Let’s take a look at one of the severe laws related to penalty runs in cricket as mentioned in MCC Laws of Cricket. The majority of them are related to the “Spirit of the game”.Any violations of these laws are certainly going to grab a lot of attention and in particular, the behaviour of teams and players in the game. The incidents that have impacted the game are ball tampering, pitch tempering, running on the wicket, obstructing the batsmen etc.
Table of Contents
5 Penalty runs in Cricket
Deliberate short run
If umpires feel that one or both batters deliberately do not make an attempt to ground the bat to complete the run, the umpire concerned shall, when the ball is dead, call and signal a Short-run and inform the other umpire of what has occurred and apply law 18.5.2 in MCC Laws of Cricket.
18.5.2 The bowler’s end umpire shall
- – disallow all runs to the batting side
- – return any not out batter to his/her original end
- – signal No ball or Wide to the scorers, if applicable
- award 5 Penalty runs to the fielding side
- – award any other 5-run Penalty that is applicable except for Penalty runs under Law 28.3 (Protective helmets belonging to the fielding side)
- – inform the scorers as to the number of runs to be recorded
- – inform the captain of the fielding side and, as soon as practicable, the captain of the batting side of the reason for this action.
Player returning without permission (24.4)
If a player comes on to the field of play without informing umpires and comes into contact with the ball while it is in play, the ball shall immediately become dead.
– The umpire shall award 5 Penalty runs to the batting side.
– Runs completed by the batsmen shall be scored together with the run in progress if they had already crossed at the instant of the offence.
– The ball shall not count as one of the over.
– The umpire shall inform the other umpire, the captain of the fielding side, the batsmen and, as soon as practicable, the captain of the batting side of the reason for this action.
Practice on Outfield without approval of Umpires ? (26)
26.1 There shall not be any practice on the pitch at any time on any day of the match. And there shall not be any practice on the rest of the square at any time on any day of the match, except with the approval of the umpires.
If during the play if there is any violation of such rule Umpire will warn the player ( batter or bowler or fielder). During the match, if Umpire thinks there is a contravention, then the umpire shall
– award 5 Penalty runs to the opposing side;
– inform the other umpire, the scorers and, as soon as practicable, both captains, and, if the contravention is during play, the batsmen at the wicket.
28.2 Fielding the ball illegally ?
If a fielder illegally fields the ball, the ball shall immediately become dead and
- – the penalty for a No ball or a Wide shall stand.
- – any runs completed by the batsmen shall be credited to the batting side, together with the run in progress if the batsmen had already crossed at the instant of the offence.
- – the ball shall not count as one of the over.
- In addition, the umpire shall
- – award 5 Penalty runs to the batting side.
- – inform the other umpire and the captain of the fielding side of the reason for this action.
- – inform the batsmen and, as soon as practicable, the captain of the batting side of what has occurred.
Protective helmets belonging to the fielding side - 28.3
Protective helmets, when not in use by fielders, may not be placed on the ground, above the surface except behind the wicket-keeper and in line with both sets of stumps.
If the ball while in play strikes a helmet, then the umpire shall
- – permit the batsmen’s runs as in to be scored
- – signal No ball or Wide ball to the scorers if applicable
- – award 5 Penalty runs
- – award any other Penalty runs applicable.
Match Ball - Changing conditions. 41.3
If the umpires consider that the condition of the ball has been unfairly changed by a member or members of either side, they shall ask the captain of the opposing side if he/she would like the ball to be replaced. If necessary, in the case of the batting side, the batsmen at the wicket may deputise for their captain.
Regardless of whether a replacement ball has been chosen to be used, the bowler’s end umpire shall
– award 5 Penalty runs to the opposing side.
41.4 Deliberate attempt to distract striker
If the umpires considers that the condition of the ball to have been unfairly changed by the action by any player then, Umpire shall shall ask the captain of the opposing side if he/she would like the ball to be replaced. If necessary, in the case of the batting side, the batsmen at the wicket may deputies for their captain.
In such case, the Umpire shall
-award 5 Penalty runs to the opposing side.
41.5 Deliberate distraction, deception or obstruction of batter
It is unfair for any fielder wilfully to attempt, by word or action, to distract, deceive or obstruct either batter after the striker has received the ball.
If either umpire considers that a fielder has caused or attempted to cause such a distraction, deception or obstruction, Umpire shall immediately call and signal Dead ball and inform the other umpire of the reason for the call.
- Neither batsman shall be dismissed from that delivery.
The bowler’s end umpire shall award 5 Penalty runs to the batting side.
Time wasting by Fielding side - 41.9
It is unfair for a bowler to waste time. If either umpire considers that the progress of an over is unnecessarily slow, or time is being wasted in any other way, by the captain of the fielding side or by any other fielder, at the first instance the umpire concerned shall if the ball is in play, call and signal Dead ball.
– warn the captain of the fielding side, indicating that this is a first and final warning.
If either umpire considers that there is any further waste of time in that innings by any fielder, the umpire concerned shall if the ball is in play, call and signal Dead ball.
– inform the other umpire of what has occurred.
The bowler’s end umpire shall then either if the waste of time is not during an over, award 5 Penalty runs to the batting side and inform the captain of the fielding side of the reason for this action or, if the waste of time is during the course of an over, direct the captain of the fielding side to suspend the bowler immediately from bowling.
Time wasting by Batter - 41.10
It is unfair for a batsman to waste time. In normal circumstances, the striker should always be ready to take strike when the bowler is ready to start his/her run-up. At the first instance, Umpire shall warn batters, the fielding side and the batting team captain about the instance.
During the inning, if there is any further time wasting by any batter in that innings, the umpire shall, after the ball is dead shall award 5 Penalty runs to the fielding side.
The umpire shall inform the other umpire of the reason for this action.
Fielder damaging the pitch - 41.12
It is unfair to cause deliberate or avoidable damage to the pitch. A fielder will be deemed to be causing avoidable damage if either umpire considers that the fielder’s presence on the pitch is without a reasonable cause.
If a fielder causes avoidable damage to the pitch, caution the captain of the fielding side and indicate that this is a first and final warning. This warning shall apply throughout the innings.
If, in that innings, there is any further instance of avoidable damage to the pitch, by any fielder, when the ball is dead, inform the other umpire and the bowler’s end umpire shall then
– award 5 Penalty runs to the batting side.
Batter damaging the pitch - 41.14
It is unfair to cause deliberate or avoidable damage to the pitch. If the striker enters the protected area in playing or playing at the ball, he/she must move from it immediately thereafter.
A batsman will be deemed to be causing avoidable damage if either umpire considers that his/her presence on the pitch is without reasonable cause.
At the first instance, bowler’s end umpire shall warn both batters about it. If there is further instance during the game, umpire then the bowler’s end umpire shall
- – disallow all runs to the batting side
- – return any not out batsman to his/her original end
- – signal No ball or Wide to the scorers if applicable.
- – award 5 Penalty runs to the fielding side.
Striker in protected area - 41.15
Let’s understand what is the protected area on the pitch.
Protected area
The protected area is defined as that area of the pitch contained within a rectangle bounded at each end by imaginary lines parallel to the popping creases and 5 ft/1.52 m in front of each, and on the sides by imaginary lines, one each side of the imaginary line joining the centres of the two middle stumps, each parallel to it and 1 ft/30.48 cm from it.
Batter stealing a run - 41.17
It is unfair for the batter to attempt to steal a run during the bowler’s run-up. Unless the bowler attempts to run out either batsman –(famously called Mankading)– the umpire shall
- – call and signal Dead ball as soon as the batsmen cross in such an attempt.
- – inform the other umpire of the reason for this action.
- The bowler’s end umpire shall then
- – return the batsmen to their original ends.
- – award 5 Penalty runs to the fielding side.
- – award any other 5 run Penalty that is applicable, except for Penalty runs under Law 28.3 (Protective helmets belonging to the fielding side).
– inform the batsmen, the captain of the fielding side and, as soon as practicable, the captain of the batting side, of the reason for this action.
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When 5 Penalty runs are awarded to the batting side,
– they shall be scored as Penalty extras and shall be in addition to any other penalties.
– they are awarded when the ball is dead and shall not be regarded as runs scored from either the immediately preceding delivery or the immediately following delivery, and shall be in addition to any runs from those deliveries.
– the batsmen shall not change ends solely by reason of the 5 run penalty.
Restriction on the striker’s runner (25.7 )
Striker’s runner must-have part of his/her person or bat grounded behind the popping crease until the ball reaches the striker or passes the popping crease, whichever is the sooner.
If the runner fails to do so then Umpire shall delay the signal of the dead ball to allow the opportunity for a run or catch to be completed. The bowler’s end umpire shall
- disallow all runs to the batting side
- return any not out batsman to his/her original end.
- award any 5-run Penalty that is applicable except for Penalty runs under Law 28.3 (Protective helmets belonging to the fielding side).
In all of the situations, the umpires together shall report the occurrence as soon as possible after the match to the Executive of the offending side and to any Governing Body responsible for the match.
They shall take such action as is considered appropriate against the captain, any other individuals concerned and, if appropriate, the team.
Need to more about NO ball in Cricket ? : check the article here.
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