What is the 3-point criteria for an LBW dismissal under MCC Law 36?

For an LBW dismissal to be valid: (1) The ball must not pitch outside leg-stump; (2) The first impact must be in line with the wickets (or outside off-stump if no genuine stroke was attempted); and (3) The trajectory of the ball would have hit the strikers wicket.

What is the Mankad dismissal and is it legal under modern cricket laws?

Yes. Under MCC Law 38.3, if the non-striker leaves their crease before the bowler has released the ball, the bowler is fully entitled to run out the non-striker. The MCC officially moved this from "Unfair Play" to Law 38 "Run Out" to affirm its statutory legitimacy.

What are the exact pitch dimensions and crease markings in cricket?

The cricket pitch measures 22 yards (20.12 meters / 66 feet) between wickets. The popping crease is drawn 4 feet (1.22 meters) in front of the bowling crease and extends at least 6 feet (1.83 meters) on either side of the center line.

What is the 15-degree rule for legal bowling actions?

Under ICC regulations, a bowling action is considered legal if the bowlers elbow joint extends by no more than 15 degrees between the point where the bowling arm reaches horizontal and the moment of ball release. Anything beyond 15 degrees is classified as an illegal throw (chucking).

MCC / ICC REFERENCE CODEXFOUNDED 1787 (MCC) / 1909 (ICC)

Official MCC / ICC

The Official Cricket Reference Codex & MCC 42 Laws Repository

Cricket is governed globally by the 42 Laws of Cricket, for which the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) at Lords in London serves as the sole historical and statutory custodian. The International Cricket Council (ICC) oversees multi-format playing conditions across Test Matches (5-day multi-innings), One Day Internationals (50-over ODIs with powerplays), and Twenty20 Internationals (20-over T20s with Super Overs). This reference codex details pitch dimensions (22 yards / 20.12m), crease calibrations, the 3-point LBW criterion under Law 36, all 10 codified methods of dismissal, and Decision Review System (DRS) ball tracking standards.

Statutory Laws

42 MCC Laws

MCC / ICC Code

Popping Crease

4 Feet (1.22 m)

Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC Custodian) & International Cricket Council (ICC)

Pitch Length

22 Yards (20.12 m)

28 Inches (71.12 cm)

ALL-TIME BENCHMARK

Certified Record

Historical Record

Essential Links:MCC Law 36 LBW Explainer →22-Yard Pitch Dimensions →Cricket Rules Index →International Records →A-Z Cricket Terms →Historical Timeline →

Cricket Reference Architecture

The 8 Official Knowledge Pillars

COMPLETE CODEX TAXONOMY

PILLAR 01

Rules & Regulations

All 42 Laws of Cricket in plain language, including how LBW and DRS reviews actually work.

Access Pillar

PILLAR 02

History & Evolution

230 years of cricket history, from the first rulebook in 1788 to today's T20 leagues.

Access Pillar

PILLAR 03

Tactical Positions

Where every fielder stands and why, from Slip and Gully to Sweeper Cover.

Access Pillar

PILLAR 04

Terminology & A-Z

Cricket terms explained simply: Googly, Yorker, Mankad, LBW, and more.

Access Pillar

PILLAR 05

Dimensions & Specs

Official pitch length, crease markings, and wicket size used in international cricket.

Access Pillar

PILLAR 06

Equipment Standards

The rules behind the match ball, bat size limits, and player safety gear.

Access Pillar

PILLAR 07

Official Records

The biggest scores, most centuries, and record wicket hauls across all formats.

Access Pillar

PILLAR 08

Documented Facts

Remarkable cricket facts, from Bradman's near-perfect average to the match that never ended.

Access Pillar

MCC / ICC Statutory Code

Key Statutory Laws & Officiating Rules

Complete Laws Index →

Statute	Official Statute Title	Statutory Core Principle & Officiating Focus	Restart / Enforcement
Laws 1–5	Players, Umpires & Equipment	Covers team size (11 players + captain), role of two on-field umpires & third/fourth umpires, match scorers, cricket ball weight (155.9–163.0g), and statutory bat dimensions (max 38 in / 96.5 cm length, 4.25 in / 10.8 cm width).	Umpire call Play / Time
Laws 6–10	Pitch, Creases & Wickets	Specifications for 22-yard (20.12m) pitch, bowling crease (8ft 8in / 2.64m), popping crease (4ft / 1.22m in front), return creases, wicket height (28in / 71.12cm) with two bails, and pitch preparation maintenance regulations.	Crease line enforcement
Laws 11–17	Structure of Match & Play Intervals	Warmups, intervals for lunch (40m), tea (20m), and drinks; start/cessation of play; scoring runs (running between wickets, boundary 4s, boundary 6s); declaring an innings closed; follow-on rules; and the completion of overs (6 legal balls per over).	Over completion call Over
Laws 18–28	Dead Ball, Extras & Fielders	Definitions of Dead Ball; wide ball (1 run penalty + extra ball); no ball (illegal bowling action, foot-fault over popping crease, waist-high full toss, fielding restriction breaches yielding Free Hit in white-ball cricket); bye and leg-bye scoring; and legal fielding placement limitations (max 2 behind square leg).	Re-bowling legal delivery
Laws 29–39	Wicket Down & The 10 Dismissals	Codification of when a wicket is fairly put down (bail completely removed from stumps) and the 10 statutory dismissals: Bowled (Law 32), Caught (Law 33), Hit the Ball Twice (Law 34), Hit Wicket (Law 35), LBW (Law 36), Obstructing the Field (Law 37), Run Out (Law 38), Stumped (Law 39), Timed Out (Law 40), and Handled the Ball (subsumed into Obstructing).	Next batter enters crease
Laws 41–42	Fair and Unfair Play & Player Conduct	Prohibits ball tampering, damaging pitch, dangerous bowling (beamers, short-pitch bouncers), non-striker run out (Mankad Law 38.3), and empowers umpires to award 5-penalty-run awards and Level 1–4 disciplinary suspensions.	Penalty runs / Match reports

CAD Calibration Blueprint

Playing Surface & Equipment Dimensions

Interactive CAD Pitch Blueprint

PLAYING FIELD AREA

4 Feet (1.22 m)

MCC / ICC

LINE WIDTH TOLERANCE

≤ 12 cm (5 in)

All lines part of the area they bound

GOAL / WICKET / HOOP SPEC

Official Goal Spec

Certified Metric Regulation

MATCH BALL CALIBRATIONS

155.9 – 163.0 g

Max 4 Overs (24 Balls)

Modern Officiating Frameworks

Cricket (MCC & ICC Laws) Officiating Technology & Review Protocols

PROTOCOL 01

Decision Review System (DRS)

Each team is allocated 2 unsuccessful player reviews per innings in ODIs/T20Is and 3 per innings in Test cricket. Umpires Call retains the on-field decision without burning the review.

PROTOCOL 02

Hawk-Eye Predictive Ball Tracking

Calculates pitch location, impact coordinate, and computer-modeled trajectory to determine whether the ball would have hit the stumps for LBW reviews.

PROTOCOL 03

UltraEdge / Snickometer & HotSpot

High-frequency directional microphones isolate audio spikes from bat contact; thermal infrared cameras detect friction heat signatures on bat edges.

Frequently Asked Questions

Cricket Rules & Regulations FAQ

Statutory Authority Notice: Laws of Sport is an independent educational codex. The official Laws of Cricket are codified and maintained under the legislative authority of the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC Custodian) & International Cricket Council (ICC) (MCC / ICC).