International cricket laws have been amended to replace the term ‘batsman’ with the gender-neutral word ‘batter.’
According to details, Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) — the sole authority on the laws of cricket since it was founded in 1787 — announced the amendment to the laws of the game on Wednesday.
The MCC said the use of the terminology would “help reinforce cricket’s status as an inclusive game for all”.
The profile of women’s cricket has rocketed in recent years, with England’s victory over India in the 2017 World Cup final taking place in front of a capacity crowd at Lord’s, which is owned by the MCC.
A crowd of 86,174 saw Australia defeat India in the T20 World Cup final in Melbourne in 2020 and in August Lord’s broke the record for a domestic women’s match as more than 17,000 fans watched the final of the inaugural Hundred competition.
“MCC believes in cricket being a game for all and this move recognises the changing landscape of the game in modern times,” said assistant secretary with responsibility for cricket and operations, Jamie Cox. “Use of the term ‘batter’ is a natural evolution in our shared cricketing language and the terminology has already been adopted by many of those involved in the sport.
“It is the right time for this adjustment to be recognised formally and we are delighted, as the guardians of the laws, to announce these changes today,” added MCC.
