Top 3 strange cricket rules that no longer exist

Cricket can seem a very brain-teasing sport to someone unfamiliar, trying to make sense of it. The game has three internationally accepted formats, i.e. Tests, ODIs and T20Is. While most of the laws of the game are common across the three formats, there is a set of rules which are exclusive to each format.

Cricket is no longer a sport limited to a handful of countries. It is growing with every passing day, and its reintroduction at the LA28 Olympics is a testament to the same. Cricket continues to evolve, and so do its laws, which are needed for the sport to keep reinventing itself to retain its popularity among the youth.

There are a host of laws that were once an integral part of the game but now find themselves merely as footnotes in the history books. Let's take a look at three strange laws, which were once applicable but have now become obsolete.

#1 Runner

The law allowing an unbeaten batter a runner in the event of injury remained relevant for more than a century before it ceased to exist in June 2011 following the recommendation of the ICC's cricket committee. The law permitted the unbeaten batter to use a runner in case of an injury, limiting his/her ability to run between the wickets.

Why was it strange?

It brought an element of inequality into the sport and made it batter-friendly, as bowlers can't continue bowling if they suffer a serious blow mid-game.

#2 Non-striker to take strike if batters cross at the fall of a wicket

This was one of the most contentious laws in the game, allowing the non-striker to take strike after the fall of a wicket if the batters crossed each other before the catch was completed.

The law was unfair to the fielding side and was changed in March 2022 and came into effect in international cricket in October that year.

"When a batter is out Caught, the new batter will come in at the end the striker was, regardless of whether the batters crossed prior to the catch being taken," reads the rule change by the ICC.

The only time an incoming batter will not take strike immediately is if the dismissal occurs on the final ball of the over.

#3 Bowl-out

The bowl-out was the ICC's way of declaring a winner in tied T20Is. The provision was put in place to create intrigue among fans but proved to be a dampener. It was later replaced by the super over, which to date remains one of the most fascinating provisions in the game and keeps fans on the edge of their seats.

Cricket, as a game, is built on three core elements, i.e. batting, bowling and fielding. The concept of bowl-out essentially eliminated batting and fielding, making the game one-dimensional.