielder picks up
and throws the ball, which hits the helmet of the fielder left on the
ground behind the wicket-keeper. It hits the helmet before the batsmen
have completed the first run. What should you as bowler’s end umpire
do?
You should call and signal Dead ball as soon as the ball hits the
helmet. You should return the batsmen to their original ends, informing
them that runs cannot be scored after a lawful second strike. You should
repeat the Dead ball signal to the scorers and, if necessary, clarify that
no Penalty runs are scored for the ball striking the helmet. (See Law 34)
Test your understanding
Q10) The striker plays the ball and it drops in front of him. He
immediately picks it up and throws the ball to a close fielder. No fielder
has communicated with the batsman. How does the umpire answer an
appeal?
He is out Obstructing the field. (See Law 37)
Test your understanding
Q11) A straight drive played along the ground by the striker is wilfully
stopped by the non-striker with his hand not holding the bat (not in
self-defence). There is an appeal.
You are the bowler’s end
umpire. What should you do? Would your decision be different if the
handling prevented the bowler from taking a catch?
In the first scenario, the non-striker is out Obstructing the field. Under
the new Law, only the striker can be out Handled the ball and only
during a limited period while he is receiving the ball. In the second
scenario where a catch is obstructed, the striker would be out
Obstructing the field, even though it was the non-striker who caused
the obstruction. (See Laws 33 & 37)