Cricket: MCC amends existing laws

An amended set of rules will give umpires the authority to send off players for serious disciplinary breaches according to the updated cricket laws by the MCC Cricket Committee. 

The amended rules will come into action from October 1, according to the MCC Cricket Committee, who met in Mumbai in December 2016.   

Among the new rules, umpires will have the authority to send players off for serious breaches of behaviour while restrictions will be laid on bat sizes.

The MCC has categorised new sanctions under four levels with the most serious, levels three and four, include temporarily or permanently removing a player from the game alongside a five-run penalty.

In addition the number of dismissals has been reduced from 10 to nine with 'handling the ball' being replaced as 'obstructing the field'.

Umpire sanctions under the new code

Level 1

Offences include excessive appealing and showing dissent at an umpire's decision. Following an official warning, a second Level 1 offence will result in five penalty runs being awarded to the opposing team.

Level 2

Offences (including throwing the ball at a player or making deliberate physical contact with an opponent during play), will result in the immediate awarding of five penalty runs to the opposing team.

Level 3

Offences (including intimidating an umpire or threatening to assault another player, team official or spectator) will result in five penalty runs and a removal of the offending player from the field for a set number of overs, depending on the format of the match.

Level 4

Offences (threatening an umpire or committing any act of violence on the field of play), will result in five penalty runs and the removal of the offending player for the remainder of the match. If the player is batting at the time of the offence, he/she will be recorded as 'retired out'.