A match referee is an official appointed to oversee professional
cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by striki ...
matches. Match referees for
Test matches and
One Day International
A One Day International (ODI) is a form of limited overs cricket, played between two teams with international status, in which each team faces a fixed number of overs, currently 50, with the game lasting up to 9 hours. The Cricket World C ...
s are appointed by the
International Cricket Council
The International Cricket Council (ICC) is the world governing body of cricket. Headquartered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, its members are List of International Cricket Council members, 108 national associations, with 12 List of Internation ...
(ICC). Most matches below international level do not have a referee.
A match referee remains off the field of play at all times during the actual play of the game, observing events from a spectator area. The referee makes no decisions of any relevance to the play or result of the game; such decisions are the sole responsibility of the appointed
umpire
An umpire is an official in a variety of sports and competition, responsible for enforcing the rules of the sport, including sportsmanship decisions such as ejection.
The term derives from the Old French nonper, ''non'', "not" and ''per'', ...
s.
The match referee's responsibility is to ensure that the
ICC Cricket Code of Conduct is upheld during the game, to assess any breaches of the Code, and to hand out penalties for any breaches.
Following every game, the match referee composes and submits a match report to the ICC, noting any events or actions by players or umpires that may be a concern in terms of the Code of Conduct or the
Laws of Cricket
The ''Laws of Cricket'' is a code which specifies the rules of the game of cricket worldwide. The earliest known code was drafted in 1744 and, since 1788, it has been owned and maintained by its custodian, the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) in Lond ...
.
Match referees are frequently former cricket players who have had distinguished careers on the field.
In recent years the law regarding the
unlawful delivery of the
cricket ball
A cricket ball is a hard, solid ball used to play cricket. A cricket ball consists of a cork core wound with string then a leather cover stitched on, and manufacture is regulated by cricket law at first-class level. The trajectory of a crick ...
by a
bowler because of straightening of the arm at the elbow has been interpreted as the domain of the match referee and a system of reports to the ICC, rather than a matter for the umpires to decide and call on the field as a
no-ball
In cricket, a no-ball is a type of illegal delivery to a batter (the other type being a wide). It is also a type of extra, being the run awarded to the batting team as a consequence of the illegal delivery. For most cricket games, especially ...
at each incidence. This de facto migration of responsibility has caused controversy, with some commentators claiming it has eroded the official support and authority owed to the umpires.
Match referees give ratings to the quality of the pitch after the match and submit it to the ICC.
Two notable match referees are
David Boon
David Clarence Boon (born 29 December 1960) is an Australian cricket match referee, former cricket commentator and international cricketer whose international playing career spanned the years 1984–1996. A right-handed batsman and a very oc ...
and
Ranjan Madugalle
Deshabandu Ranjan Senerath Madugalle ( si, රන්ජන් මඩුගල්ල; born 22 April 1959) is a former Sri Lankan cricketer who currently serves as the Chief of the panel of ICC match referees. He was educated at Trinity College, K ...
.
{{Cricket positions
Cricket laws and regulations
Sports officiating
mr:सामनाधिकारी (क्रिकेट)