Is this a rule?

[Stokesy29]

It's the same in the Essex league with umpires even coming over to collect the ball from you if you forget.

[helenp]

I don't know about it being a rule as such, but I know that when I play in the Womens League, and we have paid Umpires, they insist on this happening. So we always return the ball to the Umpire now, whoever is standing. It becomes a habit.

[bearski]

Just wondering whether this is a law or not, i have noticed that when i have been umpiring and a wicket falls, the ball gets returned to me whilst the fielding team wait for the next batsman. I know they do this in Test and one day matches but is it really necessary in our league? I guess it's done in the test arena to stop any wrong doing by the players ie picking the seam, putting Vaseline on the ball to make it swing, that kind of thing. Half the time teams are shouting to me "umpire" and i turn round and they throw the ball at me, it took a couple of times before i realised what was going on!!! I just find it amusing the things that we pick up from the TV!!

[bearski]

I totally agree,i mean why do it? Some of the teams we play on Sunday's in our other league get quite shirty when they go to throw to me as umpire and i say to them that i don't want it!! Someone rolled the ball to me after taking a wicket a couple of weeks ago and i just let it roll 20 yards behind me, to the bemusement of the oppo!! Anyway my original question was whether it is a rule, and two people tell me it's a rule in other leagues, i just wanted to know whether it was a rule in our league!! :-D

[moon]

I agree it is a nonsense but decorum plies. changing tack slightly clapping batsman to the crease was always courtesy and descent at school yet recently heard from opposing sides"why clap them they are the f***ing enemy" general courtesy should always apply if they offer you the ball you should take it as umpire ;-) ;-) null

[djbbb]

this stems back from the early 90's tour of pakistan to england and the ball tampering rows that went on. the tccb (as it was then!!) found surrey and a couple of other counties guilty of ball tampering and made a rule that the ball should be returned to the umpire at the end of every over, fall of wicket and end of session. quite why we do it at our level is beyond me!!