International Institute of Cricket Umpiring & Scoring
Substitute, sub
A team is permitted to use a substitute fielder in place of a nominated player who has been
injured or
has become ill during the match. The umpires
have discretion to allow a substitute for other,
acceptable
reasons. It might be that, by allowing a substitute for a player with a permanent disability, the game
is enriched by a skilful batsman; perhaps a heavily
pregnant cricketer will be able to play a few more
games if a substitute fielder is permitted. It is up to the umpires to take account of all the
circumstances and to use their discretion.
A substitute is not allowed to bat, bowl, act as
wicket-keeper,
a runner or as
captain. Earlier versions
of the Laws gave the captain of the batting side the right to
specify positions in which a substitute
may not field and also gave him the right to refuse to allow a substitute to be used at all. He no longer
has those rights; the decision to allow a substitute rests solely with the umpires and a substitute is
permitted to field in any position - other than wicket-keeper - even though he might be a specialist
in that position.
A player is not allowed to have a substitute simply so that he can go off for a rest, or have a shower,
a change of shirt etc, though some competitions do permit this.
A fielder returning to, or coming on to the field of play after having had a substitute act for him may
find he is not allowed to bowl immediately. If he has been off the field for 15 minutes or longer of
playing time he cannot bowl until he has been back on the field for the same amount of playing time.
There is no similar restriction on a batsman.
In order to add interest and to increase the range of tactical options available to sides, the concept
of the super-sub has been tried. These are not substitutes as defined in the Laws of Cricket, but are
replacements and are not subject to the same restrictions
as substitutes are.
The term sub is used in the scorebook to record a catch taken by a substitute fielder.
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