Law Amendments 2003
The Laws had some minor changes at MCC
AGM in May 2003
to take effect in 1st September
2003.
A brief summary prepared by Acumen, who take no responsibility for
errors. Please follow the hotlinks shown to obtain the full official versions from MCC and ACU&S.
The Laws of Cricket will be amended with effect from 1st September 2003 (with certain exceptions such as the current English Season, which will be completed under the present Laws).
As a result of worldwide feedback to MCC about the 2000 Code of Laws, some minor changes and clarifications were made at the MCC SGM on 7th May 2003, which do have ripples throughout the Laws. In particular, the main change involves a refinement of the Law on penalty runs, to increase the consistency with which they are awarded.
There were anomalies especially if the penalty situation arose on the last ball of an innings. This has been resolved by the simple inclusion in Laws 2.6, 41.2, 42.4 and 42.5, following the award of penalty runs to the batting side, that an extra ball shall be bowled in that over.
Law 15.8 Anomalies in timing before the tea interval if 9 wickets are down is also clarified.
Law 17.1 A revised penalty, measured in time rather than overs, applies to players who practice on the field illegally.
Law 18.5 clarifies the warning and application of the Law about deliberate short runs to all subsequent batsmen.
Laws 18.9, 21.6 and 21.7 now allow penalties from the last ball to stand even if the match is otherwise completed and explain how to present the result.
The wording in Law 26.2 Leg Byes has been simplified and clarifies that the pad first touch bat second touch counts as runs to the striker.
Law 35 (Hit Wicket) has changed so that a Striker who puts his wicket down PRIOR to the bowler entering his delivery stride is no longer out.
Law 40.2 defines the webbing on Wicket-keeping gloves more closely.
Law 40.5 now requires the umpires to intervene if the wicket-keeper interferes with the striker’s right to play the ball by calling Dead Ball. It would appear that another ball will then be delivered. If the interference is deliberate, then additional provisions apply.
Law 42.5 introduces a novel concept that the batsmen may decide who will face the next delivery after they have been obstructed when running.
Law 42.6 & 42.7 appear to be improvements in wording rather than substance.
Law 42.17(b) is the crucial one allowing the award of penalty runs even though the match would have previously been considered complete under Law 21.6
Appendix D clarifies matters over which the umpires have jurisdiction and the time span during which their jurisdiction is to operate.
The official Press Release of 29 May 2003, can be found at http://www.lords.org/articles/ar0000000213.asp
Please do NOT rely on my brief summary above but do consult the full explanation of the changes as well as the exact amendments, which can be found at http://www.lords.org/cricket/pp0000000202.asp
The actual complete wording of the relevant Laws (with
the changes shown in italics, provided by Association of Cricket Umpires and
Scorers) can be found at
http://www-uk.cricket.org/link_to_database/SOCIETIES/ENG/ACUS/changes2003.pdf
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