Law 39.2( b) states:
If the ball touches a protective helmet worn by the wicketkeeper, the ball is still in play but the striker shall not be out stumped. He will, however, be liable to be run out in these circumstances if there is subsequent contact between the ball and any fielder. Note, however, 3 below.
Law 39.3( b) states:
If the striker is not out stumped he may, except in the circumstances of either of Laws 2.8( e)( i) or 38.2( b)( ii), be out run out if the conditions of Law 38.1( out run out) apply.
Law 38.1 states:
( a) Either batsman is out run out, except as in 2 below, if, at any time while the ball is in play:
( i) he is out of his ground( ii) his wicket is fairly put down by the action of a fielder.
( b)( a) above shall apply even though no ball has been called, except in the circumstances of 2( b)( ii) below, and whether or not a run is being attempted.
Law 38.2( b)( ii) states:
The striker is not out run out either in the circumstances of Law 2.8( e)( i)( Transgression of the Laws by a batsman who has a runner) or otherwise, if no ball has been called and he is out of his ground not attempting a run and the wicket is fairly put down by the wicketkeeper without the intervention of another fielder.
Here are the answers( so cover them up if you haven’ t answered the question yet!):
( i) The first point is that the Law refers to any fielder; further, Appendix D makes it clear that the wicketkeeper is one of the fielders. So when the ball strikes the wicketkeeper’ s helmet and is subsequently touched by the wicketkeeper, there has been‘ subsequent contact between the ball and any fielder’.
If the delivery is fair, the striker is therefore liable to be run out in these circumstances, whether or not a run is being attempted. Therefore, the correct decision was taken in the IPL example, both in terms of the decision to give the striker out, and in the mode of dismissal( run out).
( ii) Not out because there has been no subsequent contact between the ball and any fielder.
( iii) If the delivery is a no ball, and the wicket is fairly put down by a fielder other than the wicketkeeper, the batsman is liable to be run out whether or not a run is being attempted.
If the delivery is a no ball, and the wicket is fairly put down by the wicketkeeper without the intervention of another fielder, and the striker is out of his ground and not attempting a run, he shall not be dismissed run out.
Therefore, in the IPL scenario, if the delivery had been a no ball, then because a fielder other than the wicketkeeper had not touched the ball between contact with the helmet and breaking the wicket, and the striker was out of his ground and not attempting a run, the striker would not be out run out.
Mark Williams
Supplementary question: What is the only other situation where a wicketkeeper can run out a striker, who is not attempting a run, without the intervention of another fielder?( Answer after the next question.)
2. A relatively simple question and scenario which has fooled several senior umpires( make your mind up before looking at the answer!):
From a fair delivery, the striker’ s shoulders and arms make no attempt to play the ball; he also takes no evasive action. The ball first strikes his person and rebounds onto the edge of the bat.
( i) If the ball goes on to pass the boundary, what would you signal as the bowler’ s end umpire?
( ii) If the ball is subsequently caught in the gully, and there is an appeal, what decision would you make as the bowler’ s end umpire?
Law 26.2( a) Leg byes states:
If a ball delivered by the bowler first strikes the person of the striker, runs shall be scored only if the umpire is satisfied that the striker has either( i) attempted to play the ball with his bat or( ii) tried to avoid being hit by the ball.
( i) Since the striker has not attempted to play the ball with his bat nor tried to avoid being hit by the ball, no runs shall be scored, and so, as bowler’ s end umpire, you should signal dead ball( and therefore disallow the runs for a boundary four).
( ii) Since the ball is not dead just because the striker has not attempted to play the ball with his bat nor tried to avoid being hit by the ball, the striker should be given out caught( dead ball is only called in this situation if the ball crosses the boundary or, if the batsmen attempt to run, when the first run has been completed).
Answer to previous supplementary question: When an injured striker has a runner, misses the ball, and the wicketkeeper fairly breaks the wicket, with the striker within his ground and the runner out of his ground at the striker’ s end.
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