Almanac Cricket – Free Beer and Law 42

My kids reckon I am only happy when I have something to complain about and I cheerfully admit that there is some truth to this allegation. The nonsense about chuckers got me annoyed last week, and to put myself in a good mood I thought I would talk about something that really annoys me.

 

The MCC (Marylebone variety) have had copy right for the Laws of Cricket for over one hundred years. Most reading will not know things like the Wide Law, the LBW Law, popping creases and many other laws were brought in to combat poor playing behaviour ( ‘premediated shabbiness’ as regard to the introduction of LBW). Cricket requires a constant re-gig of the balance between batting and bowling, these two utterly different modes of play. The balance is established by the Laws of Cricket.

 

All sports have to examine their rules periodically to ensure the sport thrives. Those people who mindlessly parrot, ‘leave the rules alone’, really annoy me. Starcraft, the best online game by a country mile, has recently announce a swag of changes as Zerg, in the late game, has become too strong. Infesters have f..ked up the late game so the game controllers have deliberately weakened this unit.

 

The Law that pertains to interfering with a running batsman is below and I have highlighted a part of this Law that none of you will know exists.

 

 

41.5 Deliberate distraction, deception or obstruction of batsman

 

41.5.1 In addition to 41.4, it is unfair for any fielder wilfully to attempt, by word or action, to distract, deceive or obstruct either batsman after the striker has received the ball.

 

41.5.2 It is for either one of the umpires to decide whether any distraction, deception or obstruction is wilful or not.

 

41.5.3 If either umpire considers that a fielder has caused or attempted to cause such a distraction, deception or obstruction, he/she shall immediately call and signal Dead ball and inform the other umpire of the reason for the call.

 

41.5.4 Neither batsman shall be dismissed from that delivery.

 

41.5.5 If an obstruction involves physical contact, the umpires together shall decide whether or not an offence under Law 42 (Players’ conduct) has been committed.

 

41.5.5.1 If an offence under Law 42 (Players’ conduct) has been committed, they shall apply the relevant procedures in Law 42 and shall also apply each of 41.5.7 to 41.5.9.

 

41.5.5.2 If they consider that there has been no offence under Law 42 (Players’ conduct), they shall apply each of 41.5.6 to 41.5.10.

 

41.5.6 The bowler’s end umpire shall

– award 5 Penalty runs to the batting side.

– inform the captain of the fielding side of the reason for this action and as soon as practicable inform the captain of the batting side.

 

41.5.7 The ball shall not count as one of the over.

 

41.5.8 Any runs completed by the batsmen before the offence shall be scored, together with any runs for penalties awarded to either side.  Additionally, the run in progress shall be scored whether or not the batsmen had already crossed at the instant of the offence.

 

41.5.9 The batsmen at the wicket shall decide which of them is to face the next delivery.

 

This bit was brought in to stop players from the fielding team grabbing a running batsman to  prevent the batsman from manipulating the strike. Believe or not this happened in a district game many years ago here in Melbourne. A fast bowler, on the last ball of the second last over, grabbed one of the batsmen in a headlock so he could bowl the next over to one specific batsman. The MCC heard about this incident and so brought in 41.5. 9.. A problem arose on the field and the MCC acted appropriately.

 

I have a son who studied Law and I love the interplay of rules and sport. I dine out on regulations, and I have given my five rules for any successful rule change in any sport before on this web site, but today I want to get annoyed about the monstrosity, the dogs breakfast, the completely rewritten and utterly prescriptive, Law 42.

 

Here it is.

 

42.1 Unacceptable conduct

 

42.1.1  The umpires shall act upon any unacceptable conduct.  Four Levels of offence and the corresponding actions by the umpires are identified as Level 1, Level 2, Level 3 and Level 4 offences in 42.2 to 42.5.

 

42.1.2 If either umpire considers that the conduct of a player, at any time during the match, is unacceptable, the umpire concerned shall call and signal Dead ball.  This call may be delayed until the umpire is satisfied that it will not disadvantage the non-offending side.

 

42.1.3  The umpire concerned shall report the matter to the other umpire and together they shall decide whether misconduct has occurred.  If so, they shall determine into which of the Levels the conduct falls, as set out in 42.2 to 42.5 below, and then apply the related sanctions.

 

42.1.4  For each Level 1 to 4, if the offence is by a batsman, the umpires shall summon the offending player’s captain to the field. Solely for the purpose of this Law, the batsmen at the wicket may not deputise for their captain.

 

42.1.5 For each Level 1 to 4,

• Playing time shall be counted as lost from the call of Time to the call of Play, excluding intervals (Law 11) and suspensions of play (Law 2.8).
• the time for close of play on that day shall be extended by this length of time.
• if applicable, no overs shall be deducted during the last hour of the match solely on account of this time.

 

42.2 Level 1 offences and action by umpires

 

42.2.1 Any of the following actions by a player shall constitute a Level 1 offence:

– wilfully mistreating any part of the cricket ground, equipment or implements used in the match

– showing dissent at an umpire’s decision by word or action

– using language that, in the circumstances, is obscene, offensive or insulting

– making an obscene gesture

– appealing excessively

– advancing towards an umpire in an aggressive manner when appealing

– any other misconduct, the nature of which is, in the opinion of the umpires, equivalent to a Level 1 offence.

 

42.2.2 If such an offence is committed, 42.2.2.1 to 42.2.2.6 shall be implemented as appropriate, according to whether or not it is the first offence at any Level.

 

42.2.2.1 The umpire shall call Time, if necessary.

 

42.2.2.2 Together the umpires shall summon and inform the offending player’s captain that an offence at this Level has occurred.

 

42.2.2.3 If the Level 1 offence is the first offence, at any Level, by that team, the umpire shall

 

42.2.2.3.1 issue a first and final warning which shall apply to all members of the team for the remainder of the match.

 

42.2.2.3.2 warn the offending player’s captain that any further Level 1 offence by any member of his/her team shall result in the award of 5 Penalty runs to the opposing team.

 

42.2.2.4 If the Level 1 offence follows an offence, at any Level, by that team, the umpire shall award 5 Penalty runs to the opposing team.

 

42.2.2.5 As soon as practicable the umpire shall call Play.

 

42.2.2.6 The umpires together shall report the occurrence as soon as possible after the match to the Executive of the offending player’s team and to any Governing Body responsible for the match, who shall take such further action as is considered appropriate against the captain, any other individuals concerned and, if appropriate, the team.

 

42.3 Level 2 offences and action by umpires

 

42.3.1    Any of the following actions by a player shall constitute a Level 2 offence:

– showing serious dissent at an umpire’s decision by word or action

– making inappropriate and deliberate physical contact with another player

– throwing the ball at a player, umpire or another person in an inappropriate and dangerous manner

– using language or gesture to another player, umpire, team official or spectator that, in the circumstances, is obscene or of a seriously insulting nature

– or any other misconduct, the nature of which is, in the opinion of the umpires, equivalent to a Level 2 offence.

 

42.3.2 If such an offence is committed, 42.3.2.1 to 42.3.2.6 shall be implemented.

 

42.3.2.1 The umpire shall call Time, if necessary.

 

42.3.2.2 Together the umpires shall summon and inform the offending player’s captain that an offence at this Level has occurred.

 

42.3.2.3 The umpire shall award 5 Penalty runs to the opposing team.

 

42.3.2.4 The umpire shall warn the offending player’s captain that any future Level 1 offence by any member of his/her team shall result in the award of 5 Penalty runs to the opposing team.

 

42.3.2.5 As soon as practicable the Umpire shall call Play.

 

42.3.2.6 The umpires together shall report the occurrence as soon as possible after the match to the Executive of the offending player’s team and to any Governing Body responsible for the match, who shall take such further action as is considered appropriate against the captain, any other individuals concerned and, if appropriate, the team.

 

42.4 Level 3 offences and action by umpires

 

42.4.1 Either of the following actions by a player shall constitute a Level 3 offence:

–   intimidating an umpire by language or gesture

–   threatening to assault a player or any other person except an umpire. See 42.5.1.

 

42.4.2 If such an offence is committed, 42.4.2.1 to 42.4.2.8 shall be implemented.

 

42.4.2.1 The umpire shall call Time, if necessary.

 

42.4.2.2 Together the umpires shall summon and inform the offending player’s captain that an offence at this Level has occurred.

 

42.4.2.3 The umpires shall direct the captain to remove the offending player immediately from the field of play for a period in accordance with the following:

 

42.4.2.3.1 In a match where the innings are not limited to a number of overs, the player shall be suspended from the field of play for 10 overs. Any balls remaining in the over in progress at the time of suspension shall not count towards the overs for which the player is suspended.

 

42.4.2.3.2 In a match where the innings are limited to a number of overs, the player shall be suspended for one fifth of the number of overs allocated to the current innings at its commencement. If, in calculating the length of the suspension, a part-over results, it shall be considered as a whole over. Any balls remaining in the over in progress at the time of suspension shall not count towards the overs for which the player is suspended.

 

42.4.2.3.3 If the offending player is a fielder, no substitute shall be allowed for him/her. The offending player may return to the field of play after serving the period of suspension and may bowl immediately.

 

42.4.2.3.4 If a bowler is suspended mid-over, then that over must be completed by a different bowler, who shall not have bowled the previous over nor shall he/she bowl the next over.

 

42.4.2.3.5 If the offending player is a not out batsman, he/she shall be replaced by another member of his/her team. The offending player may return to bat after having served the suspension only at the fall of a wicket. If no batsman is available to bat during a batsman’s suspension, the innings is completed.  If the offending player does not continue his/her innings for whatever reason, he/she is to be recorded as Retired – not out.

 

42.4.2.3.6 If the offending player is a dismissed member of the batting side, the period of suspension will not commence until the start of the next innings.  Furthermore, in these circumstances, the offending player may not act as a runner during the innings when he/she was suspended.

 

42.4.2.3.7 Warn the offending player’s captain that any future Level 1 offence shall result in the award of 5 Penalty runs to the opposing team.

 

42.4.2.3.8 Any overs remaining to be served from a suspension shall be carried forward to the next and subsequent innings of the match. A part over at the end of the innings shall not count towards the overs for which the player is suspended.

 

42.4.2.4 As soon as practicable, the umpire shall

• award 5 Penalty runs to the opposing team
• signal the Level 3 penalty to the scorers
• call Play.

 

42.4.2.5 The umpires together shall report the occurrence as soon as possible after the match to the Executive of the offending player’s team and to any Governing Body responsible for the match, who shall take such further action as is considered appropriate against the captain, any other individuals concerned and, if appropriate, the team.

 

42.5 Level 4 offences and action by umpires

 

42.5.1 Any of the following actions by a player shall constitute a Level 4 offence:

–            threatening to assault an umpire

–            making inappropriate and deliberate physical contact with an umpire

–            physically assaulting a player or any other person

–            committing any other act of violence.

 

42.5.2 If such an offence is committed, 42.5.2.1 to 42.5.2.5 shall be implemented.

 

42.5.2.1 The umpire shall call Time, if necessary.

 

42.5.2.2 Together the umpires shall summon and inform the offending player’s captain that an offence at this Level has occurred.

 

42.5.2.3 The umpires shall direct the captain to remove the offending player immediately from the field of play for the remainder of the match and shall apply the following:

 

42.5.2.3.1 If the offending player is a fielder, no substitute shall be allowed for him/her.  He/She is to be recorded as Retired – out at the commencement of any subsequent innings in which his/her team is the batting side.

 

42.5.2.3.2 If a bowler is suspended mid-over, then that over must be completed by a different bowler, who shall not have bowled the previous over nor shall be permitted to bowl the next over.

 

42.5.2.3.3 If the offending player is a batsman he/she is to be recorded as Retired – out in the current innings, unless he/she has been dismissed under any of Laws 32 to 39, and at the commencement of any subsequent innings in which his/her team is the batting side.  If no further batsman is available to bat, the innings is completed.

 

42.5.2.3.4 Warn the offending player’s captain that any future Level 1 offence shall result in the award of 5 Penalty runs to the opposing team.

 

42.5.2.4 As soon as practicable, the umpire shall

– award 5 Penalty runs to the opposing team

– signal the Level 4 penalty to the scorers

– call Play.

 

42.5.2.5 The umpires together shall report the occurrence as soon as possible after the match to the Executive of the offending player’s team and to any Governing Body responsible for the match, who shall take such further action as is considered appropriate against the captain, any other individuals concerned and, if appropriate, the team.

 

42.6 Captain refusing to remove a player from the field

 

42.6.1 If a captain refuses to carry out an instruction under 42.4.2.3 or 42.5.2.3, the umpires shall invoke Law 16.3 (Umpires awarding a match).

 

42.6.2 If both captains refuse to carry out instructions under 42.4.2.3 or 42.5.2.3 in respect of the same incident, the umpires shall instruct the players to leave the field.  The match is not concluded as in Law 12.9 (Conclusion of match) and there shall be no result under Law 16 (The result).

 

42.7 Additional points relating to Level 3 and Level 4 offences

 

42.7.1 If a player, while acting as wicket-keeper, commits a Level 3 or Level 4 offence, Law 24.1.2 (Substitute fielders) shall not apply, meaning that only a nominated player may act as wicket-keeper, even if another fielder becomes injured or ill and is replaced by a substitute.

 

42.7.2 A nominated player who has a substitute or has a runner will suffer a penalty for any Level 3 or Level 4 offence committed by that substitute or by that runner.

 

42.7.2.1 When the offence is committed by a substitute, the nominated player and substitute will each suffer the penalty defined in 42.4.2.3 or in 42.5.2.3 as appropriate. Only the substitute will be reported as in 42.4.2.5 or 42.5.2.5.

 

42.7.2.2 When the offence is committed by a runner, the batsman who has the runner and the runner will each suffer the penalty defined in 42.4.2.3 or in 42.5.2.3 as appropriate. The penalty for a Level 4 offence (42.5.2.3) will apply to the runner for the remainder of the match, but in only the current innings to the batsman for whom the runner acted.

 

 

Here I am going to put my money where your liver is. If there is anyone who actually read the above Law, start to finish, I will buy you a beer at the next Almanac lunch.

 

There is a couple of subtle points that need to be made. The MCC have done a good job of regulating play out on the field, by their stewardship of the Laws of the game, over a very long period, but here for the first time they have plunged into areas that should be addressed by individual association rules.  The next issue I have with this law is that it is prescriptive rather than descriptive, something that really annoys me.

 

Many years ago, the infection control for office practise of dentists was rewritten and I responded to the call from the government for community comment by simply saying that the march of technology is very quick so, “Mr Dental Board, be descriptive rather than prescriptive. Newer and better ways of doing things will arise”. Starcraft players will find new uses of infestors. Autoclaves will continue to advance.

 

I umpire in the Merks and we don’t have the level of poor behaviour that other association, largely  because we have umpires in all our games. What happens in all other associations is that below the top few grades the players have to umpire their games themselves. The behaviour in the lower games becomes feral and when these payers play in a higher grade they behave in the same way and the poor umpire is caught in the cross fire.

 

These sorts of regulations should be brought in by each association that feels they need them, rather than be a blanket Law. Law 42 is far too long and its prescriptive tone does not reflect the nuances that an experienced umpire will recognise. The MCC should butt out. We don’t need them in the Merks.

 

Yesterday I umpired with one of our new umpires, a really good one but the players will behave differently when he is at the bowler’s end. They will over appeal at the new umpire’s end and they generally know not to annoy me. I report teams for pressuring new umpires while the same behaviour aimed at me is like water off a duck’s back. These sorts of behaviours cannot be covered by a proscriptive set of regulations.

 

Physical matters: did he make his ground? Did he hit it? Did it carry? All these sorts of thing are simple matters of physical reality that do not have shades of meaning. Human behaviour, especially poor human behaviour, is a different kettle of fish.

 

To conclude

• the Law is ridiculously long
• the Law is not needed for all competitions
• the Law is prescriptive
• the Law requires me to carry a laminated ‘cheat sheet’ in my back pocket as I cannot be expected, in a heated on-field incident to remember is this is a Level 1/2/3/4.

 

I’m off for my annual Adelaide Test match (I’m a SACA member) where nothing will annoy me and I must look up the ICC regulations. I assume they have thrown law 42 out, something I hope the Merks do next year, which won’t annoy me at all.

 

 

The Tigers Almanac 2019 is out soon.
Order copies HERE.

 

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