New code in Cricket Laws: 2022

The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) has made a few changes to its Code of Laws that governs the international game. MCC announced 8 new codes in LAWS of Cricket for 2022.

The changes suggested by the MCC laws sub-committee for the 2022 code were approved and will come into force from October 1, 2022.

New Code in Laws of cricket from Oct 2022:

• Player replacement. New clause 1.3 in laws of cricket explains that replacements are to be treated as if they were the players they replaced inheriting any sanctions or dismissal that the player has done in that match.
• Law 18: Batter crossing when caught: As per the new law, when a batter is caught, the new batter shall face the next unless it is the end of an over.
• Dead ball: If either side is disadvantaged by a person, animal or other object within the field of play, Umpire will call and signal Dead ball.
• ( No ball to Dead ball ) : If a Bowler throws towards striker’s end before delivery in order to get him out, Umpire shall call and signal Dead ball. previously it was called as No ball.
• Judging a Wide ball : In simplest wording, irrespective of batters position, if umpire judges ball has wide of the striker in a normal batting position, umpire call and signal wide.
• Striker’s right to play the ball : If the ball should land away from the pitch, the new Law 25.8 allows the striker to play the ball so long as some part of their bat or person remains within the pitch. Should they venture beyond that, the umpire will call and signal Dead ball. As recompense to the batter, any ball which would force them to leave the pitch will also be called no ball.
• 5 run penalty :  Unfair movement by the fielding side Until now, any member of the fielding side who moved unfairly, was punished only with a ‘Dead ball’ – potentially cancelling a perfectly good shot by the batter. Given the action is both unfair and deliberate, it will now see the batting side awarded 5 Penalty runs.
• Mankading move from Unfair play to Runout law : Running out the non-striker (widely knowns mankading) – has been moved from Law 41 (Unfair play) to Law 38 (Run out). This hopefully will end debate of spirit of cricket and fair play.
• No saliva on match ball: Players are not permitted to use of saliva on the ball. however they can use Sweat to polish the ball. If umpires are brought to notice of bowlers using saliva, Umpire shall replace the ball and award 5 runs to batting side as a penalty to Fielding side.