Rules
The laws that shape every decision on the field. 1,207 guides, page 11 of 26.
Run-Out in Cricket: Complete Rules, Types, and Responsibilities
Everything about run-outs in cricket — what counts as a run-out, the role of the popping crease, backing-up run-outs (Mankad), and the most famous dismissals.
Read explainerBall Tracking in Cricket DRS: How Hawk-Eye Works and Its Limits
How ball-tracking technology works in cricket's Decision Review System — the Hawk-Eye system, projection accuracy, umpire's call zones, and what the tech can and cannot determine.
Read explainerThe 1960 Tied Test: Cricket's Rarest Result Explained
The 1960 Brisbane Test between Australia and West Indies ended in a tie — the first tied Test in history. Learn about cricket's rarest match result, how it happened, and the only other tied Test.
Read explainerDRS History: How the Decision Review System Changed Cricket
The Decision Review System (DRS) was introduced in 2009 and has fundamentally changed cricket umpiring. Learn about DRS's introduction, how Hawkeye works, the controversy it caused, and how it's used today.
Read explainerPink Ball Day-Night Tests: How They Differ from Traditional Tests
Day-night Tests use a pink ball instead of a red one and are played under floodlights. Learn about the differences in swing, conditions, and scheduling, and how the pink ball has changed Test cricket.
Read explainerFollow-On in Test Cricket Explained
The follow-on is a rule in Test cricket where a team with a large first-innings deficit can be asked to bat again immediately. Learn what the lead threshold is, when captains enforce it, and famous follow-on collapses.
Read explainerCricket Ball Types: Dukes, Kookaburra, and SG Compared
Three different manufacturers supply cricket balls for international cricket — Dukes (England), Kookaburra (Australia/overseas), and SG (India). Each behaves differently and affects bowling and batting strategy.
Read explainerBoundaries in Cricket: 4s, 6s, and How They're Scored
A boundary in cricket scores four or six runs without the batters running. Learn the rules that determine a four vs a six, the boundary rope placement, and records for most sixes in a match and career.
Read explainerDoes the Pink Ball Swing More? Cricket's Day-Night Test Science
The pink ball was introduced for day-night Tests in 2015. It behaves differently to the traditional red ball — swinging earlier but deteriorating faster. Learn the science and why the twilight session is so dangerous for batters.
Read explainerHow a Cricket Bat Is Made: Willow and Craft
Cricket bats are made from English willow or Kashmir willow, shaped by skilled craftsmen to precise specifications. Learn how a bat is manufactured, graded, and prepared before use in professional cricket.
Read explainerWalking in Cricket: The Honour Code Explained
Walking — when a batter leaves the crease without waiting for an umpire's decision — is one of cricket's most discussed honour codes. Learn why some players walk and others don't, and what it means for the game.
Read explainerCricket Powerplay Rules
Powerplays in cricket restrict where fielders can stand and are decisive moments in T20 and ODI matches. This complete guide covers all fielding restriction rules with examples.
Read explainerDRS Explained: How the Decision Review System Works in Cricket
The Decision Review System (DRS) lets teams challenge umpire calls. Learn how ball-tracking, UltraEdge, HotSpot, and review limits work in cricket.
Read explainerCricket Bat Rules: Size, Weight, and Material Specifications
Learn the official rules governing cricket bats — maximum dimensions, the 38mm edge rule, material regulations, and what's changed since the Spirit of Cricket debates.
Read explainerCricket Helmet: History, Rules and Safety Evolution
Cricket helmets were not standard until the late 1970s. Learn how helmet design evolved, the current safety standards, and what rules govern when a helmet must be worn.
Read explainerThe Toss in Cricket: Why the Coin Flip Can Decide a Match
The coin toss decides which team bats or bowls first. In certain conditions — wet pitches, extreme heat, dusty tracks — the toss can give one team a massive advantage. Learn why and when it matters.
Read explainerLBW in Cricket: The Complete Guide to Leg Before Wicket
LBW (Leg Before Wicket) is one of cricket's most debated laws. Learn every condition required for an LBW dismissal, the exceptions, and how DRS changed LBW decisions forever.
Read explainerCaught Dismissals in Cricket: Behind, Slip, Gully and More
Being caught is the most common wicket in cricket. Learn the different types of caught dismissals — behind, slip, gully, outfield — and the rules around fair catches.
Read explainerObstructing the Field and Hit the Ball Twice in Cricket
Two of cricket's rarest dismissals — obstructing the field and hit the ball twice. Learn the conditions, the famous instances, and why they are almost never seen at international level.
Read explainerBouncers in Cricket: Rules, Danger and the Bodyline Controversy
A bouncer is a fast, short-pitched delivery aimed at the batter's body or head. Learn the laws governing bouncers, the 2-per-over limit, famous bouncer battles, and the Bodyline series.
Read explainerThe Fielding Captain's Role Explained
The captain leads the fielding team's strategy — setting fields, rotating bowlers, and making split-second tactical decisions. This guide explains what the captain controls and why captaincy is cricket's most complex leadership role.
Read explainerNeutral Umpires in Cricket Explained
Neutral umpires from non-playing countries were introduced to eliminate home bias in cricket. This guide covers the history of biased umpiring, why neutral umpires were introduced, and how DRS changed the debate.
Read explainerCricket No Ball Explained
A no ball is an illegal delivery in cricket — it results in a free hit in limited-overs cricket and cannot dismiss the batter in most ways. This guide covers every type of no ball and its consequences.
Read explainerDuckworth-Lewis-Stern Method Explained
The Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method recalculates rain-affected targets in limited-overs cricket. This guide explains the logic behind DLS, how targets change, and why it replaced earlier rain rules.
Read explainerCricket Overthrows Explained
Overthrows in cricket occur when a fielder's throw misses the stumps and the ball runs loose, allowing extra runs. This guide covers overthrow rules, the famous 2019 World Cup boundary overthrow, and how they are scored.
Read explainerCaught Out in Cricket Explained
Caught is the most common mode of dismissal in cricket. This guide covers the laws of caught dismissals, edge catches, outfield catches, and the DRS review process for disputed catches.
Read explainerCricket Stumped Out Explained
A stumping is one of cricket's rarest dismissals — the wicketkeeper breaking the stumps when a batter is out of their crease but not attempting a run. This guide covers when stumpings happen, famous stumpings, and the law.
Read explainerComplete Cricket Fielding Positions Guide
Cricket has over 40 named fielding positions. This comprehensive guide covers every position — from slip to square leg to long-on — with descriptions of where each player stands and why.
Read explainerRain and Bad Light in Cricket Explained
Rain and bad light regularly interrupt cricket matches. This guide covers what happens when play stops, the DLS method, minimum overs for a result, and why weather can determine match outcomes.
Read explainerCricket DRS LBW Decision Explained
How does DRS adjudicate LBW decisions in cricket? Understand ball-tracking, impact zone, umpire's call, and the full DRS LBW process.
Read explainerCricket Run Out and Stumping Explained
Understand the difference between a run out and a stumping in cricket — the rules, the roles of keeper and fielders, and famous examples.
Read explainerCricket Technology: Hot Spot, Hawk-Eye, and UltraEdge Explained
How do the key DRS technologies work? Understand Hot Spot, Hawk-Eye ball-tracking, and UltraEdge Snickometer in cricket's review system.
Read explainerCricket Speed Gun and Radar Technology Explained
How is bowling speed measured in cricket? Understand how speed guns and radar technology work, typical bowling speed ranges, and famous speed records.
Read explainerCricket Ground Safety and Crowd Management Explained
How do cricket grounds manage crowds, ensure player safety, and handle pitch invasions and security incidents during matches?
Read explainerCricket Anti-Doping and Integrity Explained
How does cricket handle doping, match fixing, and integrity violations? Understand WADA compliance, the ICC Anti-Corruption Unit, and player obligations.
Read explainerHawk-Eye Technology in Cricket: Ball-Tracking, DRS, and Pitch Maps Explained
Hawk-Eye is the ball-tracking system at the heart of cricket's Decision Review System — used to predict ball trajectories for LBW reviews, generate pitch maps, and enhance broadcast graphics.
Read explainerCricket Laws Changes 2022: MCC's Key Updates and What They Mean
The MCC updated the Laws of Cricket in 2022 with significant changes including ball-tampering rules, handling the ball, timed out, and the Mankad dismissal.
Read explainerSecond Innings Strategy in Test Cricket: Setting and Chasing
How teams approach the second innings in Test cricket — declaration tactics, time-based targets, follow-on decisions, and how conditions change across a five-day match.
Read explainerTest Cricket Session Structure: How a Five-Day Match Is Organised
Test cricket is divided into three sessions per day across up to five days. Learn how the day is structured, what happens in each session, and why session momentum matters.
Read explainerPowerplay Strategies in Cricket: Attack, Accumulate, and Defend
How teams use the powerplay in T20 and ODI cricket — the different strategies batters and captains employ, from ultra-aggressive opening to careful accumulation.
Read explainerCricket Powerplay
A complete guide to cricket's powerplay rules across all formats — how they evolved, what fielding restrictions mean, and how teams exploit them tactically.
Read explainerCricket Net Run Rate
A complete explanation of Net Run Rate (NRR) in cricket — how it is calculated, how it affects tournament standings, and famous cases where NRR decided qualification.
Read explainerThe Two New Balls Rule in ODI Cricket Explained
How the two new balls rule works in ODI cricket — when it was introduced, why it changed the game, and its impact on bowling and batting strategy.
Read explainerCricket Over Rate Rules and Penalties Explained
How over rate rules work in cricket — required rates per hour, penalties for slow over rates, and how teams and match referees manage this contentious area.
Read explainerDRS in Cricket
How the Decision Review System (DRS) works in cricket — the technology involved, review limits, Umpire's Call, and how DRS has changed the game.
Read explainerLBW in Cricket: The Complete Law Explained
A thorough guide to the LBW law — what counts, what does not, how the umpire decides, and what DRS changed about leg-before-wicket decisions.
Read explainerFive-Wicket Hauls in Cricket: Records, History, and Greatest Performances
A five-wicket haul — taking five wickets in a single innings — is the bowler's equivalent of a century. Learn what it means, who holds the records, and which performances stand out across Test, ODI, and T20 cricket.
Read explainer10 Wickets in a Test Match: Cricket's Greatest Bowling Achievement
Taking 10 or more wickets across both innings of a Test match is the pinnacle of bowling. Learn how the feat works, who has achieved it most often, and which performances stand out in cricket history.
Read explainerRules — Cricket Guides
The Laws of Cricket are maintained by the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) and have governed the game since 1744. Understanding them separates a casual viewer from someone who truly follows what is happening on the field.
The most debated law in cricket is Law 36 — Leg Before Wicket (LBW). A batter is out LBW when the ball hits their body (not the bat) and the umpire judges it would have gone on to hit the stumps, provided the ball pitched in line or outside off stump, and the batter was not playing a shot outside their leg stump. The introduction of the Decision Review System (DRS) has made LBW decisions far more accurate: ball-tracking technology predicts the ball's path with sub-centimetre precision, and 'Umpire's Call' retains the on-field decision when the ball is clipping the stumps rather than hitting them full.
Fielding restrictions shape the scoring patterns of every limited-overs match. In an ODI, Powerplay 1 (overs 1–10) restricts the fielding team to two fielders outside the 30-yard circle, creating an open outfield that rewards early aggression. Batting Powerplay (the optional five overs, typically taken in the middle) can be used strategically to attack a weakened bowling spell. In T20Is the first six overs are mandatory Powerplay with only two fielders outside the circle. These restrictions evolved to encourage higher scoring and make limited-overs cricket more watchable — and the data shows run rates in the first six overs of a T20I now average above 9 per over at the highest level.
The free hit rule, introduced to penalise no-balls, awards the batter a delivery from which they cannot be dismissed by any fielded method — only a run-out or handling the ball applies. In T20Is, a front-foot no-ball typically costs 2–3 additional runs (the extras plus the free-hit delivery) when a batter capitalises. The wide rule differs by format: in Tests, a ball must be genuinely out of reach to be called wide; in T20Is the umpire stands closer to the stumps when calling wides, meaning straighter deliveries are penalised even if the batter could theoretically reach them. These rules, and dozens more, are covered in depth across this collection of 1,200+ guides.
Rare dismissals — handled ball, hit the ball twice, timed out, obstructing the field — appear occasionally at all levels and cause confusion even among experienced fans. The DRS protocol, the no-ball review process (now referred to the third umpire), ball-change procedures, the follow-on threshold (200 runs in Tests, 150 in five-day matches), and the Mankad (non-striker run-out pre-delivery) all feature in detail across the guides in this section. Whether you want to settle a pub argument about whether a batter can be given out obstructing the field for accidentally deflecting a return throw, or understand exactly when a match referee can intervene, you will find the answer here.
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