The document summarizes changes between the 2000 and 2017 editions of The Laws of Cricket. Some key changes include reorganizing the laws into clearer groupings, updating language to be inclusive of all genders, adding restrictions to bat size, merging the "handled the ball" law into "obstructing the field", removing the "lost ball" law, allowing specially designed wicket mechanisms, and provisions for substitute fielders and penalties for unfair play like front-foot no balls.

1. Dr.R.Kalidasan
Assistant Professor (Selection Grade)
Department of Physical Education & Yoga
Bharathidasan University
Tiruchirappalli-620 024
The Laws of Cricket (2017 code)
8/14/2017 1The Laws of Cricket 2017

2. The Laws of Cricket
Earlier code - 1744, 1755, 1774 and 1786
MCC code 1788, 1835, 1884, 1947, 1980 and 2000
Now - The Laws of Cricket (2017 Code)
All the changes to the Laws of Cricket that will come
into effect around the world on 1 October 2017
Comparison between code 2000 and 2017
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3. The Laws of Cricket (2017 code)
Section (or) Grouping of Laws
S.No Laws Grouping
A 1 to 12 Setting up the game
B 13 to 16 Innings and Result
C 17 to 23 The Over, Scoring runs, Dead ball & Extras
D 24 to 28 Fielders & Substitutes. Batsmen & Runners.
Practice on the Field Wicket keeper
E 29 to 40 Appeals and Dismissals
F 41 to 42 Unfair play
2017 code also includes the
Preamble
Appendices8/14/2017 3The Laws of Cricket 2017

4. Previous Laws New Law Order
Law No Law Name Law No New Law name
Preamble The Spirit of Cricket Preamble The Spirit of Cricket
1. The players 1. The players
2. Substitutes and runners; batsman or
fielder leaving the field: batsman
retiring; batsman commencing innings
2. The Umpires
3. The Umpires 3. The Scorers
4. The Scorers 4. The ball
5. The ball 5. The bat
6. The bat 6. The pitch
7. The pitch 7. The creases
8. The wickets 8. The wickets
9. The bowling, popping and return
creases
9. Preparation and maintenance
of the playing area
10. Preparation and maintenance of
the playing area
10. Covering the pitch
11. Covering the pitch 11. Intervals
12. Innings 12. Start of play; cessation of play
A. Setting up the game (Laws 1 to 12)
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5. Previous Laws New Law Order
Law No Law Name Law No New Law name
13. The follow-on 13. Innings
14. Declaration and
forfeiture
14. The follow-on
15. Interval 15. Declaration and
forfeiture
16. Start of play; cessation
of play
16. The result
B. Innings and Result (Laws 13 to 16)
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6. Previous Laws New Law Order
Law No Law Name Law No New Law name
17. Practice on the field 17. The over
18. Scoring runs 18. Scoring runs
19. Boundaries 19. Boundaries
20. Lost ball 20. Dead ball
21. The result 21. No ball
22. The over 22. Wide ball
23. Dead ball 23. Bye and Leg bye
C. The Over, Scoring runs, Dead ball and Extras
(Laws 17 to 23)
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7. Previous Laws New Law Order
Law No Law Name Law No New Law name
24. No ball 24. Fielders’ absence;
Substitutes
25. Wide ball 25. Batsman’s innings; Runners
26. Bye and Leg bye 26. Practice on the field
27. Appeals 27. The wicket-keeper
28. The wickets is down 28. The fielder
D. Fielders and Substitutes. Batsmen and Runners. Practice on the Field. Wicket keeper
(Laws 24 to 28)
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8. Previous Laws New Law Order
Law No Law Name Law No New Law name
29. Batsman out of his ground 29. The wicket is down
30. Bowled 30. Batsman out of his/her ground
31. Timed out 31. Appeals
32. Caught 32. Bowled
33. Handled the ball 33. Caught
34. Hit the ball twice 34. Hit the ball twice
35. Hit wicket 35. Hit wicket
36. Leg before wicket 36. Leg before wicket
37. Obstructing the field 37. Obstructing the field
38. Run out 38. Run out
39. Stumped 39. Stumped
40. The wicket-keeper 40. Timed out
E. Appeals and Dismissals (Laws 29 to 40)
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9. Law No Previous Laws Law No New Law name
41. The fielder 41. Unfair play
42. Fair and unfair
play
42. Players’
conduct
F. Unfair play (Laws 41 & 42)
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10. Sl. No. Previous Law Sl. No. New Law
A Law 8 (The wickets) A Definitions and explanations of
words and phrases not defined in
the text
B Laws 7 (The pitch) and 9 (The
bowling, popping and return
creases)
B Law 5 (The bat)
C Wicket-keeping gloves C Laws 6 (The pitch) and 7 (The
creases)
D Definitions and explanations
of words and phrases not
defined in the text
D Law 8 (The wickets)
E Law 6 (The bat) E Wicket-keeping gloves
APPENDICES
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11. SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO THE 42 LAWS
The new Code of Laws is written in language
applying to all persons, regardless of gender.
The new Code includes an increased use of generic
nouns like ‘fielder’ and ‘bowler’ and uses ‘he/she’
when required, together with a broadened
disclaimer covering all genders.
The term ‘batsman’ remains, however.
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12. Level 1 Warning then 5 penalty runs to the opposition
for a repeat offence.
Level 2 5 Penalty runs to the opposition.
Level 3 Offending player is suspended for a number of
overs, depending on the length of the match, plus
5 Penalty runs to the opposition.
Level 4 Offending player is removed from the field for
the rest of the match, plus 5 Penalty runs to the
opposition
Law 42 – Players’ Conduct (New law)
Players’ misconduct / deteriorating levels of behaviour – 4 levels of offence
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13. 8/14/2017 The Laws of Cricket 2017 13
LAW 5 – The bat (previously Law 6)
Blade - wood
Overall length - shall not be more than 38”/96.5 cm
Width - shall not exceed 4.25 in/10.8 cm
Newly added restrictions on bat
•the thickness of the edges (40mm)
•the overall depth (67mm)

14. Previous Law 33 – Handled the ball
The Handled the ball Law has
been deleted, with its contents
merged into Obstructing the
field. (Law 37)
(reducing the list of dismissals
from 10 to 9)
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15. 8/14/2017 The Laws of Cricket 2017 15
LAW NO OUT WHO OUT BOWLER CREDIT
LAW 32 BOWLED Striker Yes
LAW 33 CAUGHT Striker Yes
LAW 34 HIT THE BALL TWICE Striker No
LAW 35 HIT WICKET Striker Yes
LAW 36 LEG BEFORE WICKET Striker Yes
LAW 37 OBSTRUCTING THE FIELD Either batsman No
LAW 38 RUN OUT Either batsman No
LAW 39 STUMPED Striker Yes
LAW 40 TIMED OUT Either batsman No

16. Previous Law 20 – Lost ball
The Lost ball Law has been
deleted and is now covered
under Dead ball.
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17. LAW 8 - THE WICKETS
Law 8.4 has been changed, to help
prevent injuries, to allow specially
designed mechanisms which tether
the bails to the stumps, thereby
restricting the distance that they can
fly off the stumps but without limiting
their ability to be dislodged.
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18. LAW 24 – Fielder’s absence; substitutes
(previously part of Law 2)
A substitute fielder may now act as a wicket-
keeper with the consent of the umpires.
It was felt that, if the original wicket-keeper
was genuinely injured, then a substitute
should be allowed to take over, but that the
umpires should control the situation to
prevent abuse.
A substitute still cannot bowl, bat or act as
captain.8/14/2017 18The Laws of Cricket 2017

19. LAW 25 – Batsman’s innings; runners
(previously part of Law 2)
These Laws have changed the concept of
Penalty time, which starts to accrue
immediately when a player leaves the
field and which will also now affect when
the player may bat.
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20. LAW 30 - Batsman out of his/her ground
(previously Law 29)
This law has been amended to give protection
to a running or diving batsman whose bat
bounces up after having been grounded
beyond the popping crease.
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21. LAW 41 - Unfair play (previously Law 42)
41.8 Bowling of deliberate front-foot No ball
The bowling of deliberate front foot
No balls, which will result in the
bowler being suspended from
bowling.
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