The Marylebone Cricket Club has announced that the gender-neutral terms “batter” and “batters” will replace “batsman” and “batsmen” after the Laws of Cricket were amended.
The changes – which are effective immediately – have been approved by the MCC Committee, a move which it says has been made in an effort to “reinforce cricket’s status as an inclusive game for all”.
The matter was previously addressed in 2017, but it was decided not to make a change at that point.
Jamie Cox, Assistant Secretary (Cricket and Operations) at MCC, said: “MCC believes in cricket being a game for all and this move recognises the changing landscape of the game in modern times. 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.”
