Rules
The laws that shape every decision on the field. 1,207 guides, page 22 of 26.
Attacking vs Defensive Field Placements in Cricket: Close Catchers, Boundary Riders, and T20 Restrictions
A cricket captain's choice of fielding positions communicates the bowling strategy: attacking fields use close catchers (slips, gully, short leg) to take advantage of edges and create pressure; defensive fields use boundary riders to protect against big shots. Against spin bowling, fields differ from pace bowling — with more close catchers on the on side. T20 and ODI cricket impose mandatory fielding restrictions (powerplay rules) that limit boundary fielders in the first and last overs, forcing captains to balance risk at specific phases of play.
Read explainerSpin Bowling Types Explained: Off-Spin, Leg-Spin, Left-Arm Orthodox and Chinaman
A complete guide to the four main types of spin bowling in cricket — off-spin, leg-spin, left-arm orthodox and the Chinaman — covering grip, wrist action and direction of turn.
Read explainerHow to Read Spin Bowling: Foot Movement, Hand Reading and DRS LBW Decisions
Master the techniques batters use to pick spin bowling — from reading the googly out of the hand to front-foot vs back-foot strategy and why spin LBW decisions under DRS remain so controversial.
Read explainerRare Cricket Dismissals Explained: Timed Out, Hit the Ball Twice, Retired Out and Retired Hurt
A guide to cricket's rarest dismissals — timed out, hit the ball twice, obstructing the field, and the important difference between retired out and retired hurt under the Laws of Cricket.
Read explainerOver Rate Rules in Cricket: Minimum Requirements, Penalties, and Match Impact
Everything you need to know about over rate rules in cricket — the minimum 15 overs per hour requirement in Tests, how slow over-rate penalties work (fines, match bans), and why over rate affects Test match results.
Read explainerFree Hit in Cricket: Rules, History, and Why It Was Introduced in T20s
A complete guide to the free hit rule in cricket — when it applies after a no-ball, dismissal methods allowed on a free hit, fielding restrictions during it, and the history of its introduction in T20 cricket in 2007.
Read explainerDay-Night Test Cricket: Pink Ball Behavior, Adelaide 2015, and Floodlit Tests
How day-night Test cricket works — why the pink ball behaves differently from the red ball, the first day-night Test in Adelaide in 2015, which stadiums have floodlights, and whether floodlit Tests are changing the game.
Read explainerWeather and Cricket: Duckworth-Lewis-Stern, Covered Pitches, and Rain Rules
How weather affects cricket — the history of uncovered versus covered pitches, the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method for rain-interrupted limited-overs matches, and why modern weather forecasting has changed how teams prepare.
Read explainerHit Wicket Dismissal: The Rarest Way to Get Out in Cricket Explained
The hit wicket dismissal in cricket — the rare rule that allows a batter to be given out for dislodging the stumps with their bat or body, the famous examples including Sachin Tendulkar, and the specific conditions under which hit wicket applies.
Read explainerRun Out in Cricket: Complete Rules, Famous Instances, and the Run-Out vs Stumped Distinction
A complete guide to run-out dismissals in cricket — how they differ from stumping, the direct hit and throw-down method, the most famous run-outs in World Cup history, and the specific Laws governing which batter is out in a crossing situation.
Read explainerCricket Umpires Explained: On-Field, Third Umpire, and Match Referee Roles
The complete guide to cricket umpiring — the responsibilities of the two on-field umpires, the third umpire's role in DRS review, the match referee's authority, and the famous umpires who shaped the game.
Read explainerDRS Explained: How the Decision Review System Works, Its Technology, and Its Controversies
A complete guide to cricket's Decision Review System — ball-tracking, HotSpot, Snickometer, how teams use reviews, the umpire's call ruling, and the ongoing debates about DRS accuracy and fairness.
Read explainerCricket Powerplay Rules Explained: Field Restrictions, Mandatory Powerplays, and How They Shape Limited-Overs Matches
The complete guide to cricket powerplay rules — how mandatory and batting powerplays work in ODIs and T20s, why field restrictions were introduced, and how modern batting strategies have evolved around them.
Read explainerMankading: Cricket's Most Controversial Dismissal Explained
The complete guide to Mankading — the dismissal named after Vinoo Mankad, how it works under cricket law, when it is and isn't legal, and the ongoing debate about whether it's unsportsmanlike or entirely legitimate.
Read explainerDuckworth-Lewis-Stern Method Explained: How Rain Rules Work in Cricket
A clear explanation of the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method — why cricket needed a rain rule, how it calculates revised targets, its history from Frank Duckworth and Tony Lewis, and the controversies it still generates.
Read explainerCricket's Follow-On Rule Explained: When It's Applied, Strategy Decisions, and Famous Cases
A complete guide to cricket's follow-on rule — when a team is made to bat again immediately after their first innings, the lead required to enforce it, and the famous strategic decisions about whether to enforce it.
Read explainerCricket Hat-Tricks: Rules, History, and the Most Famous Three-Wicket Sequences
The complete guide to cricket hat-tricks — what qualifies as a hat-trick, the most famous Test and ODI hat-tricks, the rarest hat-tricks spanning innings or matches, and how common they are in different formats.
Read explainerCricket's No-Ball Rules: Types, Consequences, and Why They Spark Controversy
The complete guide to cricket no-balls — the different types (overstepping, height, fielding violations), the free hit rule, how no-balls affect the game, and the most controversial no-ball decisions in cricket history.
Read explainerCricket Wide Rules Explained: How Umpires Judge Wides in Tests, ODIs, and T20s
The complete guide to cricket's wide delivery rules — the different standards applied in Tests and limited-overs cricket, how umpires judge wides, the evolution toward tighter standards in T20s, and controversial wide decisions.
Read explainerCricket Crease Markings and Pitch Dimensions: A Complete Guide
The complete guide to cricket's crease markings — popping crease, bowling crease, return crease, pitch dimensions, and how these markings govern batting, bowling, fielding, and run-out decisions.
Read explainerCricket Bat and Ball Specifications: The Laws Governing Equipment
The precise specifications for cricket bats and balls under the Laws of Cricket — maximum dimensions, materials allowed, the evolution of bat sizes, pink ball technology, and why equipment specifications matter.
Read explainerInnings Defeat in Test Cricket: What It Means and the Most Emphatic Margins in History
The complete guide to innings defeats in Test cricket — what 'innings and X runs' means, why they happen, the most emphatic innings defeats in history, and what they tell us about the balance between the best and worst Test teams.
Read explainerCricket Rain and Bad Light Rules: Why Matches Stop and How They Resume
The complete guide to cricket's rain and bad light rules — when play can be suspended, the minimum overs required for a valid result in limited-overs cricket, how Test matches handle interruptions, and the equipment and technology used.
Read explainerCricket's Rare Dismissals: Obstructing the Field, Handled the Ball, and Timed Out
The rarest dismissals in cricket — obstructing the field, handled the ball, timed out — what each means under the Laws, and the handful of times they have occurred in international cricket.
Read explainerCricket Protective Equipment: How the Helmet Changed the Game and Saved Lives
The evolution of cricket's protective equipment — when helmets were introduced, why cricketers played without them for decades against 90mph bowling, their mandatory adoption, and the modern equipment standards that protect players.
Read explainerCricket Penalty Runs: When Five Extra Runs Are Awarded and Why
The complete guide to cricket penalty runs — the five circumstances that award five-run penalties, from deliberate time-wasting to the ball hitting a helmet, and why these rules exist in cricket's Laws.
Read explainerLBW in Cricket: Complete Guide to Leg Before Wicket Rules and Decision-Making
The complete guide to LBW dismissals — all five conditions that must be met, impact outside off stump, playing a shot, DRS interaction with LBW decisions, and why LBW is cricket's most complex dismissal to judge.
Read explainerCaught in Cricket: Rules for Catches, Boundary Saves, and When the Ball Is Grassed
The complete rules for caught dismissals in cricket — what constitutes a valid catch, the fielder going over the boundary and back, the two-handed catch at the fence, juggling the ball, and when a grassed ball is replayed.
Read explainerBowled in Cricket: Complete Rules for the Bowled Dismissal and Edge Cases
How the bowled dismissal works in cricket — what counts as bowled, deflections off the body or bat, the ball hitting the stumps but not dislodging the bails, and the rarest form of the dismissal.
Read explainerHit Wicket in Cricket: Rules, Famous Dismissals, and Why It's So Rare
The complete guide to cricket's hit wicket dismissal — when a batter knocks their own stumps down, the specific conditions required, the legal protections, and why this dismissal is among the rarest in international cricket.
Read explainerThe Third Umpire in Cricket: Technology, Role, and How On-Field Decisions Are Reviewed
How the third umpire system works in cricket — the technology used, what decisions can be referred, the process of an on-field referral versus DRS, and how the third umpire's role has expanded over time.
Read explainerCricket Appeals: How the Appeal Process Works and When Umpires Give a Batter Out
How cricket's appeal process works — why fielding teams must appeal for a dismissal, the 'How's that?' convention, what happens when an appeal is not made, and the rules around withdrawing appeals.
Read explainerSuper Over in Cricket: Rules, History, and the Most Famous Super Overs
How the Super Over tiebreaker works in cricket — the rules, which teams bat and bowl, what happens if the Super Over is also tied, famous Super Overs in T20 and ODI cricket, and the format's controversies.
Read explainerTied Matches in Cricket: Rules, History, and the Most Famous Ties in Test and ODI Cricket
How a tied match works in cricket across formats — the two historic tied Tests, famous ODI ties, what happens to points and trophies, and whether a tied match result is genuinely rare or more common than people think.
Read explainerFree Hit Rule in Cricket: What It Is, When It Applies, and What Batters Can Do
The free hit rule in cricket — how it works after a no-ball, what the batter can and cannot do, how it differs between T20, ODI, and Test cricket, and the fielding restrictions that come with it.
Read explainerPower Play Rules in Cricket: Field Restrictions in T20 and ODI Explained
How power play field restrictions work in T20 and ODI cricket — the mandatory and optional powerplays, how many fielders can be outside the 30-yard circle, and how batting and bowling teams use powerplay strategy.
Read explainerStrategic Time-Out in T20 Cricket: Tactics, IPL Rules, and Controversies
How the strategic time-out works in T20 cricket — when it can be taken, the difference between IPL and ICC rules, how teams use it tactically, and arguments for and against it.
Read explainerConcussion Substitute Rule in Cricket: How It Works and Marnus Labuschagne's Historic First
The ICC's concussion substitute rule — when it was introduced, how a player qualifies, the like-for-like replacement requirement, the Marnus Labuschagne controversy in 2019, and how teams have adapted.
Read explainerImpact Player Rule in IPL: How It Works and What It Means for Team Strategy
The IPL's Impact Player rule — how teams name and use an extra player during the match, the difference from the standard XI, tactical advantages and disadvantages, and whether it improves or dilutes cricket.
Read explainerCricket Ball Specifications: Dukes, Kookaburra, and SG Balls Compared
How cricket balls are constructed, what the specifications are for weight and circumference, and how the three main cricket ball brands — Dukes, Kookaburra, and SG — differ in their behaviour for swing, seam, and reverse swing.
Read explainerThe 1981 Underarm Bowling Incident: Cricket's Most Controversial Delivery
How Greg Chappell's instruction to Trevor Chappell to bowl underarm in the final delivery of an ODI against New Zealand in 1981 sparked an international controversy and became a defining moment of unsportsmanlike conduct in cricket.
Read explainerCricket Ball Tampering: From Reverse Swing to Sandpapergate
The history of ball tampering controversies in cricket — from the early reverse swing debates of the 1990s to the 2018 Cape Town Sandpapergate scandal involving the Australian team — and how ICC rules have evolved to address them.
Read explainerOn-Field Cricket Umpires: Roles, Signals, and How They Control the Game
A complete guide to on-field cricket umpires — their responsibilities, every official hand signal, how they communicate with players and scorers, and how two umpires manage a complex game.
Read explainerThe Third Umpire: From TV Replays in 1992 to Full DRS
The history and evolution of cricket's third umpire and Decision Review System — from its introduction in a 1992 Test in Durban to modern ball-tracking, edge detection, and how it has changed umpiring forever.
Read explainerBoundary Fielding Strategy: How T20 Changed Field Placement in Cricket
How captains set defensive and attacking fields in cricket, how Twenty20 cricket transformed boundary fielding strategy, and the ICC restrictions governing where boundary fielders can stand.
Read explainerRun Out Dismissal Rules in Cricket: Backing Up, Mankad, and Both Batters Out of Crease
Complete guide to run out dismissal rules in cricket — how a run out works, the backing-up-too-far rule, what happens when both batters are out of the crease at the same time, the collision with fielder provision, and how the Mankad run out differs from a conventional run out.
Read explainerCaught Behind in Cricket: Edges, Gloves, DRS, and Famous Controversies
How caught behind dismissals work in cricket — the technical difference between an edge and a glove, how DRS technology changed caught behind decisions, the Snickometer and UltraEdge explained, and the most controversial caught behind decisions in cricket history.
Read explainerCricket Match Officials: Umpires, Match Referee and Their Roles
The complete structure of cricket match officiating — on-field umpires, third umpire, fourth umpire, and the ICC match referee — what each role involves, how they communicate, and how DRS changed the job.
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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