3 rules in cricket that you might not be aware of

Cricket is undoubtedly the most popular sport in India. Like every other sport, cricket too has its own share of rules and regulations. Although being a popular sport, most people are aware of the basic rules of the game, there are certain rules which people are unaware of. This is because such rules may not be needed in every other game of cricket.

Although most of the rules of the game are reasonable and make sense to the average viewer, there are a few rules which may not make sense, the first time one comes to know about them.

Here is an attempt to bring to you a few such rules.

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#3. A game of cricket can be played without the bails

Afghanistan -West Indies encounter being played without bails

A game of cricket can be played without the bails under exceptional circumstances. The laws of the game have a provision for that. The law was put to use last year in a game in which Afghanistan fought it out against the West Indies. During the match, the winds were so swift that the bails were falling off at regular intervals and causing an interruption in the flow of the game.

It was then that both the umpires and captains of both the teams came down to the decision that the match will be played without the bails.

#2. No appeal from the fielding team implies it cannot be given out by the umpire

If a team does not appeal, an umpire cannot declare the batsman "Out"

One of the strangest rules of the game states that the appeal from the fielding team is a must for the umpire to declare any batsman as “out”. This means even if the batsman is out leg before wicket or run out, umpires cannot declare them as out until and unless the fielding team has appealed to the umpire. It is a rare occasion that a fielding team is found not appealing for a dismissal in modern day cricket.

However, there have been instances when cases of clear run outs and caught behind dismissals haven’t been given out by umpires simply because the fielding team wasn’t appealing.

#1. Obstruction in the air implies Dead Ball

Courtesy: Cricket Australia

Cricket has a law for obstruction in the aerial root of the ball. For the live broadcast of the game, many spider cams and drones are used in the cricket ground. These facilities have made the live broadcast on television- an enriching experience for the viewers. However, there have been instances during the game, when the batsman hits the ball in the air and it has hit one of these drones and spider cams.

In such a case, it is considered to be a dead ball. This suggests that neither the ball nor the runs scored off that ball is counted. The ball is deemed invalid and the bowler has to re-bowl that particular delivery.

In a similar law, if the ball is obstructed by the fielding team’s helmet, water bottle or any other belonging kept on the field, the batting team is awarded 5 runs as a penalty to the bowling team. Evan fake fielding acts also lead to the batting side being awarded 5 bonus runs.