Ways to get out at bat
One of the two most important things for a cricket player to learn is how they can be dismissed from bat (the other, obviously, is how to score). Getting dismissed has its own set of rituals, and is always initiated by a member of the fielding side (usually the bowler) shouting, “Howzat?” The umpire must then decide whether the batman is “out” or “not out.”The ten ways for a batter to be dismissed are:
- Bowled: This occurs when the bowler hits a wicket and breaks it by dislodging one of the bails. If the ball hits it but the wicket remains in, there is no out.
- Caught: If the batman hits the ball with either his bat or the hand holding his bat, and it is then caught before touching the ground, he is out.
- Leg before wicket (lbw): If the ball was going to hit the stumps but the batsman intercepts it, he is out if either:
- He attempts to play the shot and the ball hits the pad in line with the stumps, or
- He does not attempt to play it but it still must be going to hit the stumps (whether in line with it or not).
- Run out: If a fielding side member breaks a wicket with the ball while the batsman is out of ground, he is out.
- Stumped: If the wicketkeeper breaks the wicket after the batsman has missed the ball and stepped out of his ground, he is out.
- Hit wicket: If the batsman dislodges a wicket (either one or both bails) with any part of his body or equipment while receiving a ball or immediately after, he is out.
- Hit the ball twice: This fairly rare out is self-explanatory. Playing the ball twice is only allowed to stop the ball from hitting the wicket after playing it.
- Obstructed the field: This rare dismissal occurs when a batsman deliberately gets in the way of a fielder.
- Handled the ball: If a batsman deliberately touches the ball with his hand, he is out. However, balls often hit the batsman’s hand accidentally while being bowled.
- Timed out: If the next batsman does not arrive at wicket within three minutes of the last dismissal, he too is out.