GUIDES · BETSLIP DOCTOR
Who replaces a lost or unfit cricket ball, and how is the replacement chosen?
During play, the umpires replace a ball that cannot be found or recovered, or that they agree has become unfit through normal use. They choose a ball with wear comparable to the previous ball before replacement and inform the batters and fielding captain. That does not automatically mean a brand-new ball is due. Scheduled new-ball requests at the start of an innings or under the qualifying match rules are separate from this lost-or-unfit-ball procedure. This describes the MCC Laws of Cricket, 2017 Code, fourth edition (2026), effective 1 October 2026. That date does not establish that every clause is new or that a particular competition has adopted it; check the competition’s Playing Conditions.
For Players and viewers wondering why an umpire supplies a used replacement ball. · Updated
The lost-or-unfit rule has two triggers
The replacement procedure applies if the ball cannot be found or recovered, or if the umpires agree it became unfit through normal use. A complaint or an unexplained change in appearance alone is not the condition stated by this rule. This guide does not diagnose a ball or assess a separate allegation.
The umpires keep the match balls under their control. When replacement is needed, the ball selected is based on the wear the previous ball had received before it had to be replaced.
Comparable wear and notice are part of the procedure
The replacement should have a comparable amount of wear to the previous ball. The umpire informs the batters and the fielding captain when it is put into use. The rule does not promise a fresh ball or predict how a replacement will behave.
A scheduled new ball follows different rules
The Laws separately address when a captain may demand a new ball, including at the start of an innings and in qualifying multi-day matches. Those scheduled choices are not the same as replacing a ball that is lost or unfit through normal use. A replacement under the lost-or-unfit rule is selected for comparable wear.
A lost ball and a worn ball in a fictional match
Assume the fictional match uses this MCC edition without a relevant Playing Condition change. First, a ball is hit beyond an area where it can be recovered; the umpires replace it with a ball whose wear is comparable to the missing one and tell the batters and fielding captain. In a separate stipulated case, the umpires agree that a ball became unfit through normal use; they use the same comparable-wear test and give the same notice. Neither example identifies or certifies a real ball, and neither creates an automatic new-ball entitlement.
Related questions
Does a lost ball automatically get replaced by a new ball?
No. The rule calls for a replacement with comparable wear to the ball before it was lost or became unfit.
Who decides whether normal use made the ball unfit?
The umpires must agree that it became unfit through normal use.