Law 42 Players' Conduct - Explained
Law 42 was re-written for the 2017 Code of Cricket Laws, and now deals solely with player conduct, during the game.
Under Law 42, the umpires have the option of imposing ‘In Match’ penalties, where either umpire considers that the conduct of a player has been unacceptable.
There are 4 levels of offence and and you will find more information about each offence below and the actions to be taken by the umpire.
Level 1
Offences & Actions
Level 2
Offences & Actions
Level 3
Offences & Actions
Level 4
Offences & Actions
Responsibilities of the Captains
It is important to remember that captains are responsible for the behaviour of their players.
Under Law 42 they also have the responsibility to carry out the instructions of the Umpires when Level 3 or Level 4 offences have been imposed.
When the non-playing umpires agree that a Level 3 or 4 offence has been committed, it is expected that the captains, responsible for implementing the required actions, will carry out their duties. If they do not, the Laws require the umpires to do the following:
If one captain refuses: Award the match to the other team.
If both captains refuse: Instruct the players to leave the field. There is no result nor is the match concluded.