Caught Out in Cricket — How the Dismissal Works and the Key Rules

Being caught — a fielder catches the ball directly off the bat before it touches the ground — is the most common method of dismissal in all three formats of cricket, accounting for roughly 55–60% of all wickets at the top level. It sounds simple, but the Laws of Cricket contain several nuances that regularly create controversy, TV reviews, and animated dressing-room discussions.

The basic rule

Law 33 of the Laws of Cricket defines caught: the batter is out if a fielder catches the ball directly from the bat or glove while it is in contact with the bat, before the ball touches the ground. The catch must be completed — the ball must be under control in the fielder's hands — before it touches the ground. A ball that bounces and is then caught does NOT count as a catch.

Types of caught dismissals

• Caught behind — the wicketkeeper catches an edge off the bat. The most common single type of caught dismissal. Often reviewed with DRS if the batter doesn't walk.
• Caught in the slips — a ball edges to a slip fielder positioned behind square on the off side. A critical zone for pace bowlers early in an innings.
• Caught at mid-off or mid-on — a full delivery drives the ball in the air to a fielder in the 30-meter ring. Often the result of mistiming a drive.
• Caught at mid-wicket or square leg — a pull or sweep shot caught on the leg side.
• Caught on the boundary — a fielder takes a high catch at the rope. Subject to specific rules about ground contact (see below).
• Caught and bowled — the bowler catches their own delivery after it deflects off the bat back toward them.

Boundary catch rules

Catches taken on or near the boundary are governed by strict rules. A fielder may not touch the boundary rope or the ground beyond it while completing the catch — if they do, the ball is dead and the batter scores a six (not out). A fielder CAN jump from inside the boundary, take the catch in the air outside the boundary, then throw the ball back in-field before landing beyond the rope — as long as no part of their body grounds beyond the rope while in possession of the ball.

When a catch is NOT out

• The ball bounced before reaching the fielder's hands.
• The fielder touched the boundary rope or the ground beyond it while completing the catch.
• The ball hit only a helmet or pad worn by a fielder — not the hand.
• The ball came off a no-ball — even a genuine catch off a no-ball is not out (the umpire calls no-ball first; the batter is safe).
• The ball came only off the body of the batter (not the bat or glove while it was in contact with the bat).

DRS and the soft signal

Boundary catches and low catches close to the ground are routinely reviewed by the third umpire. For on-field catches, the on-field umpire gives a 'soft signal' (a gesture indicating out or not out) before the review. The third umpire needs to overturn that soft signal; if there is insufficient evidence either way, the soft signal stands. In practice, this means a 'not out' soft signal will often be upheld if the camera angles are inconclusive.