Cricket Dismissal Rules: Ways a Batter Can Get Out

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Cricket Dismissal Rules Explained: Bowled, LBW and More

Every way a batter can lose their wicket, explained in plain English with a simple example for each, plus what changes when the ball is a no-ball.

Under the cricket dismissal rules in the Laws of Cricket, a batter can be out in nine ways: bowled, caught, hit the ball twice, hit wicket, LBW, obstructing the field, run out, stumped and timed out. A batter can also be recorded as retired out, which sits outside those nine.

Some are familiar and some are rare, and each has its own conditions. Knowing them helps players, fans and scorers follow the game and record it correctly.

Key takeaway

A fielding side must appeal, and the umpire decides. The Laws set the conditions for each method, so the umpire checks them before raising the finger.

The nine ways to get out

The Laws of Cricket cover these methods in Laws 32 to 40. Since the 2017 Code, the old "handled the ball" dismissal is part of obstructing the field.

Dismissal	Law	In one line
Bowled	32	The delivery puts down the wicket
Caught	33	A fair catch after the ball touched the bat
Hit the ball twice	34	The batter deliberately hits it a second time
Hit wicket	35	The batter breaks their own wicket
Leg before wicket	36	The pad or body blocks a ball that would hit the stumps
Obstructing the field	37	Wilful obstruction of the fielding side
Run out	38	The wicket is broken while a batter is out of the ground
Stumped	39	The keeper breaks the wicket as the striker is out of the ground
Timed out	40	The new batter is not ready in time

The most common dismissals

Four methods account for most wickets. Hover over a card for the key condition.

Bowled

A batter is bowled when the delivery puts down the wicket, even if it first touches the bat or body. Example: a fast yorker beats the shot and hits the stumps.

Caught

A batter is caught when the ball touches the bat and a fielder holds a fair catch before it touches the ground. If the ball bounces first, the batter is not out caught.

Leg before wicket (LBW)

The ball hits the batter instead of the bat, would have gone on to hit the stumps, and did not pitch outside leg stump. Umpires also consider where the ball struck the batter and whether a genuine shot was played. A ball hitting the pad is not automatically out.

Stumped

A batter is stumped when the striker is out of the ground, not attempting a run, and the wicketkeeper fairly breaks the wicket. Example: the batter steps out to a spinner, misses, and the keeper removes the bails before the batter gets back. A stumping is not possible off a no-ball.

Run out, hit wicket and the rarer methods

Run out

A batter is run out when the wicket is fairly broken while the batter is out of the ground and the ball is in play. Example: two batters go for a quick single and the keeper breaks the stumps before the striker reaches the crease. The non-striker can be run out too, and a batter need not be running to be run out.

Stumped or run out?

Ask whether the striker was attempting a run. If the keeper alone puts the wicket down and the striker was not running, it is a stumping. If the batter was running, or another fielder was involved, it is a run-out.

Hit wicket

A batter is out hit wicket if they break their own wicket with the bat, body or equipment while playing the ball or setting off for a run. Example: stepping back to a short delivery and clipping the stumps with the bat.

Hit the ball twice

A batter is out if they deliberately hit the ball a second time while it is in play, other than to guard their wicket. Defending the stumps within the Laws does not make a batter out.

Obstructing the field

A batter is out if they wilfully obstruct the fielding side by action or words, such as changing their running line to block a fielder. Deliberately touching the ball with a hand not holding the bat, without the fielding side's consent, also counts. Accidental contact is not enough.

Timed out

Under the Laws, the new batter must be ready to receive the ball, or the other batter ready for the next ball, within three minutes of the dismissal or retirement. If not, the fielding side can appeal and the new batter is out timed out, without facing a ball. Some competitions use shorter limits, and being on the field is not enough on its own to avoid it.

Retired out

This is not one of the nine methods. A batter who retires through illness, injury or another unavoidable cause may resume and is recorded as retired not out. Retiring for another reason and not resuming is recorded as retired out.

Which dismissals are possible off a no-ball?

A no-ball removes most ways of getting out. Off a no-ball, the batter can be out only in three ways.

Run out
Hit the ball twice
Obstructing the field

Bowled, caught, LBW, stumped and hit wicket are not possible off a no-ball. The same limits apply on a free hit.

Recording dismissals accurately

For scorers, the dismissal type matters as much as the runs. Confirm which batter is out, record the dismissal according to the umpire's decision and check the type before saving. If the ball was a no-ball, a bowled or caught entry cannot be right. See our guide to common cricket scoring mistakes, and read how umpires handle disputes in local cricket matches if a decision is questioned.

Record every wicket correctly

Know the rules, then score them accurately. Explore CricLive for ball-by-ball scoring and detailed scorecards for your local matches.

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Frequently asked questions

How many ways can a batter get out in cricket?

The Laws of Cricket list nine methods of dismissal in Laws 32 to 40: bowled, caught, hit the ball twice, hit wicket, LBW, obstructing the field, run out, stumped and timed out. A batter can also be recorded as retired out.

What is the difference between stumped and run out?

A stumping needs the striker to be out of the ground and not attempting a run, with the wicketkeeper putting the wicket down. A run-out applies when a batter is out of the ground and a fielder fairly breaks the wicket while the ball is in play.

Can a batter be out off a no-ball?

Only in limited ways. Off a no-ball a batter can be out run out, hit the ball twice or obstructing the field. Bowled, caught, LBW, stumped and hit wicket are not possible.

Can a batter be out without facing a delivery?

Yes. Timed out is one example, and a batter can also be run out without facing a ball, depending on the circumstances.

What is the difference between retired hurt and retired out?

A batter who retires through illness, injury or another unavoidable cause may resume later and is recorded as retired not out. Retiring for another reason and not resuming is recorded as retired out.

Who decides whether a batter is out?

The umpires, under the Laws of Cricket and the competition's playing conditions. A fielding side must also appeal before a batter can be given out.

Conclusion

Every dismissal has its own conditions, from a simple bowled to the rare timed out. A batter can lose a wicket by missing the ball, finding a fielder, leaving the crease or even breaking their own stumps.

Next time the umpire raises a finger, look past the signal at the reason behind it. That is what makes the game easier to follow and to score.