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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