The third stump was introduced to the wicket in 1775 by the Hambledon Club which played its matches on Broad Halfpenny Down in Hampshire, England. (The stumps are the three vertical posts that support the bails and form the wicket; the bails are two smaller sticks placed on top of the three stumps to complete the wicket.)

Prior to this, at the beginning of the 18th century, cricket was played with two stumps for a wicket. These two stumps were 12in (30.48cm) high and 24in (60.96cm) apart. In the rules made in 1774, the stumps were raised to a height of 22in (55.88cm) with a bail of 6in (15.24cm). The dimensions of the wicket have changed several times until the current 28in (71.12cm) height by 9in (22.86cm) width were agreed in 1931.

The wicket bails must not project more than 0.5 in (1.27cm) above the stumps, and each bail must be 4.31 in(10.95 cm) long.

The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) in London was formed in 1787 and immediately assumed responsibility for the Laws of cricket, issuing a new version on 30 May 1788. There are currently 42 Laws (always written with a capital "L") which outline all aspects of how the game is to be played. MCC has re-coded the Laws six times, the seventh and latest code being released in October 2017. Cricket's official governing body is now the International Cricket Council (ICC) but MCC retains copyright in the Laws and only the MCC may change the Laws (only done after close consultation with the ICC and other interested parties).

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