A batter can get out in multiple ways. Previously, it was eleven. But now there are only ten ways to send an on-strike batter back to the pavilion. We will discuss all of them here. This given information is useful if you are new to cricket and want to understand its rules.
10 Ways to Get Out in Cricket
Bowled
Let’s start with the simplest way to get out in cricket, bowled. If the ball hits the stumps and one of the bails falls, the batter has to leave the ground. It’s outlined by the Law 32 of cricket.
The batter is out even if the ball hits his/her body before hitting the wickets. So, the batter has to go back even if the bat, gloves, or helmet is involved. Everyone understands when the batter is bowled because the bails are dislodged from the stumps. Around 21.3 percent of batters get bowled.
Caught
If a fielder catches the ball after being hit by the bat, then the batter has to go back. The ball must not bounce before a fielder catches it. Plus, the delivery has to be legal.
Catches taken in the outfield are seen by all the players and hence, the chances of errors are minimal. However, the umpires have to intervene in a lot of cases, especially when the batter edges and the keeper takes the catch. The batter can stand on the pitch while umpires decide the outcome.
Caught is one of the most common methods of losing a wicket. Around 58.6 batters leave the ground after getting caught. Always remember that a catch becomes a boundary if the fielder is in contact with the boundary line.
LBW – Leg before wicket
Leg before wicket could be one of the most challenging ways to explain. You might get a better understanding when you watch it in a live match. LBW is created by the cricket law to prevent intentional blockage of the ball by a batter. So, if the batter tries to put his/her pads or any of their body parts to avoid getting bowled, they will be out by the laws of LBW.
The batter is given LBW out if a legal delivery is stopped by the body. It does not matter if the attempt to stop the ball is planned or a missed stroke, the batter has to leave the pitch. So, the following factors are considered by the umpires when the fielding team appeals for LBW:
Delivery – legal or the bowler overstepped
Impact – the ball has to be in line with the batter and stumps. The ball should not go over the stumps.
Contact – the ball must not hit the gloves or bat in its way toward the stumps.
The batter is not given LBW out on a no-ball. The batter stays on the pitch if the ball is making contact outside the stumps and he/she is trying to play a stroke. If the batter is not even attempting the ball, then the umpire is allowed to make an out sign.
The decision of LBW used to be tough for the umpires some years back. But, things are quick and accurate after the invention of DRS (Decision review system). Both teams get a particular number of reviews to clarify if there are any doubts in their minds.
Run out
If any member of the fielding team puts down the wicket before a batter is out of his/her respective grounds, its run out. The batters have to cross the popping crease using their bat or any other body part to avoid getting run out. A run-out is also possible if the bowler put down the wicket when the batter is backing up for a run.
Runouts are sometimes tight to judge. Hence, the third umpire has to intervene in a lot of cases. Run out is rare. Only 3.49 batters fall for this. Still, it’s a perfect way for the fielding team to send an in-form batter back to the pavilion.
Stumped
Similar to running out, but a batter can be stumped only by the wicketkeeper. It happens when the on-strike batter leaves the crease to play a shot and the ball goes directly to the keeper. If the keeper breaks the stumps and the batter is out of the crease, he/she has to leave the ground. The batter can use the bat or any of the body parts to cross the crease and avoid being stumped.
If the batter starts running, then it’s referred to as run out. But, if the batter tried to return to the crease, then it’s stumped. Only 2.02 percent of batters lose their wicket in this way.
Hit wicket
A batter is hit wicket if he/she breaks the wicket with the bat or any other body part. This dismissal also comes into effect if the bat, helmet, or any other gear breaks and crashes into the wickets. However, the delivery has to be legal. Hit wicket is rare because only 0.230 batters lose their wicket in this manner.
Hit the ball twice
A batter cannot juggle the ball before sending it off for some runs. Everyone knows this rule. So, hitting the ball twice is not a regular incident in cricket. However, if the batter hits the ball more than once after it hits the body or any other part, including the bat, then the umpires can make a sign of out. However, there are some exceptions:
The second contact of the ball is not intentional. You might have seen such an incident when the batter plays the sweep shot, the ball hits the ball twice.
The batter hits the ball willfully to prevent its contact with the stumps, then he umpires can raise their fingers. However, the batter can stop the ball if it’s rolling towards the stumps.
Obstructing the Field/Handled the ball
The batters can be sent back to the pavilion if they intentionally interrupt the fielding side with their words, actions, bat, or any other body part. For instance, a batter can be given out if he/she deliberately disturbs a fielder to take the catch.
The same outcome is possible if the batters change their course to obstruct a fielder and avoid running out. To get some out in this way, the fielding has to convince both the on-field umpires. Being out due to field obstruction is uncommon, only 0.01 percent of batters lose their wicket due to this reason.
Timed out
If a batter is given time out, then he/she is sure to get a lot of bashing from the teammates. Do you know why? Once the on-strike batter is given out, the upcoming batter gets three minutes to arrive at the crease. It’s the reason why most batters get padded up even before any sign of losing a wicket.
According to law 40, if the batter takes more than three minutes to take the stance, the umpire gives him/her out. The fielding must appeal for timed out. Such incidents are uncommon.
Retired out
A batter can be given retired out if he/she leaves the field without the permission of the on-field umpires. However, such an incident is rare in international cricket because there is too much at stake for a batter to leave the field. Things are different if the batter leaves the ground with the umpire’s permission. Then, the batter can come to bat and complete his/her inning.
No ball means no wicket, but there’s more
Now you know all the ways to get a wicket in cricket. But, it’s crucial to understand no-balls. A batter may be out due to any of the ten reasons we discussed above, but things change if the delivery is illegal. In other words, the bowler must not step over the crease while bowing. If the ball is unfair, the batter leaves the crease only in three conditions, run out, field obstruction, and hit the ball twice.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
What is a dismissal in cricket?
Dismissal is a way of getting out. A bowler tries to send the batter back to the pavilion and he/she succeeds if any of the incidents mentioned above in this post comes into the picture. The batting unit has 11 wickets in its hands, but a single batter cannot take the charge. So, there are only 10 wickets and ten dismissals.
Once all ten batters from one team lose their wicket, the fielding side starts batting. So, a dismissal is crucial to maintain the flow of a cricket match. If the fielding team dismisses all ten players from one team, they have an advantage. A low score leads to an easy win most of the time. A lot of batters also score a duck in cricket, which generally leads to disrespect and humiliation.
Can an umpire give out without appeal?
According to the Law 31 of cricket, an umpire cannot rule out a batter without any appeal from the fielding side. However, the umpires make an out sign without any appeal in practice matches.
Conclusion
After reading the post, you can understand why umpires are crucial. Cricket is not complex, but there has to be an entity to rule the guidelines. If you are a batter, then understand how not to lose your wicket. Avoid stepping out a lot, keep an eye on the ball and try to spend some time on the pitch to understand it.
Mayank Chowdhary is a professional cricket player in domestic cricket in India. He is very passionate about cricket and knows ins and out of cricket betting. With this long experience, now he has decided to share his experience with other cricket lover like you. Know more at the about me page.