Cricket’s Unique Rules: Cricket, often dubbed a game of uncertainties, never fails to surprise us with its intricate rules, some of which remain hidden in the shadows. While the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) rule book painstakingly details every aspect, there are some lesser-known rules that often escape our attention. Let’s delve into five of these intriguing cricket rules that many still remain unaware of
These 5 Cricket’s Unique rules that you probably don’t know about
1. Rules for Losing the Ball
In the modern era of explosive batsmen, losing the cricket ball is a common occurrence, particularly in the shortest formats. The likes of Chris Gayle, Andre Russell, AB de Villiers, and MS Dhoni send the ball soaring out of the stadium with towering sixes. When a ball is lost in such a scenario, the fielding team declares it a lost ball. In response, the umpire provides a replacement ball, which usually has a similar number of overs left as the previous one, and the game continues.
2. The Unique “No Appeal” Rule
You’ve probably witnessed instances when the ball nicks the edge of the bat and lands directly in the wicketkeeper’s gloves. However, due to the crowd noise, the umpire may miss the faint sound of the edge, resulting in the batsman not being declared out. Surprisingly, even if the batsman clearly edges the ball, the umpire cannot give them out unless the fielding team formally appeals for the wicket. If the fielding side refrains from appealing, the batsman remains not out, even if they were legitimately dismissed.
3. The Mankading Rule
Coined after Vinod Mankad’s dismissal of Australian batsman Bill Brown in 1947, this rule stipulates that the non-striker batsman can only leave their crease once the bowler delivers the ball. Although this rule exists, it is often seen as against the spirit of the game. Notably, Ravichandran Ashwin’s Mankading of Jos Buttler during the 2019 IPL sparked controversy, highlighting the divisive nature of this rule.
4. Rules for Injured Players Returning to the Field
In the past, players sometimes exploited the rule that allowed an injured player to be substituted. To combat this, new regulations were implemented. Now, a player must provide a valid reason to the umpire before leaving the field, and upon returning, they cannot bat or bowl for the same duration they were off the field. These measures discourage players from taking undue advantage of injury breaks.
5. The Ball Handling Rule
The rule regarding ball handling is an eternal topic of debate. If a batsman deliberately hits or stops the ball with their hand, the umpire has the authority to declare them out. However, it can be challenging to determine whether the batsman touched the ball intentionally or accidentally. Sometimes, a batsman uses their hand to shield themselves from a potentially painful impact, complicating the umpire’s decision-making process.
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