Who writes the Laws
The MCC's preface to the current Laws, the 2017 Code 4th Edition (2026), says cricket has been governed by Codes of Laws for over 280 years, and that the Marylebone Cricket Club has been recognised as the sole authority for the Code since it was formed in 1787. How the MCC works on the Laws today is described on the MCC and the Laws; this page is the history.
The dates below follow the list in the MCC's 2017 Code 3rd Edition (2022), which sets the revisions out year by year. The 2026 preface carries the same list. Where the MCC's preface uses its own words for the people who drew up a Code, they are given in quotation marks.
The Codes as the MCC dates them
| Year | What the MCC records |
|---|---|
| 1744 | The earliest known Code, drawn up by certain "Noblemen and Gentlemen" who used the Artillery Ground in London |
| 1755 | Revised by "Several Cricket Clubs, particularly the Star and Garter in Pall Mall" |
| 1774 | Revised by a committee of noblemen and gentlemen of Kent, Hampshire, Surrey, Sussex, Middlesex and London, meeting at the Star and Garter |
| 1786 | Revised again by a similar body from the same counties |
| 30 May 1788 | The MCC's first Code of Laws adopted |
| 19 May 1835 | A new Code approved by the MCC Committee |
| 21 April 1884 | A new version, with important changes, approved at an MCC Special General Meeting after consulting clubs around the world |
| 7 May 1947 | A new Code approved at an MCC Special General Meeting, aimed mainly at clearer wording and better arrangement |
| 21 November 1979 | A new Code approved at an MCC Special General Meeting, after a revision begun in 1974 that followed five editions of the 1947 Code; it took effect in 1980 |
| 1992 | A second edition of the 1980 Code, gathering twelve years of amendments |
| 3 May 2000 | A new Code approved, with a Preamble defining the Spirit of Cricket |
| 2007 | The MCC sets up its Laws sub-committee in place of the Laws Working Party |
| 2010 | Fourth edition of the 2000 Code; on 5 May 2010 members agree the MCC Committee may change the Laws without members' approval |
| 1 October 2017 | The 2017 Code takes effect, after six editions of the 2000 Code |
| April 2019, October 2022, October 2026 | Second, third and fourth editions of the 2017 Code |
The Code approved in 1979 is often called the 1980 Code, after the year it came into force. The MCC's list files it under 1979, the year of approval. Both labels describe the same Code.
The 2022 preface was signed by G.W. Lavender as the MCC's Chief Executive and Secretary on 1 October 2022, and the 2026 preface by R.S. Lawson on 1 October 2026.
What the early Codes changed
The ICC's history page gives a shorter version of the 18th-century story. It says the first Laws were written in 1744 and amended in 1774, and that the 1774 changes added leg before wicket, a third (middle) stump and a maximum width for the bat.
How many early revisions?
The two accounts differ in what they mention. The ICC's summary names only 1744 and 1774. The MCC's list has revisions in 1755, 1774 and 1786 before its own Code of 1788. The ICC page is a short summary and does not say the other revisions did not happen, so this site uses the MCC's list for the dates.
Who drew up the 1744 Code?
Some histories, including Wikipedia, say the 1744 Code was published by "the London Club" after a meeting at a club in Pall Mall. The MCC's own wording is only that it was drawn up by noblemen and gentlemen who used the Artillery Ground. We could not confirm the London Club version from a primary source.
Leg before wicket
Wikipedia, which we saw only as a search summary, says the earliest leg before wicket wording made a batter out for deliberately stopping the ball from hitting the wicket with the leg, and that the MCC's 1788 revision removed the need to judge intent and referred instead to a ball pitched straight. This is unconfirmed.
The 19th and 20th centuries
Much of the Laws' 19th-century history is about bowling. The historian Martin Williamson, writing for ESPNcricinfo in 2006, records Law changes on roundarm bowling in 1816, 1828 and 1835 and on overarm bowling for the 1864 season; that story is told on overarm bowling. Williamson also records that the MCC changed the Laws in 1845 to make umpires' decisions final.
The response to Bodyline in the 1930s, and the later limit of two fielders behind square on the leg side, are on Bodyline.
The 2017 Code and its editions
The MCC says six editions of the 2000 Code appeared in fifteen years, which is why a new Code was needed in 2017. The MCC's preface says the 2017 Code was the first written in gender-neutral form, and that the 2022 edition replaced "batsman" with "batter".
- Second edition, in force 1 April 2019. The MCC said it made 22 changes, most of them minor.
- Third edition, in force 1 October 2022. Approved by the MCC Main Committee the week before, according to the MCC's announcement.
- Fourth edition, in force 1 October 2026. Announced by the MCC on 3 February 2026 with 73 material changes and linguistic changes throughout. The MCC says all gendered language was removed in this edition.
What the 2026 edition changed is set out on the 2026 Laws changes, and every dated Code is also in the timeline.
Sources
- MCC, Laws of Cricket, 2017 Code 3rd Edition (2022), preface and list of dates
- MCC, Laws of Cricket, 2017 Code 4th Edition (2026), preface
- ICC, history of cricket: early cricket
- Wikipedia, Leg before wicket (secondary, seen as search summary only)
- Wikipedia, Laws of Cricket (secondary)
- Martin Williamson, The evolution of bowling, ESPNcricinfo (27 May 2006)
- MCC, updated Code of Laws comes into force (2019)
- MCC, MCC announces new Code of Laws from 1 October 2022
- MCC, MCC announces new edition of Laws from 1 October 2026 (3 February 2026)
- MCC, changes to Laws for 2026 edition