Caught

33.1 Out Caught

The striker is out Caught if a ball delivered by the bowler, not being a No ball, touches his/her bat without having previously been in contact with any fielder, and is subsequently held by a fielder as a fair catch, as described in 33.2 and 33.3, before it touches the ground.

33.2 A fair catch

33.2.1 A catch will be fair only if, in every case

either   the ball, at any time

or        any fielder in contact with the ball,

is not grounded beyond the boundary before the catch is completed.  Note Laws 19.4 (Ball grounded beyond the boundary) and 19.5 (Fielder grounded beyond the boundary).

33.2.2 Furthermore, a catch will be fair if any of the following conditions applies: 

33.2.2.1 the ball is held in the hand or hands of a fielder, even if the hand holding the ball is touching the ground, or is hugged to the body, or lodges in the external protective equipment worn by a fielder, or lodges accidentally in a fielder’s clothing. 

33.2.2.2 a fielder catches the ball after it has been lawfully struck more than once by the striker, but only if it has not been grounded since it was first struck.  See Law 34 (Hit the ball twice).

33.2.2.3 a fielder catches the ball after it has touched the wicket, an umpire, another fielder, a runner or the other batter.

33.2.2.4 a fielder catches the ball after it has crossed the boundary in the air, provided that the conditions in 33.2.1 are met.

33.2.2.5 the ball is caught off an obstruction within the boundary that is not designated a boundary by the umpires.

33.3 Making a catch

The act of making a catch shall start from the time when the ball first comes into contact with a fielder’s person and shall end when a fielder obtains complete control over both the ball and his/her own movement.

33.4 No runs to be scored

If the striker is dismissed Caught, runs from that delivery completed by the batters before the completion of the catch shall not be scored but any runs for penalties awarded to either side shall stand. Law 18.11 (Batter returning to wicket he/she has left) shall apply from the instant of the completion of the catch.

33.5 Caught to take precedence

If the criteria of 33.1 are met and the striker is not out Bowled, then he/she is out Caught, even though a decision against either batter for another method of dismissal would be justified.

© Marylebone Cricket Club 2017