While watching a game of cricket, every once in a while, we come across a unique method in which a batsman gets dismissed; one that we don’t get to see quite often! For example, the incident where English batsman Jason Roy was given OUT “obstructing the field” in a T20 match against South Africa in 2017.
I’m sure this makes you wonder, exactly how many ways are there in which a batsman can be dismissed in the game of cricket? What are the rules for these dismissals and have there been at least 1 instance of each of the dismissal? In today’s post, we will give you everything there is to know about the types of dismissals in cricket with examples!
But first, in how many ways can a batsman be given out in cricket? There are 10 different ways in which a batsman can be given OUT in cricket. These are –
- Out Caught
- Out Bowled
- Run Out
- Leg Before Wicket (LBW)
- Stumped
- Hit Wicket
- Obstructing the Field
- Handled the ball
- Hitting the Ball Twice
- Timed Out
There is also an 11th form of getting out known as retired out (which is different from retired hurt), but this is not officially considered as part of the rules list.
But, when exactly is a batsman given out as run out or stumped? Let’s learn the brief details of each of these dismissals.
1. Out Caught
A batsman getting out caught is one of the most common mode of dismissal.
A batsman is given out caught if a ball delivered by the bowler, touches the batsman’s bat, and subsequently lands directly in the hands of any of the player of the fielding team including the bowler.
A few things to keep in mind when considering the “Out Caught” dismissal –
- The batsman is given out even if the hand holding the ball is touching the ground (as long as the ball doesn’t touch the ground)
- The batsman is given out caught even if the fielder catches the ball after it hits the umpire, another fielder, a runner or another batsman of any other equipment of any batsman. (as long as the ball doesn’t touch the ground)
- The batsman is given out even when the fielder catches the ball even after it has crossed the boundary in the air, but the fielder has not come in contact with the boundary or the ground beyond the boundary while holding the ball.
- The batsman is also given out caught when the ball accidentally lodges in the fielder’s clothing (barring the helmet). Watch the video below.
- The batsman can not be given out caught on a No Ball.
2. Out Bowled
This is another commonly seen method of dismissal in the game of cricket.
A batsman is out bowled when the ball delivered by the bowler hits his wickets and the bails get dislodged. The batsman can be given out bowled even if the ball, after being delivered strikes the batsman’s pad, clothing or any other equipment before hitting the stumps.
It is important to note that at least one of the bails needs to be dislodged for a batsman to be given out bowled.
There have been instances in the past that even though the ball has hit the stumps but the bails have not been dislodged! In such an event, a batsman is given NOT OUT.
Check out this video below that showcases how a batsman may be given not out even though the ball has hit the stumps but the bails remain on top of the wickets!
3. Run Out
This is another form of dismissal that is not all that uncommon. It is a fairly common sight to see a run out in a cricket match.
A run out in cricket occurs when a ball has been delivered by the bowler, and the two batsman try to take a run, but fail to complete the run before the ball hits the stumps.
Did you know? – Pakistani Players Inzamam-ul-Haq and Wasim Akram hold the distinct record for getting out run out the maximum number of times in their career! Both of them have been run out 68 times each!
A run out usually involves two players such as a fielder and the bowler or a fielder and the wicket-keeper. Thus, the run out is attributed to both the involved players.
I’m sure you have seen a run out in a match. So, let’s take a look at some of the funniest and the weirdest run outs in the history of the game in the video below!
4. Leg Before Wicket (LBW)
Leg before wicket is another one of the common forms of dismissal. This usually involves only the bowler.
A batsman is given out Leg Before Wicket when the bowler bowls a delivery that seems to be hitting the stumps but gets stopped by the batsman using anything other than his bat.
The rule is a bit more complex than what is mentioned above. Since the ball doesn’t hit the stumps, there are three other factors that are considered in order to validate whether the ball would have hits the stumps or not. These are as follows –
- The ball should hit the pitch either in line of the stumps or outside the off stumps
- The impact of the ball with the batsman should be in line with the stumps
- The impact of the ball with the batsman should ideally be lower or around the knee length of the batsman. This is to judge the height of the ball after impact.
A few other points to note are as follows –
- A batsman can not be given out LBW on a no ball.
- If the ball hits the bat of the batsman before the pads, the batsman can not be given out LBW (even though it may be clear that the ball is hitting the stumps).
- If the batsman offered no shot, but the point of impact of the ball with the batsman is such that the ball may have just about missed the stumps, he can be given out LBW.
An interesting case of LBW was with Sachin Tendulkar who was given out when he ducked on a short ball and the ball hits his shoulder instead of his legs! He was still given out LBW!
5. Stumped
This type of dismissal is not all that uncommon although it is seen fewer times as compared to the ones mentioned above.
Sometimes, a batsman steps out of his crease in order to play a cricket shot. This may happen on purpose or inadvertently. However, in such a scenario, if the wicket-keeper collects the ball and hits the stump before the batsman can reach back in his batting crease, the batsman is adjudged out stumped.
The following video showcases how a stumping may take place.
Although in the above video, the batsman was well down the ground when he was beaten by the ball, there are many situations where in the batsman is close to the crease and a stumping may take place.
A few things to keep in mind for a batsman to be given out stumped –
- A batsman can not be given out stumped on a no ball
- A batsman can be out stumped on a wide ball
- Stumping takes into effect the moment the bails are dislodged by the wicket-keeper
- The bat of the batsman has to be over the line. If the bat is on the line, the batsman will be considered out stumped.
- If a batsman hits/misses the ball, and the wicket-keeper also misses the ball, however, the two batsman decide to take a run and the wicket-keeper hits the stumps in the process before either of the batsman reaches the crease, then such a dismissal will be called run out and not as out stumped.
- Stumping can take effect only at the striker’s end of the pitch and only by the wicket-keeper.
6. Hit Wicket
The five modes of dismissals mentioned above are fairly common in the various forms of cricket. You may most definitely see them happening in almost every match.
The various modes of dismissals mentioned from hereon below are very rare!
So, when does a hit wicket take place? There are times when a batsman ends up hitting the stumps and dislodging the bails inadvertently. This may happen after he has played a shot, or during the process of playing the shot. The bails may get dislodged by either the bat, pad or any other part of the batsman. Such a dismissal is termed as out Hit Wicket!
Such an instance is quite rare! But, one of the funniest instance of hit wicket took place in a match between Pakistan and England. Let’s watch the video.
It is important to note that a batsman can not be out hit wicket on a no ball.
7. Obstructing the Field
This is another one of the rarest forms of dismissals in cricket
If a batsman wilfully attempt to prevent the ball from hitting the stumps or prevent the fielder from catching the ball or throwing the ball to the fielder, a batsman can be given out obstructing the field.
Many a times a batsman runs between the path of the ball in order to prevent it from hitting the stumps. Such scenarios are prefect recipe for the obstructing the wicket rule!
Let’s look at the below video to see a few examples of batsman who have been given out obstructing the field –
One of the key things that is noted in such a case is the intent of the batsman. If the batsman wilfully and deliberately comes in the way of the ball hitting the stumps, he can be given out.
However, if this happens inadvertently, the batsman may be allowed to bat. A classic example of a situation when this happened completely unknowingly was during the 2019 ICC World Cup Finals. Watch that video below –
Did you know? Till date, Len Hutton of England is the only player to be ever dismissed out Obstructing the Field in the Test Match format. However, there have been over 7 instances in ODIs and 2 instances in a T20 match of a batsman given out Obstructing the Field.
The latest instance of a batsman given out obstructing the field involves Xavier Marshall representing USA while playing a one day international match against the UAE in Sharjah in December 2019.
8. Handled the Ball
This type of dismissal is one of the most rare method in which a batsman gets out!
If a batsman touches the ball with his hand (that is not in contact with his bat) in order to prevent it from hitting the stumps, the batsman can be given out Handled the Ball!
A batsman is allowed to protect his wickets i.e. prevent the ball from hitting his wickets. Just that, he is not allowed to use his hand to do so. If, however, a batsman uses either his legs, bat, or any other part of the body in order to prevent the ball from hitting the stumps, he will be deemed not out.
The following video showcases how Rahul Dravid prevented the ball from hitting his stumps by using his legs.
Till date, there have been a total of 10 instances in international cricket when a batsman was dismissed out handled the ball! 7 of these 10 cases have occurred during a Test Match, whereas the other 3 instances have taken place in a ODI match.
9. Hit the ball Twice
This form of dismissal has never taken place in international cricket.
If a batsman deliberately hits the ball the second time using his bat before the ball touches the fielder, the batsman is given out Hit the Ball Twice! There are a few points to note for such a form of dismissal –
- If a batsman hits the ball twice using in order to guard his stumps, he can not be given out
- A batsman can not be given out in this way if he hits the ball twice in order to return the ball to the fielder. However, the batsman needs to take permission from the fielder to return the ball back for him to not be considered out.
- Touches the ball with his bat after it has touched the fielder.
Also read –
10. Timed Out
This form of dismissal has also never taken place in international cricket!
According to this rule, if after a fall of a wicket, the next batsman is not in position to take guard and face the next delivery within a period of 3 minutes, the batsman can be given out Timed Out!
Although this has never actually happened, Sachin Tendulkar came close to being the first batsman to be given out as Timed Out! Watch the video below to see what happened!
The explanation of what had taken place –
The incident happened during the 2nd innings of 3rd test between India and South Africa in 2006-07. Just before the end of South Africa’s innings, Sachin Tendulkar had been replaced by a substitute fielder for 18 minutes. Thus, as per the Laws of Cricket, he wasn’t eligible to bat for at least 18 minutes once the game had restarted with Indian Innings.
However, since India lost 2 early wickets (within nearly 10 minutes of the game restarting), Sachin couldn’t come out and bat. this created a bit of confusion and Sourav Ganguly coming out to bat after a six-minute delay!
South African captain Graeme Smith decided not to appeal (on moral grounds) for a timed out dismissal of the incoming batsman.
BONUS Dismissal – Retired OUT
As we mentioned at the beginning of the article, there is another way a batsman can be considered out known as retired out.
This is not the same as retired hurt because when a batsman is retired hurt, he has the option to come back and continue to bat when he is in a condition to do so.
Even if the batsman is not in a condition to continue batting, he is not considered out and the scorecard reflects that the batsman was retired hurt.
However, if a batsman chooses to stop batting and decide to walk back for to the pavilion without any other reason, then the batsman is considered as retired out. In such a scenario, a batsman can not come back to bat again.
This is fairly common in during practise matches or domestic cricket. However, only 2 batsmen have ever been retired out in a test match format both in the same match.
The incident occurred during a match between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh in 2001. The match was quite one-sided and the two Sri Lankan batsmen i.e. Marvan Attapattu and Mahela Jayawardena decided to get retired out in order to give chance to other batsmen.
Recently, batsman Sonam Tobgay got retired out in a T20 international match between Bhutan and Maldives in December 2019.
