TEE HEW LAWS OF CRICKET.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XX, Issue 6814, 19 September 1883, Page 5

TEE HEW LAWS OF CRICKET.

The new laws of cricket proposed for adop/cion by the Marylebone Ciub have beta issued. The first three of the amended rules are new altogether, and are as follow : —" 1. A match is played between two sides of eleven players each, unless otherwise agreed •to; each side has two innings, taken alternately, except in the case provided for in Law 51. The choice of innings shall ba decided by tossing. 2. The score shall be reckoned by runs. A run is scored, and shall be duly recorded :—lst. So often as the batsmen after a hit, or at any time when the •baU is in play, shall have crossed and made good their ground from end to end. 2nd. For penalties under Laws 13, 14, 32, and 30. The side which scores the greatest number of runs wins the match. No match is won unless played out <or given up. 3rd. Before the commencement of the match two umpires shall be appointed ; one for each end." Several old rules are embodied into one. Iα rule 15 a reference is made to byes which does not occur in the old rules. The rule is as follows —"If the ball, not having been •called ' Wide 1' or 'No ball!' pass the striker without touching his bat or person, and any runs be obtained, the umpire shall call ' Bye'.' but if the ball touch aDy part of the striker's person (hand excepted), and any run be obtained, the umpire shall call ' Leg-bye \' such runs to be scored 'byes" and 'leg-bys' respectively. , A peculiarity of 33 is tbat when a bowler is about to deliver tbe ball, and the batsman backs up too far, the bowler throws at the ■wicket and misses it, the run or rune, .if any are made, are scored to no balls. _ The rule 41 gives umpires power to decide about •weather and light. There are mauy minor -alterations. There were 57 old rules, while there are only 51 in the amended code. The rules are prefaced by the following letter:—"Lord's Ground, June 16, ISB3. Sir,—l am desired by the committee of the Marylebone Cricket Club to forward to you the accompanying draft amended laws of Cricket, upon which the committee invite comment before finally reconsidering and adopting them for submission to a general meeting of the club, before next cricket aeaaon. Lord .Harris'B notice of proposed amendment Law 10 is as follows : • The ball must be fairly bowled, not thrown or jerked; and, if the umpire be of opinion that the -delivery is not absolutely fair, he must call 'No ball.'—l am, &c, Henby Perkinb, •Secretary.