Catches claimed by outfielders are usually obvious. The umpire does not need to make a decision. The general exception to that rule relates to catches claimed by the wicket-keeper where the ball strikes the edge of the bat. The batsman has the right to stand their ground and allow the umpire to adjudicate whether the batter is out or not.
There are some points to the law which need to be kept in mind. In order for a catch to be fair, the ball must not hit the ground before it reaches the fielder or be in contact with the ground as the catch is claimed. The fielder must be in full control of the ball before they release it and they must not be in contact with the boundary markers.
If all of those points are met, the catch is deemed to be fair and the bowler is dismissed.
Caught is the most common form of dismissal. The batsman is deemed to have been bowled if a legal delivery strikes their wicket and puts it down. In order for that wicket to be deemed as ‘put down’ at least one of the bails must be dislodged and fall to the ground.
LBW dismissals are governed by law 36 and this was introduced to prevent batsmen from deliberately blocking the wicket with their legs or any other part of their body.
The delivery must also hit in line with the stumps. If the ball is deemed to have struck the batsman outside of off stump and he or she is playing a shot, lbw should not be upheld. However, if the batsman is not playing a shot, LBW is permissible. Finally, LBW should not be given if the ball hits the bat or the batsman’s glove before striking their body.
The point at which that wicket is put down is defined as the moment that the bail is dislodged from the stumps and subsequently falls to the ground. In most cases, a run out dismissal takes place when the batsmen are attempting a run. However, a run out can occur if the batter simply falls or wanders out of their crease and the wicket is put down by a fielder.
Run outs are often tight calls and the adjudication, in the majority of cases, is undertaken by the umpire.
Run out is a less common dismissal in test cricket with just 3.46% of wickets falling in this fashion. Those numbers are likely to increase in limited overs cricket, but this is still a relatively rare way to get out.
Stumped is a form of dismissal that is carried out specifically by the wicketkeeper (see chart below). This is covered by law 39 and it starts when a batsman leaves their crease in order to play a delivery. If the ball passes the stumps and the wicket is put down by the wicket keeper, the batter is deemed to be out if no part of their bat or body is behind the popping crease.
If a batsman is attempting a run, the dismissal is marked down as run out but if they have simply left the crease to play the ball, the batter is ‘stumped.’
Statistics relating to stumped dismissals show that 2.02% of test batsmen are out in this manner. Once again, that number could potentially increase in limited overs formats but stumped is likely to remain as the fifth most common way of being given out.
A batsman is deemed to be out hit wicket if they break the wicket with their bat or any part of their body while playing a shot or attempting their first run. A dismissal can also be affected if a part of their equipment, most notably the helmet, is dislodged and breaks the wicket as a result of that delivery.
Typically, an appeal for obstructing the field will be upheld if a batsman deliberately prevents a fielder from taking a clean catch. Another common dismissal occurs when a batter changes their course to prevent a run out. The fielding side is required to appeal and both umpires can consult before coming to a decision.
As the name indicates, if the batsman hits the ball willyfully a second time after it has initially hit the bat or a part of their body / clothing, the batsman can be given out.
There is an exception to this rule as batsmen can use their bat, or any part of their body other than their hands, to prevent the ball from hitting the stumps. If this is the case, the second hit is deemed to be lawful but if the strike is wilful for any other reason, the umpire can uphold an appeal for Hit the Ball Twice.
Once a batsman has been dismissed for any reason, the incoming batter has three minutes in which to take to the field and assume their position at the crease. If they wilfully do not comply with this limit, the fielding side can appeal and the umpire should uphold the dismissal as ‘timed out’.
During their innings, a batsman can leave the field of play for a legitimate reason – usually injury or some other form of incapacity. This should be done with the umpire’s consent but if the reason is obvious and admissible, they are clearly going to allow it.
However, if the batter leaves the field without permission or for a reason that is not justified, they can be dismissed as retired out. This has happened on rare occasions and it usually occurs when a batsman leaves the field with a view to giving their colleagues some time at the crease. Therefore, it’s often the case that ‘retired out’ will sometimes appear on a scorecard for practice games.
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