26.1 Practice on the pitch or the rest of the square
26.1.1 There shall not be any practice on the pitch at any time on any day of the match.
26.1.2 There shall not be any practice on the rest of the square at any time on any day of the match, except with the approval of the umpires.
26.2 Practice on the outfield
26.2.1 On any day of the match, all forms of practice are permitted on the outfield
- before the start of play,
- after the close of play and
- during the lunch and tea intervals or between innings,
providing the umpires are satisfied that such practice will not cause significant deterioration in the condition of the outfield.
26.2.2 Between the call of Play and the call of Time, practice shall be permitted on the outfield, providing that all of the following conditions are met:
- only the fielders as defined in Appendix A.7 participate in such practice.
- no ball other than the match ball is used for this practice.
- no bowling practice takes place in the area between the square and the boundary in a direction parallel to the match pitch.
- the umpires are satisfied that it will not contravene either of Laws 41.3 (The match ball – changing its condition) or 41.9 (Time wasting by the fielding side). If there is such a contravention, the sanctions in Law 41 shall be applied. However, any warning given shall apply to further instances under both Law 26 and Law 41 (Unfair play).
26.3 Trial run-up
A bowler is permitted to have a trial run-up provided the umpire is satisfied that it will not contravene either of Laws 41.9 (Time wasting by the fielding side) or 41.12 (Fielder damaging the pitch).
26.4 Penalties for contravention
All forms of practice are subject to the provisions of Laws 41.3 (The match ball – changing its condition), 41.9 (Time wasting by the fielding side) and 41.12 (Fielder damaging the pitch).
26.4.1 If there is a contravention of any of the provisions of 26.1 or 26.2, the umpire shall
- warn the player that the practice is not permitted;
- inform the other umpire and, as soon as practicable, both captains of the reason for this action.
26.4.1.1 If the contravention is by a batter at the wicket, the umpire shall inform the other batter and each incoming batter that the warning has been issued. The warning shall apply to the team of that player throughout the match.
26.4.2 If during the match there is any further contravention by any player of that team, the umpire shall
- award 5 Penalty runs to the opposing side;
- inform the other umpire, the scorers and, as soon as practicable, both captains, and, if the contravention is during play, the batters at the wicket.
The umpires together shall report the occurrence as soon as possible after the match to the Executive of the offending side and to any Governing Body responsible for the match, who shall take such action as is considered appropriate against the captain, any other individuals concerned and, if appropriate, the team.
© Marylebone Cricket Club 2017