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The Laws of Cricket

MCC are the custodians of the Laws of Cricket and are responsible for the debating, decision making and drafting of the Laws.

Custodians of the Laws

One of MCC’s most important roles, which it has carried out since the Club’s formation in 1787, is its custodianship of the Laws of Cricket.

Although the International Cricket Council is the global Governing Body for cricket, it still relies on MCC to write and interpret the Laws of Cricket, which are applicable from the village green to the Test arena.

MCC's Laws sub-committee are responsible for the debating, decision making and drafting of the Laws, which are - in turn - passed by MCC's Main Committee, retaining a robust and measured decision-making process.

Certain levels of cricket are subject to playing regulations, which may create subtle differences to the Laws themselves. This is most high profile at international level, where the ICC applies playing conditions which can cause some confusion at lower levels of the game.

Download the Laws

The Laws of cricket are available in a number of languages, alongside English. These are available to view and download below.

These laws are produced in conjunction with the ICC (International Cricket Council) and the subjective nations of the translation - therefore their accuracy cannot be guaranteed.

LAW ON NON-STRIKERS LEAVING THEIR GROUND EARLY

Following a change to this Law in January 2023, a document that addresses the most frequently asked questions about this Law, and MCC’s stance on the running out of non-strikers is available below.

eLearning

MCC’s eLearning programme on the Laws of Cricket uses photos, videos and animations to help explain what can be a complicated subject. 

It concentrates on the teaching of Laws knowledge and can be accessed in two ways, both of which are free of charge. 

For a more engaging experience, you can click on the “learn more” link below.  This will enable your progress through the training modules to be tracked, so you can pick up where you left off.  It also enables you to take a ‘basic’ or ‘intermediate’ level exam and provides a certificate with your score, which you can share with friends or pass to your local officials’ association as proof of your competence.

Learn More

THE LAWS OF CRICKET

Official Book
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Concussion Education

MCC has launched a new eLearning module designed to educate about concussion in cricket. 

It is intended for everyone involved in the game, but specifically aimed at the grass roots level of the sport. This includes players, coaches, umpires and other officials.

It covers what signs and symptoms to look out for if a player is concussed, what course of action to take and how to manage the game from a Laws and regulations point of view, whilst also aiming to retain the Spirit of Cricket.

It also stresses that not only batter are at risk of concussion, but wicketkeepers, bowlers and fielders too.

Learn More

Mobile App

MCC Official Laws of Cricket App
MCC’s Official Laws of Cricket App, available on Android and IOS. The app includes:

- The complete Laws of the game of cricket.
- Detailed guides and examples.
- Animated Video guides for the most common Law queries
- Videos of all umpire signals.
- The Laws of Cricket quiz, with three levels of difficulty.

All 42 Laws are presented in an easy to understand manner with 15 of them given greater focus by means of animations, presented by cricket enthusiast Stephen Fry. Videos of the umpiring signals complete the picture to help you understand what’s happening on the field of play.

Download IOS  
Download Android

 

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