MCC announces new edition of Laws of Cricket for 2026, effective from Oct 1
London, Feb 3 (IANS/WISHAVWARTA) The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) is set to amend the Laws of Cricket by allowing a wider range of bats, a move aimed at easing the financial burden on amateur players as the cost of traditional English willow continues to rise.
As part of a new edition of the Laws, due to take effect on October 1 2026, the MCC has introduced an amendment to Law 5.8, titled Categories of bat. The change is one of 73 revisions announced by the game’s lawmakers and will permit the use of laminated bats, known as Type D bats, in open-age recreational cricket for the first time.
Until now, Type D bats, which are constructed from up to three pieces of wood, have been restricted to junior cricket. Under the revised Laws, they will be permitted more broadly to address the rising global cost of bats.
Laminated bats typically feature an English willow face supported by cheaper, lower-grade willow, such as Kashmir willow. By contrast, Types A, B and C bats are made from a single, solid piece of willow. The MCC expects elite-level cricket to continue using these traditional one-piece designs.
The law change also opens the door for manufacturers to use non-willow materials behind the bat’s face.
MCC Laws manager Fraser Stewart said extensive testing had been carried out alongside bat makers and suggested that any competitive edge from laminated bats would be negligible.
“It is important that we announce these changes now as part of the Club’s global commitment to the game, giving officials from all over the world the chance to learn under the new Laws ahead of them coming into force in October. Cricket is a fast-evolving sport and this edition is drafted with the modern game in mind, as we are constantly looking to ensure that the Laws, which the Club has administered since being founded in 1787, are fit for all levels of cricket across the globe,” Stewart said in a statement by MCC.
“The Laws sub-committee meets several times each year to shape the Laws and debate what changes are required to every area of the edition. The changes announced today represent the way the game continues to evolve,” he added.
The decision follows a conference hosted by the MCC at Lord’s last year, where stakeholders from across the game examined the future of bat production. A key concern was cricket’s heavy dependence on English willow, a resource that has become increasingly scarce.
Demand from South Asia has driven prices sharply upwards, with bat costs reportedly tripling in recent years and some premium models now approaching £1,000.
The MCC is also understood to be investigating alternative bat materials, though officials remain cautious about maintaining the balance of the game and avoiding heightened injury risks. Researchers at the University of Cambridge have previously proposed bamboo as a potential substitute for willow, while graphite-backed bats, outlawed in 2006 and later abandoned by manufacturers, have resurfaced in discussions.
Other changes to the Laws
In addition to equipment reforms, the MCC confirmed that the latest version of the Laws will eliminate gendered language and include clearer wording to assist non-native English speakers.
A significant on-field change impacts multi-day matches. Law 12.5.2 will be revised so that if a wicket falls in the final over of the day, play will not end immediately. Instead, the over must be finished.
“This doesn’t save time, which is the case at lunch and tea, as the remaining balls need to be made up the next day, and it takes the drama out of the game,” the MCC said.
Ball regulations are also changing. Under Law 4.1, junior and women’s cricket balls will now fall within stricter, standardised size and weight limits. The game will operate with three defined ball sizes, 1, 2 and 3, to ensure greater consistency.
Additional amendments include:
Law 19.5.2 now bans so-called “bunny hop” boundary catches by limiting fielders to a single airborne touch after returning from beyond the boundary. Any further contact must be made entirely within the field of play.
Law 27.3.1 permits wicketkeepers to have their gloves in front of the stumps during the bowler’s run-up, provided they are fully behind the stumps at the moment of release.
Revised wording in Laws 15.1 and 15.2 prevents captains from declaring the final innings of a match.
Clarifications to Laws 18.5.1 and 18.5.2 mean batters may abandon a run without penalty unless the act is deemed deliberately deceptive. In such cases, the fielding side is awarded a penalty and chooses which batter faces the next delivery.
Law 19.8 now distinguishes intentional throws at the stumps, classed as overthrows, from ordinary misfields, which no longer count as such.
Law 20.1.1.1 gives umpires greater discretion in calling the ball dead, allowing it to be deemed settled when stationary or held by any fielder, not just the bowler or wicketkeeper.
Since 1787, the MCC has overseen and safeguarded the Laws of Cricket, and these recent updates aim to strike a balance between tradition and the needs of a changing, more sustainable, affordable, and clear global game.
