How Cricket Appeals Work — The Appeal Process Explained
How the appeal process works in cricket: who can appeal, what happens after an appeal, when umpires give out vs not out, and how DRS changes the appeal dynamic in modern cricket.
The Fundamental Rule: No Appeal, No Dismissal
One of cricket's oldest laws states that a batter cannot be given out unless the fielding side first appeals. An umpire may not raise their finger on their own initiative even if they believe the batter is dismissed — they must wait for an appeal. This rule exists to ensure that dismissals require the active engagement of the fielding side, preventing umpires from unilaterally deciding the innings. In practice, appeals are made for every remotely close delivery in international cricket.
Who Can Appeal?
Any member of the fielding team — bowler, wicketkeeper, or any fielder — can appeal. The appeal must be made before the next delivery is bowled (or before any following delivery in the same over). In international cricket, verbal appeals ('Howzat?' or 'How's that?') are the universal call. The bowler and wicketkeeper are typically the primary appellants, as they are best positioned to assess edge, impact, and trajectory.
What the Umpire Considers
After an appeal, the on-field umpire must decide whether a dismissal has occurred within a few seconds. For a caught behind, they assess whether the ball hit the bat or glove. For an LBW, they apply the four-criteria test: was the delivery legal, did the ball hit the pad without hitting the bat first, would it have hit the stumps, and did impact occur in line with the stumps? For run-outs and stumpings, they check whether the batter's bat or foot is grounded behind the crease at the moment the bails are removed.
DRS and the Appeal
The Decision Review System (DRS) allows either team to challenge an on-field decision within 15 seconds of the decision being made. The batting team challenges a given-out decision (hoping to retain the wicket); the fielding team challenges a not-out decision (hoping to obtain the wicket). If the DRS review overturns the on-field decision, no review is lost. If the on-field decision stands, the challenging team loses one review. Each team typically has two unsuccessful DRS challenges per innings in Tests.
Withdrawn Appeals
A fielding captain can withdraw an appeal immediately after it is made if they believe the dismissal was not genuine (for example, if a slip catcher knows the ball bounced before being caught). This is considered good sportsmanship and is more common in amateur cricket. In international cricket, withdrawn appeals are rare but occur occasionally for obvious cases like a grassed catch.
Frequently asked questions
What does 'Howzat' mean in cricket?
Howzat is a contraction of 'How's that?' — the appeal call shouted by the fielding team after a potential dismissal. It is directed at the umpire and asks for a ruling. Some players shout it in an extended form ('HooooOOWZAT!') for emphasis.
Can a batter be given out without an appeal in any format?
No — the no-appeal, no-dismissal rule applies at all levels of cricket under the Laws of Cricket. Even in club cricket, an umpire cannot give a batter out unless the fielding side appeals first.
What if an appeal is made too late?
If the fielding team fails to appeal before the next legitimate delivery is bowled, the moment to dismiss the batter has passed and the umpire cannot give them out for that delivery.