9 New significant changes in Laws of Cricket from Oct 2022. Bans Saliva on ball and Mankading moves under Runout law.

MCC announced 8 new codes in LAWS of Cricket for 2022. The most significant change is moving the mankading from unfair play to runout Law.

The changes suggested by the MCC laws sub-committee for the 2022 code were approved and will come into force from October 1, 2022. The alterations to the Laws of Cricket in October 2017 were the most significant made for almost two decades.

New Code in Laws of cricket from Oct 2022

1. Player replacement. New clause 1.3 in laws of cricket explains that replacements are to be treated as if they were the players they replaced inheriting any sanctions or dismissal that the player has done in that match.
2. Law 18: Batter crossing when caught: As per the new law, when a batter is caught, is new batter shall face the next unless it is the end of an over.
3. Dead ball: If either side is disadvantaged by a person, animal or other object within the field of play, Umpire will call and signal Dead ball,
4. ( No ball to Dead ball ) : If a Bowler throws towards striker’s end before delivery in order to get him out, Umpire shall call and signal Dead ball. previously it was called as No ball.
5. Judging a Wide ball : In simplest wording, irrespective of batters position, if umpire judges ball has wide of the striker in a normal batting position, umpire call and signal wide.
6. Striker’s right to play the ball : If the ball should land away from the pitch, the new Law 25.8 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.
7. 5 run penalty : Unfair movement by the fielding side Until now, any member of the fielding side who moved unfairly, was punished only with a ‘Dead ball’ – potentially cancelling a perfectly good shot by the batter. Given the action is both unfair and deliberate, it will now see the batting side awarded 5 Penalty runs.
8. Mankading move from Unfair play to Runout law : Running out the non-striker (widely knowns mankading) – has been moved from Law 41 (Unfair play) to Law 38 (Run out). This hopefully will end debate of spirit of cricket and fair play.
9. No saliva on match ball: Players are not permitted to use of saliva on the ball. however they can use Sweat to polish the ball. If umpires are brought to notice of bowlers using saliva, Umpire shall replace the ball and award 5 runs to batting side as a penalty to Fielding side.

Law 1 – Replacement players

The introduction of a new clause, Law 1.3, in the laws of cricket explains that replacements are to be treated as if they were the player they replaced, inheriting any sanctions or dismissals that the player has done in that match.

Law 18 – Batters returning when Caught

First trialled by the ECB in The Hundred at the suggestion of MCC, Law 18.11 in laws of cricket 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).

Law 20.4.2.12 – Dead ball

The new edition sees several changes to the Dead ball Law, the most significant of which is the calling of Dead ball 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 22.1 – Judging a Wide

In the modern game, batters are, more than ever, moving laterally around the crease 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. 

Laws 27.4 and 28.6 – Unfair movement by the fielding side

Until now, any member of the fielding side who moved unfairly was punished only with a ‘Dead ball’ – potentially cancelling a good shot by the batter. Given that the action is both unfair and deliberate, the batting side will now be awarded 5 Penalty runs.

Law 41.3 – No saliva

When cricket resumed following the onset of Covid-19, playing conditions were written in most forms of the game, stating that applying saliva to the ball was no longer permitted. 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, which was equally effective.

The new Laws of cricket will not permit the use of saliva on the ball, which 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 method of changing the ball’s condition.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/XoXiE3AV8L4

At the club level, some of these new cricket rules will undoubtedly help umpires control the games better in the middle.

Full version of the new 2022 Code of Laws changes: here.

MCC announcement