CRICKET.

Auckland Chronicle and New Zealand Colonist, Volume 1, Issue 17, 25 January 1843, Page 4

CRICKET.

THE LAWS, AS REVISED BY THE MARYLEBONE CLUB IN THE YEAR 1830.

1. The Ball, not weigh less than five onces and a half, nor more than five ounces and three quarters. At the beginning of each innings, either party may call for a new ball. 2. The Bat. — Must not exceed four inches and one qua:ter in the widest part.

3. The Stumps. Must 'e twenty-seven inches oyt of ihe ground*; the bails eight inches in length; the stumps of sufficient thickness to prevent the ball from passing through

4. The Bowling Crease. — Must be in a line *ith the stumps, six feet-eight inches in length; the stumps in the centre, with a return crease at each end, 'awards the bowler at right angles.

5.' The Popping Crease. -Must be four feet from the wicket, and parallel to tj 6 The Wickets. - Must be pitched opposite to each other by the umpires, at the distance of twenty-two yards.

7. It shall not be lawful for either party during a match, without the consent of the other, to alter the ground bv rolling, watering, coveting, mowing, or beating, This rule is not meant to prevent, the striker from beating the ground with his bat near where bs stands dining th" 3 In nings, nor to prevent the bowler from filling up holes with sawdust, &c, when the ground shall be wet.

8. Afte- rain the wickets may be changed with the consent of both parties.

9. The Bowler, —Shall deliver the ball with one foot behind the bowling crease : and within the return crease, and shall How! four balls before he change wickets, which be shall be permitted to do but once in the same innings.

10. The ball shall be bowled If it be thrown or jerked, or it any part of the hand or arm be above the elbow at the time of the umpire ~S -y- //Cst —* ertket to synid on of it he pleases. ( 12. It th ■ bowler toss the ball over the striker's head, or bowl it so wide«*-fh"at/it shall be out of distance to be the umpire (even although he Hit, it) shall adjudge one run ttTrTe parties receiving the innings, euher with or without at appeal bom them ; which shall heput down to the score of wide balls,<£rf# such ball shall not be reckoned as the four bails. &X £ 13 If the bowler bowl a "no ball" the striker may iday at i , and he allowed a^f

the luns he can yet j and shall not he ; ::f out, except bv running on' In the event of no run being obtained by anv other mea.is, then one run shall be scored. 14. In the event of a change of bowling, no more ibau two balls shall be allowed in practice. 15. Ihe howler who takes the two bails shad be obliged to bowl four balls. !6. The striker is vut, — If the hails he bowk i off, or the stump jbowled out of the ground. 17. Or, if the ball, from a stroke of the bat, or hand, but not wrist, be held before it touch the ground, although it be hugged to the body of the catcher. 18. Or, if in sinking, or af any other lime while the bail shall be in play, both bis feet be over the popping crease, and his wicket pat down, except his bat be grounded within it.

19. Oi, if in striking at the ball, he hit uown liis wicket.

20. Or, if, under pretence of running or otherwise, either of the strikers prevent a ball from being ca'Ug'ht, the striker of the b«M is out. I 21. Or, if the ball be struck, and he -wilfully strike it again.

; 22. Or, if, in rnnning, the wicket be smiek down by a throw, or by the hand (with ball in bund) before his or bat be grounded over the popping crease. But if the bail be off, the stump must be struck out of the ground. 23. Or, if any parted' the stiiker's dress knock down the wicket.

24. Or, if the striker touch, or take up the ball while in play, unless at the request of the other paity, 25f. Or, if, with any part of his person, he stop the ball, which, in the Opinion of the umpire at the bowlei's wicket, shall have been delivered in a straight line to the striker's wicket and would have hit it.

26, If the players have crossed each other, he that runs for the wicket which is put down is out. 27 When a ball shall be caught, no run shall be reckoned.

28. When a striker shall he run out, the run which they were attempting shall not be reckoned.

2D. If a lost ball shall be called, the striker shall be allowed six runs; but, if more than six shall have been run before lost ball shall have been called, then the striker shall have all which have been run.

30. When the ball has been in the bowier's or wicket-keeper's hands, it is considered as no longer in play ; and the strikers need not keep within their ground till the umpire has called " play ;" but, if the player go oat of his ground with an intent to run before the ball be delivered, the bowier may put him out. 31. If the striker be hurt, he may retire from his wicket, and return to it at any time in that innings. 32. If a striker be hurt, some other person may be allowed to stand out for him, but not to go in. 33. No substitute in the field shall be, aliowed to bowl, keep wicket, stand aV the point, or middle wicket, or stop behiii'i to a fast bowler, unless with the consent of the adverse party. The um pin s shall enforce this law. 34. If any p» ?son stop the ball with his hat, the ball »hali dead, an I the opposite party shaii a<Jd trve runs to their score ; if any he run tht y >hall have five in a'l.

35. If the ba'.l be struck, the strik 1 may guard his wicket either with his bat or bis body.

36. The Wicket Keeper. —Shall stand at a reasonable dis f ance behind the wicket, and shall not mov : till the ball be out of the bowlei's hand, and shall not by anv no : se incommode the striker; and if any part of bis person be over or before the wicket, although the ball bit it, the striker shall not be out.

37. The Umpires. —Are sole judges of fair and unfair play; and all disputes shall by them, each jarhSFft&n but, in case of a the wicket see sufßcierrtly to decide upon, he may apply to the other umpire, whose opinion is conclusive. 1 umpires in all wickets, and the y^]jsjJ^^9& i °* inning*. /7J? r 2,9, allow twTo^rtill each man to come in, and fifteen minutes "between each innings. Whence um"bires stall cajj," y/ffy,\[_the^ the not 't>fileßs appealed to by the aoversaries. if the bowler's foot be note behii.d the bowling crease, within the return crease, when he shall deliver the' bali, they must unasked call " no halV% 42. If the striker run a short run, the umpire must call " one short." 43. The umpires are not to be changed during the match, but by the consent of both parties.

LAWS FOR SINGLE WICKET. 1. When there shall be less than five players on a side, bounds shall be placed twenty-two yards each in a line from the off and leg stump. 2. The ball must be hit before the bounds to entitle the striker to a run ; which run cam ot be obtained, unless he touch the bowling stump or crease in a line with it with his bai 9 or some part r*f his person ; or go beyond them ; returning to the popping crease, as at double wi< ke», according to the 22nd law. 3. When th« striker shall bit the ball,

one of his fVet must be on the cround,and! behind the popping creas<\ otherwise the umpire shall call •« tin hit." 4 When there shall be less than five players on a side, neither byes nor overthrows shall he allowed; nor shall the striker be caught out behind the wicket, nor slumped out. 5 The fields man mnst return the half so that it shall cross the play between the Wicket and Ihe bowling stump, or between the bowling stump and the bounds ; the striker may run till the ball shall so he returned. 6. After the striker shall have made one run, if he start again, he must touch the bowling stump, and turn before the ball shall cross the play to entitle him to another. 7. The striker shall be entitled to three runs for lost ball, and the same number for ball stopped with hat; with reference to the 29th and 34th laws of double wicket. 8. When there shall be more than four playe s on a side, there shall be no bounds. All hits, byes, and overthrows, shall then be allowed. 9. The boWler is subject to the same laws as at double wicket. 10. Not more than one minute shall be allowed between each ball. 11. Playing with five or six on each, side. — All hits and bye balls before and behind the wicket tell for the game when run, and no bounds are require!; similar to two elevens at playjugainifc each other. *■. v 5 IMPROVED SINGLE WICKET. 1. It must bejpnfessed, that the great distance whichrt-ne striker has to run, in the common mode of single wicket playing, compared with what he does at double, is laborious and inconvenient, as to often render the game dull, tiresome, and unpleasant. We would therefore suggest that this evil would be remedied, and theJgame much tmproed,by running only fifteen yards from the striker's wicket, instead of the usual distance of twenty-two yards, particularly when more are at play. If four or a less number are at play, and hey run only 1& yards, then they should make all hits before the wicket, v-ith hounds, &c, not moving off the ground to strike, except by particular agreement;' but if more than four are at all hits rid bye balls should tell for the game when urn, and the sinker may take the advantage, and move off his ground to strike if he think proper, 2. Tnisimprovement may be easily made by cutting a crease, and placi g a feather or some other visible mark at the end of the crease, as a' guide in running a little out «>f the line, so as not to be in the way of the bowler, &c, at the distance of 13* yards from the striker's wicket, which crease the umpire must see the stiiker touch over With his bat in tunning. It is of course to be understood that the bowler must howl at the usual distance trom the wicket, viz., 22 yaids. 3. It must be evident, tfra' by adopting this method, a great part of the labour ■'pailfedTwfin-a single wicket game, will be avoided, and it will be made to assume ihe vivacity which renders cricket so pleasant both to players and spectators. of/itfe playerCe laid against of another; the bets depend on thfe first otherwise specified. 2* If theyrffcreTbe both^AJngs, and beatnhe other urone innrfuns i/nings|sbalF determine the bet. ~"~ ' *Aj'»» if f he other party go in a second "time, then the bet must he determined by the number on the >core.