MCC sharpens rules on ball control, overs and 'keeper movement

The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) has confirmed a new edition of the Laws of Cricket that will come into effect from October 2026, with several amendments focused on tightening definitions around dismissals, overs and player positioning, rather than introducing wholesale changes to how the game is played.

One of the key updates relates to control of the ball, an area that has frequently come under scrutiny in run-out and stumping decisions. The revised laws make it explicit that mere contact with the ball is insufficient for a dismissal to be effected. For a wicket to be valid, the ball must be held with complete control at the moment the stumps are broken. Simply brushing the ball with a hand or glove while dislodging the bails will no longer meet the requirement, providing umpires clearer guidance in marginal decisions.

Another notable change affects multi-day matches, where the final over of a day's play will now be completed even if a wicket falls during it. The amendment ensures that an incoming batter will be required to face the remaining deliveries of the over, conditions permitting, rather than play ending immediately after the dismissal.

The MCC has also refined the law governing wicketkeeper positioning, with 'keepers now required to be wholly behind the striker's stumps only after the ball has been released, as opposed to during the bowler's run-up. The change is intended to better reflect modern officiating standards and the increased use of technology.

Clarifications have also been made to the definition of when a ball is considered "finally settled", granting umpires greater discretion to call dead ball even if the ball is stationary on the ground or held by a non-wicketkeeper fielder.

The Laws further tighten interpretations around Hit wicket, clarifying that a batter remains in the act of receiving the ball until balance is regained, while also protecting batters in instances where contact with a fielder directly causes the wicket to be broken. In addition, the MCC has overhauled the definition of overthrows, formally distinguishing them from misfields and limiting the term to throws directed at the stumps in an attempt to effect a run-out or prevent further runs.

Other amendments codify practices already adopted by ICC. These include the clarification on boundary catches, which eliminates the so-called 'bunny hop' by requiring all subsequent contact with the ground to be within the field of play after airborne contact with the ball, and the tougher sanctions for deliberate short running, under which all runs are disallowed, five penalty runs awarded to the fielding side, and the fielding captain allowed to choose the batter on strike.

The revised Laws also introduce uniform size and weight tolerances for men's, women's and junior cricket balls, and permit the use of laminated bats (Type D) at open-age levels, subject to restrictions imposed by national governing bodies.

The MCC said the updates were aimed at improving clarity and consistency in decision-making, particularly in high-pressure matches where marginal calls are increasingly magnified.