Caught and Bowled in Cricket: The c-and-b Dismissal Explained
What caught and bowled means in cricket, how it happens, which bowlers take the most c-and-b wickets, and why it is a special type of caught dismissal.
What Is Caught and Bowled?
Caught and bowled (c&b or c-and-b) is a form of caught dismissal in cricket where the bowler themselves catches the ball after the batter hits it. The ball is struck back down the pitch — usually a hard defensive push, a miscued drive, or a leading edge — and the bowler catches it. In the scorecard it appears as c & b Bowler Name — the same player taking both the catch and the wicket credit.
How a Caught-and-Bowled Happens
The most common c&b scenario is a batter playing a defensive shot that returns straight back to the bowler. Spin bowlers, who follow through closer to the pitch than fast bowlers, are most positioned to take return catches. Finger spinners (off-spinners, left-arm orthodox) take the most c&b wickets because their delivery action brings them behind the ball's trajectory after release. A caught-and-bowled can also occur from a leading edge that loops gently back to the bowler or a mistimed chip.
Caught and Bowled in Statistics
In Test cricket statistics, c&b dismissals account for roughly 5–8% of all caught wickets. They are more common in spin-dominated conditions than in seam-friendly conditions where the ball tends to move away from the bat rather than back towards the bowler.
Frequently asked questions
Is a caught-and-bowled the same as a normal caught dismissal?
Yes — caught-and-bowled is identical to any other caught dismissal under the Laws. The distinction is that the same player (the bowler) takes the catch and claims the wicket. It counts as both a bowling wicket and a fielding catch for the bowler.
What bowlers take the most caught-and-bowled wickets?
Spin bowlers, particularly off-spinners and left-arm orthodox spinners, take the most c&b wickets because they follow through near the ball's return path. Ravichandran Ashwin, Nathan Lyon, and Graeme Swann have all taken many c&b dismissals.
Can a wicketkeeper be credited with a c&b?
No — caught-and-bowled specifically means the bowler catches their own delivery. If the wicketkeeper catches the ball behind the stumps, it is caught behind. The c&b credit goes to the bowler only.