#Cricket pitch law 42 note c driver#
#Cricket pitch law 42 note c full#
#Cricket pitch law 42 note c tv#

But a good rule of thumb, I’d suggest, is the position of the keeper. Whether or not the bowler is slow is arguably a subjective question. Was the batsman standing either on or behind the popping crease?ģ. So why is such a simple law so commonly mis-applied? The village umpire only needs to ask himself three questions.Ģ. In both cases, the umpire should call no ball.

#Cricket pitch law 42 note c full#

(ii) A slow delivery which passes or would have passed on the full above shoulder height of the striker standing upright at the popping crease is to be deemed dangerous and unfair, whether or not it is likely to inflict physical injury on the striker. (i) Any delivery, other than a slow paced one, which passes or would have passed on the full above waist height of the striker standing upright at the popping crease is to be deemed dangerous and unfair, whether or not it is likely to inflict physical injury on the striker. And that’s why it comes within the scope of Law 42.6: ‘Fair and unfair play – dangerous and unfair bowling’. It is categorically not about the batsman’s ability to reach the ball (which is covered by the wides law). The key to interpreting the law governing height is to understand that its purpose is to discourage and outlaw dangerous play – specifically, the beamer – on grounds of safety and fairness. It must be much higher – over the shoulders – to be an illegal delivery, unless the pace is medium or fast. If the bowler is slow, a waist high delivery is not a no ball.

#Cricket pitch law 42 note c driver#

Even worse, if the batsman is caught on the boundary, a no ball signal will reprieve him.īut the real driver of controversy is the widespread ignorance of the actual wording of the law. The extra ball and run for the no ball seem so unfair, because the batsman prospered from the inaccuracy of the delivery. On comes a terrible bowler, who fires one high and wide, and the ball disappears for six. For example, let’s say the batsman is past his half-century and going great guns. No ball for height also triggers ill-feeling because it seems to punish incompetence.

#Cricket pitch law 42 note c tv#

It’s never explained on TV or during coaching, because so rarely does it arise in ‘proper’ cricket – unlike LBW, which is endlessly analysed and illustrated by commentators. And that’s part of the reason the relevant law causes so many problems. At higher levels of the game, bowlers usually manage to master the notoriously tricky business of getting the ball to land on the pitch. This issue never seems to cause trouble in any other form of cricket, because only village bowlers regularly deliver huge full tosses. But there’s something about height no balls that really causes bad blood between teams, even though most arguments could easily be avoided by a quick glance at a copy of the lawbook. You’d think that LBW – with all its subtleties of interpretation – would be the chief source of contention on a village cricket field. I’ve witnessed (and sometimes instigated) rows, histrionics and tantrums so intense that the two sides never again play each other. There is, quite simply, no law of cricket which causes so much controversy, ill-feeling and rancour. This thorny old issue – of no balls for height – is on my mind again after a weekend when it provoked yet another argument during a village cricket fixture. A medium pace bowler bowls another waist-high full toss, which hits the top of the stumps. The umpire then raises his arm and signals no ball. An erratic spinner steps up to the crease and delivers a slow, waist-high full toss, which the batsman pulls away effortlessly for six. Unless determined otherwise before the toss, on each night of the match and in inclement weather at any time during the matchġ0.2.1 the whole pitch and a minimum of 4 ft/1.22 m beyond it at each end shall be covered.ġ0.2.2 the bowlers’ run-ups, where possible, shall be covered.ġ0.3.1 If after the toss the pitch is covered overnight, the covers shall be removed as soon as practicable on each day that play is expected to take place.ġ0.3.2 If covers are used during the day as protection from inclement weather, or if inclement weather delays the removal of overnight covers, they shall be removed promptly as soon as conditions allow.Scenario one. However, the Ground Authority shall grant suitable facility to the captains to inspect the pitch before the nomination of their players and to the umpires to discharge their duties as laid down in Laws 2 (The umpires), 6 (The pitch), 7 (The creases), 8 (The wickets), and 9 (Preparation and maintenance of the playing area). The use of covers before the match is the responsibility of the Ground Authority and may include full covering if required.