This edition of Laws of Cricket, in association with the International Institute of Cricket Umpiring and Scoring, covers some more tricky questions of the Laws.

Many times on the pitch (and after the game) we have come to discuss whether a controversial situation should be allowed or not. There are precious few players with a deep enough understanding of the laws for our arguments to be resolved, but many times it's the players who also act as umpires. Now we can consult a team of expert experienced umpires for the answers to those tricky questions.

You can submit your own questions to the umpires here.

"I was batting against a spinner when one delivery kicked up from the pitch and landed in the top of my pad, where it came to rest. I believe that under those circumstances the ball becomes dead. So I fished it out and threw it back to the wicket-keeper. But, I wondered afterwards, if he had appealed, could I have been given out Handled the ball?"”

No –and you’ve already answered your own question because, as you rightly say, the ball became dead the instant it lodged in your pad. But if the ball was still in play and you wilfully handled it, on appeal you would be given out in this way, And if you were to pick up and return the ball in play to a fielder without the fielding side’s permission to do so, on appeal you would be given out for Obstructing the field.

Law 23.1 Dead ball (Open Learning Manual Page 73)

"I know everybody disagrees about LBW decisions but, on this occasion even the batsman said afterwards that he thought he was out! We were playing on a very slow pitch, where every ball kept low. One delivery didn’t rise up at all after pitching. Instead, it rolled all along the ground and hit the batsman on the boot smack in front of middle stump. We all appealed, but the umpire simply called it as a No ball. Why?"”

What an unusual batsman! Under the revised Code of Laws issued in 2000, any delivery that rolls along the ground before it reaches the popping crease, whether the striker hits it or not, is now a No ball. The same also applies if a delivery bounces three times or more before reaching the popping crease.

Law 24.6 No ball (Open Learning Manual Page 75)

Remember you can submit your own umpiring and scoring questions here.

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