Club members might be aware that the MCC introduced sweeping changes to the Laws last October, which come into force at the beginning of the 2018 season. So that Colin and I don’t have to put up with a load of whining and whinging in the summer, we thought it best to let you know about them now.
As we also know that CCOCCers have the attention span of fruit flies, we’ll drip feed these out to you in the next few weeks.

RUNNING OUT THE NON-STRIKING BATSMAN (MANKADING)
This has caused a lot of ill feeling at all levels of the game, so MCC has made this clarification. If the non-striker is out of his ground, he can be run out at any point between the moment the bowler starts his run up and the moment that the ball would have been delivered. No warning is required. So that’s very clear. If you are the non -striker, keep some part of your bat or person grounded behind the popping crease or face the consequences!

BAT DIMENSIONS
MCC are keen to even up the balance between bat and ball, particularly at professional levels. They are fed up with over muscled brutes carrying railway sleepers chipping sixes a hundred metres so they are clamping down on bat size. From now, the maximum edge size will be 4cm and maximum depth 6.7cm.
But don’t panic! MCC understands that recreational players cannot necessarily afford to buy new bats for the start of the 2018 season, so we have a moratorium in place. MCC expect that, when your Big Bertha wears out you will replace it with one which complies with the new Law.

CAUGHT OFF THE HELMET
From now on, the ball is not called dead when it hits a helmet when worn. It is now possible to be caught or stumped directly from a fielder’s helmet. This includes the wicketkeeper.

Right, that’s enough for now. More to follow....