The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) on Wednesday announced its new Code of Laws for 2022, which will come into effect from 1 October this year.
There have been several significant changes in the same, including reframing laws for non-striker run-outs while backing up, and a permanent saliva ban.
Here, we explain some of the notable changes in the MCC Code of Laws that will come into effect:
Law 38.3 – Moving the running out of the non-striker
What’s the change?
Over the last few years, running out the non-striker by the bowler while he is trying to back up, which was also referred to as ‘Mankading’ has been a topic of several debates among experts, with many believing it to be against the ‘Spirit of Cricket’.
Mankading refers to the bowler running out the batter at the non-striker’s end “if the non-striker is out of his/her ground at any time from the moment the ball comes into play until the instant when the bowler would normally have been expected to release the ball”.
R Ashwin and Jos Buttler were involved in an argument after the latter got ‘Mankaded’. Sportzpics
Mankading, a term named after Vinoo Mankad who first effected such kind of dismissal during a series in Australia in 1947, has been in the laws of the game but in the unfair play section.
However, that will now change from October with the MCC now shifting it from Law 41 (Unfair Play) to Law 38 ( Run-out)
“Law 41.16 – running out the non-striker – has been moved from Law 41 (Unfair play) to Law 38 (Run out). The wording of the Law remains the same,” the MCC said on their website.
Why was the code of law changed?
It has been done to de-stigmatise non-striker run-outs. Fraser Stewart, the MCC’s head of the laws department, termed the dismissal as ‘legitimate’.
“It is a run-out but it has always been in the unfair play law and we questioned, why is it unfair?
“It is legitimate, it is a run-out and therefore it should live in the run-out section of the laws. Before this change, this was the only way you could be out that wasn’t in the dismissals section,” he told as per The Times news website.
The Indian Premier League (IPL) witnessed one of the most recent Mankading controversies when Punjab Kings’ Ashwin ran out Rajasthan Royals’ Jos Buttler in 2019.
Buttler was eventually given out and this caused a huge division of opinions among current and former cricketers. While the likes of Eoin Morgan and Dale Steyn slammed Ashwin, others like Sanjay Manjrekar and Harsha Bhogle backed the spinner, feeling that there was nothing wrong with it.
Law 41.3 – No saliva
Back in May 2020, key recommendations made by the ICC cricket committee included the ban of the usage of saliva to shine the ball. This was one of the measures taken ahead of the sport’s return amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Before the COVID-19 era, teams and bowlers used to apply saliva on the ball to help facilitate swing bowling.
“MCC’s research found that this had little or no impact on the amount of swing the bowlers were getting. Players were using sweat to polish the ball, and this was equally effective,” the MCC said. Image: AP
In 2020, banning saliva was a temporary measure amid the COVID-19 pandemic, but now the MCC Code of Laws states this as a permanent change.
Why have they made this a permanent change?
“The new Laws will not permit the use of saliva on the ball, which also removes any grey areas of fielders eating sugary sweets to alter their saliva to apply to the ball. Using saliva will be treated the same way as any other unfair methods of changing the condition of the ball,” the MCC said on their website.
Instead of saliva, players were allowed to use sweat to shine the ball, and that was equally effective, according to the MCC.
“MCC’s research found that this had little or no impact on the amount of swing the bowlers were getting. Players were using sweat to polish the ball, and this was equally effective,” the MCC said.
“It’s a matter of basic hygiene,” Fraser Stewart said.
“Banning saliva was part of regulations during Covid and we assessed it and there was little impact on how much the ball swings,” he added.
Law 18 – Batters returning when caught
With regards to a caught dismissal, the new batter will take his position at the striker’s end (unless it is the end of an over), regardless of the fact that the batters in the middle crossed before the catch was taken.
This was first trialled at last year’s The Hundred tournament in England, and come October, this rule will apply across all international matches.
“First trialled by the ECB in The Hundred at the suggestion of MCC, Law 18.11 has now been changed so that, when a batter is out Caught, the new batter shall come in at the end the striker was at, i.e. to face the next ball (unless it is the end of an over),” the MCC said.
What was the earlier law?
Earlier, if the two on-field batters managed to cross before the catch was taken, the new batter would begin from the non-striker’s end, unless it was the end of an over. But now that is set to change, with the new batter taking the position at the striker’s end, unless the dismissal happens at the end of the over.
The other changes recommended are:
Law 1: Replacement players
The replacement players will be treated “as if they were the player they replaced, inheriting any sanctions or dismissals that player has done in that match.”
Law 20.4.2.12: Dead ball
The amendment suggests that the calling of Dead ball takes into account “if either side is disadvantaged by a person, animal or other object within the field of play.”
“From a pitch invader to a dog running onto the field, sometimes there is outside interference if this is the case, and it has a material impact on the game, the umpires will call and signal Dead ball.”
Law 21.4 Bowler throwing at striker’s end before delivery
“If a bowler throws the ball in an attempt to run out the striker before entering their delivery stride, it will now be Dead ball. This is an extremely rare scenario, which has until now been called as a No ball.”
Law 22.1: Judging a Wide
The amendment takes into account the movement of a batter before the ball is bowled.
“It was felt unfair that a delivery might be called ‘Wide’ if it passes where the batter had stood as the bowler entered his/her delivery stride.
“Therefore, Law 22.1 has been amended so that a Wide will apply to where the batter is standing, where the striker has stood at any point since the bowler began their run up, and which would also have passed wide of the striker in a normal batting position.”
Law 25.8: Striker’s right to play the ball
“If the ball should land away from the pitch, the new Law 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.”
Laws 27.4 and 28.6: Unfair movement by fielding side
“Until now, any member of the fielding side who moved unfairly, was punished only with a Dead ball…Given the action is both unfair and deliberate, it will now see the batting side awarded 5 Penalty runs.”
With inputs from agencies
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