The umpire at the bowler’s end shall call Play at the start of the match and on the

resumption of play after any interval or interruption.

The umpire at the bowler’s end shall call Time on the cessation of play before any

interval or interruption of play and at the conclusion of the match. See Law 27

(Appeals).

After the call of Time, the bails shall be removed from both wickets.

Another over shall always be started at any time during the match, unless an

interval is to be taken in the circumstances set out in 5 below, if the umpire, after

walking at his normal pace, has arrived at his position behind the stumps at the

bowler’s end before the time agreed for the next interval, or for the close of play,

has been reached.

Other than at the end of the match,

(a) if the agreed time for an interval is reached during an over, the over shall be

completed before the interval is taken except as provided for in (b) below.

(b) when less than 2 minutes remain before the time agreed for the next interval,

the interval will be taken immediately if

either (i) a batsman is out or retires

or (ii) the players have occasion to leave the field

whether this occurs during an over or at the end of an over. Except at the end of

an innings, if an over is thus interrupted it shall be completed on resumption of

play.

When one hour of playing time of the match remains, according to the agreed

hours of play, the over in progress shall be completed. The next over shall be the

first of a minimum of 20 overs which must be bowled, provided that a result is not

reached earlier and provided that there is no interval or interruption in play.

The umpire at the bowler’s end shall indicate the commencement of this 20 overs

to the players and the scorers. The period of play thereafter shall be referred to as

the last hour, whatever its actual duration.

If there is an interruption in play during the last hour of the match, the minimum

number of overs to be bowled shall be reduced from 20 as follows.

(a) The time lost for an interruption is counted from the call of Time until the time

for resumption of play as decided by the umpires.

(b) One over shall be deducted for every complete 3 minutes of time lost.

(c) In the case of more than one such interruption, the minutes lost shall not be

aggregated; the calculation shall be made for each interruption separately.

(d) If, when one hour of playing time remains, an interruption is already in

progress,

(i) only the time lost after this moment shall be counted in the calculation;

(ii) the over in progress at the start of the interruption shall be completed

on resumption of play and shall not count as one of the minimum

number of overs to be bowled.

(e) If, after the start of the last hour, an interruption occurs during an over, the

over shall be completed on resumption of play. The two part-overs shall between

them count as one over of the minimum number to be bowled.

If an innings ends so that a new innings is to be started during the last hour of the

match, the interval starts with the end of the innings and is to end 10 minutes later.

(a) If this interval is already in progress at the start of the last hour, then to

determine the number of overs to be bowled in the new innings, calculations are to

be made as set out in 7 above.

(b) If the innings ends after the last hour has started, two calculations are to be

made, as set out in (c) and (d) below. The greater of the numbers yielded by these

two calculations is to be the minimum number of overs to be bowled in the new

innings.

(c) Calculation based on overs remaining.

(i) At the conclusion of the innings, the number of overs that remain to be

bowled, of the minimum in the last hour, to be noted.

(ii) If this is not a whole number it is to be rounded up to the next whole

number.

(iii) Three overs to be deducted from the result for the interval.

(d) Calculation based on time remaining.

(i) At the conclusion of the innings, the time remaining until the agreed

time for close of play to be noted.

(ii) Ten minutes to be deducted from this time, for the interval, to

determine the playing time remaining.

(iii) A calculation to be made of one over for every complete 3 minutes of

the playing time remaining, plus one more over for any further part of

3 minutes remaining.

The match is concluded

(a) as soon as a result, as defined in sections 1,2,3 or 4 of Law 21 (The result), is

reached.

(b) as soon as both

(i) the minimum number of overs for the last hour are completed

and (ii) the agreed time for close of play is reached

unless a result has been reached earlier.

(c) if, without the match being concluded either as in (a) or in (b) above, the

players leave the field, either for adverse conditions of ground, weather or light,

or in exceptional circumstances, and no further play is possible thereafter.

The over in progress at the close of play on the final day shall be completed unless

either (i) a result has been reached

or (ii) the players have occasion to leave the field. In this case there shall

be no resumption of play, except in the circumstances of Law 21.9

(Mistakes in scoring), and the match shall be at an end.

If, for any reason, a bowler is unable to complete an over during the last hour,

Law 22.8 (Bowler incapacitated or suspended during an over) shall apply.