Ask the Laws Department: VI (Illegal fielding)

MCC are the Guardians of the Laws of cricket.

In conjunction with Wisden Cricketer - the sixth 'Ask the Laws Department' tackles the issue of illegal fielding.

Cap in hand and other aids

Discarded equipment can lead to penalty runs being incurred Even leading internationals make basic mistakes that cost runs.

During the fourth Test between India and Australia at Nagpur last year, Australia’s wicketkeeper Brad Haddin threw one of his gloves at the ball once he realised it was out of the reach of his dive.

The glove hit the ball and, correctly, the umpires recognised this as an act of illegal fielding and awarded five penalty runs to India.

There is often confusion among cricketers as to what
constitutes illegal fielding. A common misconception, for
example, is that five penalty runs should be awarded if the ball strikes a fielder’s sunhat, which has accidentally fallen from his head.

Law 41.2 says: "A fielder may field the ball with any part of his person but if, while the ball is in play, he wilfully fields it otherwise... the ball shall become dead and five penalty runs shall be awarded to the batting side.

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

MCC’s Open Learning Manual clarifies, in some detail, this area of Law as follows:

"‘Wilfully’ is a key word in Law 41.2. Unfortunately it does not have a single simple interpretation.

"The umpire has to recognise different degrees of wilfulness, according to the situation. If a fielder’s cap falls off and the ball touches it, the Law has not been broken and the ball remains in play.

Ensure that hat's on firmly Mr. Panesar! "The same would be true of a pair of spectacles or any other item (difficult to imagine) capable of falling off, except the fielder’s helmet.

"If, however, he had pushed his cap off, or had taken off a sweater, even though he may not deliberately manoeuvre the object to intercept the ball, because he had removed it deliberately he is to be considered as wilfully fielding the ball otherwise than with his person.

"A helmet is to be considered differently. If the ball hits a helmet not being worn, whether it has fallen off or been taken off, it is to be considered that the ball has been fielded unfairly.

"In applying penalties for the unfair fielding, items of ‘clothing’ are to be regarded as carrying a slightly lower degree of wilfulness than helmets.

"If the ball accidentally touches an item of clothing (not a helmet), which has fallen off there has been no breach of Law. The ball remains in play.

"If the ball accidentally touches an item of clothing that has been consciously taken off or a helmet, irrespective of how it has been removed, the ball has been unfairly fielded within the terms of Law 41.3.

"The ball becomes dead, a five-run penalty is awarded but no report is to be made."

Ask the umpire
- with MCC Laws sub-committee

Part of this bowler's front foot is clearly behind the popping crease "I bowl right-arm over and when I release the ball my toes are over the popping crease and my heel is behind the crease but is in the air.

"My heel does land behind the line once I have completed my action. Is this a no-ball? My teammates say it should be but I don’t often get called by umpires."

- Rick Eustace, Chessington

MCC says:

That is not a no-ball.

Law 24.5(ii) says: "The bowler’s front foot must land with some part of the foot, whether grounded or raised, behind the popping crease."

Although you say your heel is grounded after completing your action, it does not have to be grounded at any time for the ball to be legal.

As long as, at the instant your foot lands, your raised
heel is behind the popping crease, the front-foot requirement for a lawful delivery is met.