The aim of this Guidance is to assist umpires to decide, under the MCC Laws of Cricket, if
play should be allowed to start, continue or resume, solely as a consequence of weather or
weather-related conditions. Save where otherwise expressly noted, this Guidance does not
address other situations when ground conditions may need to be assessed. The Guidance
provides generic advice and umpires will be required to use their judgement based upon the
weather and ground conditions they experience.
1.0 INTRODUCTION
One of the greatest challenges for cricket
umpires at all levels of the game is the
management of ground, weather and light
as set out in Laws 3.8, 3.9 and 7.2. These
Laws require umpires to suspend play,
or not to allow play to start or resume,
when, in their opinion, the conditions are
dangerous or unreasonable.
Law 3.8(b) states that ‘Conditions
shall be regarded as dangerous if
there is actual and foreseeable risk to
the safety of any player or umpire’.
This is the standard that must be
applied to all decisions relating to
the ground, weather and light.
1.1 Purpose of this Guidance
This Guidance covers: 1) the factors
that umpires take into account in
assessing if conditions of ground,
weather and light caused by the
weather (‘GW&L’) are dangerous or
unreasonable and 2) the procedures
that it is suggested umpires follow
to make that assessment. However,
no Guidance can anticipate the full
range of conditions that umpires
may face and the key test for all
decisions is that quoted above from
Law 3.8(b).
The Laws of Cricket (2000 Code
4th Edition – 2010) marked a
significant change in who carried the
responsibility for all GW&L decisions
in all matches played under the MCC
Laws of Cricket. It was this Edition
that removed any player involvement
in the decision making. It is now the
sole responsibility of the umpires to
decide together whether conditions
are fit for play.
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