Today we post the fourth installment on the Questions of the Laws of the game courtesy of Cricket España head umpire Ron Graham.
This specific quiz concentrates on Laws 7, 8 and 9, but first here are the answers to the questions from the previous quiz.
Then please read Laws Seven, Eight and Nine as four new questions will follow.
Answers to these questions will appear in Part Five of the series.
Answers to Questions 10 to 12.
Q10. You think the pitch in play is dangerous and unfit to continue. Your colleague agrees. The groundsman tells you another pitch is available. What must you do before play can continue on another pitch?
Answer You must get the consent of both captains. If one does not agree the match is abandoned.
Q11. What is the minimum width of a non-turf pitch?
Answer 6 feet or 1.83 metres
Q12. What is the maximum thickness of protective material allowed on the blade of the bat?
Answer 0.04 ins or 0.1 cm
LAW 7 THE CREASES
7.1 The creases
The positions of a bowling crease, a popping crease and two return creases shall be marked by white lines, as set out in 7.2, 7.3 and 7.4, at each end of the pitch. See Appendix C.
7.2 The bowling crease
The bowling crease, which is the back edge of the crease marking, is the line that marks the end of the pitch, as in Law 6.1 (Area of pitch). It shall be 8 ft 8 in/2.64 m in length.
7.3 The popping crease
The popping crease, which is the back edge of the crease marking, shall be in front of and parallel to the bowling crease and shall be 4 ft/1.22 m from it. The popping crease shall be marked to a minimum of 6 ft/1.83 m on either side of the imaginary line joining the centres of the two middle stumps and shall be considered to be unlimited in length.
7.4 The return creases
The return creases, which are the inside edges of the crease markings, shall be at right angles to the popping crease at a distance of 4 ft 4 in/1.32 m either side of the imaginary line joining the centres of the two middle stumps. Each return crease shall be marked from the popping crease to a minimum of 8 ft/2.44 m behind it and shall be considered to be unlimited in length.
LAW 8 THE WICKETS
8.1 Description, width and pitching
Two sets of wickets shall be pitched opposite and parallel to each other in the centres of the bowling creases. Each set shall be 9 in/22.86 cm wide and shall consist of three wooden stumps with two wooden bails on top. See Appendix D.
8.2 Size of stumps
The tops of the stumps shall be 28 in/71.12 cm above the playing surface and shall be dome shaped except for the bail grooves. The portion of a stump above the playing surface shall be cylindrical apart from the domed top, with circular section of diameter not less than
1.38 in/3.50 cm nor more than 1.5 in/3.81 cm. See Appendix D.
8.3 The bails
8.3.1 The bails, when in position on top of the stumps,
– shall not project more than 0.5 in/1.27 cm above them.
– shall fit between the stumps without forcing them out of the vertical.
8.3.2 Each bail shall conform to the following specifications (see Appendix D):
Overall length 4.31 in/10.95 cm
Length of barrel 2.13 in /5.40 cm
Longer spigot 1.38 in/3.50 cm
Shorter spigot 0.81 in/2.06 cm.
8.3.3 The two spigots and the barrel shall have the same centre line.
8.3.4 Devices aimed at protecting player safety by limiting the distance that a bail can travel off the stumps will be allowed, subject to the approval of the Governing Body for the match and the ground authority.
8.4 Junior cricket
The Governing Body for Cricket in the country concerned shall determine the dimensions of the stumps and bails and the distance between the wickets.
8.5 Dispensing with bails
The umpires may agree to dispense with the use of bails, if necessary. If they so agree then no bails shall be used at either end. The use of bails shall be resumed as soon as conditions permit. See Law 29.4 (Dispensing with bails).
LAW 9 PREPARATION AND MAINTENANCE OF THE PLAYING AREA
9.1 Rolling
The pitch shall not be rolled during the match except as permitted in 9.1.1 and 9.1.2.
9.1.1 Frequency and duration of rolling
During the match the pitch may be rolled at the request of the captain of the batting side, for a period of not more than 7 minutes, before the start of each innings, other than the first innings of the match, and before the start of each subsequent day’s play. See 9.1.4.
9.1.2 Rolling after a delayed start
In addition to the rolling permitted above, if, after the toss and before the first innings of the match, the start is delayed, the captain of the batting side may request that the pitch be rolled for not more than 7 minutes. However, if the umpires together agree that the delay has had no significant effect on the state of the pitch, they shall refuse such request for rolling of the pitch.
9.1.3 Choice of rollers
If there is more than one roller available the captain of the batting side shall choose which one is to be used.
9.1.4 Timing of permitted rolling
The rolling permitted (maximum 7 minutes) before play begins on any day shall be started not more than 30 minutes before the time scheduled or rescheduled for play to begin. The captain of the batting side may, however, delay the start of such rolling until not less than 10 minutes before the time scheduled or rescheduled for play to begin.
9.2 Clearing debris from the pitch
9.2.1 The pitch shall be cleared of any debris
9.2.1.1 before the start of each day’s play. This shall be after the completion of mowing and before any rolling, not earlier than 30 minutes nor later than 10 minutes before the time or any rescheduled time for start of play.
9.2.1.2 between innings. This shall precede rolling if any is to take place.
9.2.1.3 at all intervals for meals.
9.2.2 The clearance of debris in 9.2.1 shall be done by sweeping, except where the umpires consider that this may be detrimental to the surface of the pitch. In this case the debris must be cleared from that area by hand, without sweeping.
9.2.3 In addition to 9.2.1, debris may be cleared from the pitch by hand, without sweeping, before mowing and whenever either umpire considers it necessary.
9.3 Mowing
9.3.1 Responsibility for mowing
9.3.1.1 All mowings which are carried out before the match shall be the sole responsibility of the Ground Authority.
9.3.1.2 All subsequent mowings shall be carried out under the supervision of the umpires.
9.3.2 The pitch and outfield
In order that throughout the match the ground conditions should be as nearly the same for both sides as possible, both the pitch and the outfield shall be mown on each day of the match on which play is expected to take place, if ground and weather conditions permit.
If, for reasons other than conditions of ground or weather, complete mowing of the outfield is not possible, the Ground Authority shall notify the captains and umpires of the procedure to be adopted for such mowing during the match.
9.3.3 Timing of mowing
9.3.3.1 Mowing of the pitch on any day shall be completed not later than 30 minutes before the time scheduled or rescheduled for play to begin on that day, before any sweeping prior to rolling. If necessary, debris may be removed from the pitch before mowing, by hand, without sweeping. See 9.2.3.
9.3.3.2 Mowing of the outfield on any day shall be completed not later than 15 minutes before the time scheduled or rescheduled for play to begin on that day.
9.4 Watering the pitch
The pitch shall not be watered during the match.
9.5 Re-marking creases
Creases shall be re-marked whenever either umpire considers it necessary.
9.6 Maintenance of footholes
The umpires shall ensure that the holes made by the bowlers and batsmen are cleaned out and dried whenever necessary to facilitate play.
In matches of more than one day’s duration, the umpires shall allow, if necessary, the re- turfing of footholes made by the bowlers in their delivery strides, or the use of quick-setting fillings for the same purpose.
9.7 Securing of footholds and maintenance of pitch
During play, umpires shall allow the players to secure their footholds by the use of sawdust provided that no damage to the pitch is caused and that Law 41 (Unfair play) is not contravened.
9.8 Non-turf pitches
Wherever appropriate, the provisions set out in 9.1 to 9.7 shall apply.
Questions
Q13. What is the distance between the Bowling Crease and the Popping Crease?
Q14. The Return Crease is at right angles to the Bowling and Popping Creases and 4ft 4 ins left and right of the imaginary centre line between the middle stumps, but how long is it?
Q15. What is the maximum height of the wicket including the bails?
Q16. When and for how long is rolling of the pitch permitted (maximum of 7 minutes)
