take strike when the bowler is ready to start his run up. If he wastes time, in the first instance the batsman is warned by the umpire. That warning applies to the batting team as a whole and each incoming batsman is informed of that warning. If there is further time wasting by any batsman in that innings, the umpires award the fielding side 5 runs and inform the Governing Body so it may consider further disciplinary action. Damaging the pitch The central portion of the pitch (5 feet from each popping crease, and 1 foot either side of the line joining the centres of the two middle stumps) is designated a protected area (this is the area the ball will most often bounce in). The bowlers from the fielding side should not enter this area during the follow-through of their bowling action, nor should the batsman take guard within it or so close that they would frequently move into it. A bowler will get two warnings should they run into the protected area; should they encroach again, they will be suspended from bowling for the remainder of the innings. A batsman gets one warning and on subsequent transgressions incurs a 5 run penalty. Each side must also avoid deliberate or avoidable damage to the whole of the pitch (there will be unavoidable damage due to the bowler running off the pitch after bowling and the batsman taking his stance by the popping crease). Each side gets on warning for avoidable damage, any subsequent instance of avoidable damage will see a 5 run penalty awarded to the other side. Batsmen stealing runs A bowler may attempt to run out a batsman who leaves his ground before he delivers the ball, but must do so before he reaches the point in his action when he would normally release the ball, with this being known as mankading. It is unfair for batsmen to attempt to steal runs during the bowler's run-up. If they try the umpires will allow the bowler to attempt a run out. Should the bowler not attempt a run out then the umpires will call dead ball, return the batsmen to their previous ends and award a 5 run penalty to the fielding side. See also Stealing bases, the baseball equivalent to stealing runs References Cricket laws and regulations