North Harbour Junior Cricket, Auckland New Zealand

The Laws of Cricket, 2000 Code - The Preamble, The Spirit of Cricket

Cricket is a game that owes much of its unique appeal to the fact that it should be played not only within its

Laws but also within the Spirit of the Game. Any action, which is seen to abuse this spirit, causes injury to the

game itself. The major responsibility for ensuring the spirit of fair play rests with the captains.

1. There are two Laws which place the responsibility for the team’s conduct firmly on the captain.

Responsibility of captains

The captains are responsible at all times for ensuring that play is conducted within the Spirit of the Game

as well as within the Laws.

Player’s conduct

In the event of a player failing to comply with instructions by an umpire, or criticising by word or action the

decisions of an umpire, or showing dissent, or generally behaving in a manner which might bring the game

into disrepute, the umpire concerned shall in the first place report the matter to the other umpire and to the

player’s captain, and instruct the latter to take action.

2. Fair and unfair play

According to the Laws the umpires are the sole judges of fair and unfair play.

The umpires may intervene at any time and it is the responsibility of the captain to take action where required.

3. The umpires are authorised to intervene in cases of:

Time wasting

Damaging the pitch

Dangerous or unfair bowling

Tampering with the ball

Any other action that they consider to be unfair

4. The Spirit of the Game involves RESPECT for:

Your opponents

Your own captain and team

The role of the umpires

The game’s traditional values

5. It is against the Spirit of the Game:

To dispute an umpire’s decision by word, action or gesture

To direct abusive language towards an opponent or umpire

To indulge in cheating or any sharp practice, for instance:

a) to appeal knowing that the batsman is not out

b) to advance towards an umpire in an aggressive manner when appealing

c) to seek to distract an opponent either verbally or by harassment with persistent clapping or unnecessary

noise under the guise of enthusiasm and motivation of one’s own side

6. Violence

There is no place for any act of violence on the field of play.

7. Players

Captains and umpires together set the tone for the conduct of a cricket match. Every player is expected to

make an important contribution to this.

The players, umpires and scorers in a game of cricket may be of either gender and the Laws apply equally to

both. The use, throughout the text, of pronouns indicating the male gender is purely for brevity. Except where

specifically stated otherwise, every provision of the Laws is to be read as applying to women and girls equally

as to men and boys.

Last updated:

12/02/2004 22:10