IT was brought to the attention of our umpires at a recent meeting about the number of players who do not know the law regarding batsmen running on the pitch.

So often we see batsmen set off for a run from their normal guard position and cross over to the other side of the pitch which causes damage.

This action is avoidable. Batsmen don’t have to run there. Once they set off they should remain on the same side of the pitch. Just watch the Test players.

What should an umpire do? Well in the first instance, when the ball is dead he informs the other umpire and the bowler's end umpire will let both batsmen know the practice is unfair. They will get a first and final warning.

The warning applies throughout the innings so it is necessary to inform each incoming batsman. Both captains should also be informed as soon as practicable.

If there is a further instance of avoidable damage to the pitch by any batsman then after informing his colleague, the bowler's end umpire will disallow all runs scored off that delivery other than wides or no balls and award five penalty runs to the fielding side.

The batsmen will return to their original ends and both captains will be informed again.

Because five penalty runs have been issued, a report will go in to the league's governing body, in our case it will go to the league's disciplinary committee.

Some league umpires get called for issuing penalty runs for this but it’s in the laws.

Most of us will give a friendly warning before setting the law in motion and it is possible for the side batting second to start with runs before a ball is bowled, as one club found out a few years ago when they started with 15 runs.

It’s not just running down the pitch that causes damage.

At the fall of a wicket the umpire should be aware of where the batsmen is standing waiting for his colleague or when both of them are having a chat at the end of the over.

Standing on the pitch beyond the five-foot marking is deemed to be damaging the pitch and the procedure will begin.

It’s the same with taking a guard outside the popping crease.

While a batsman is allowed to charge down the pitch to play a ball, he has to run off as soon as he can to stop this rule of causing avoidable damage being brought into play.

As I said previously, most will get a friendly warning first but players need to realise this law does exist.