Caught Behind: Wicketkeeping Dismissals and How Edges Are Detected
Caught behind — the batsman edges the ball to the wicket keeper — is one of cricket's most common dismissals in seaming conditions. This guide covers the caught behind dismissal, how snickometer and hotspot technology detect edges, and why caught behind decisions are the most frequently reviewed under DRS.
A caught behind dismissal occurs when the batsman edges (or gloves) the ball and it is caught by the wicket keeper before it bounces. For a caught behind, the ball must: come off the bat (or glove in contact with the bat handle); travel directly to the wicket keeper (not touched another fielder or the ground); be caught cleanly (not falling to the ground). The umpire must determine that the ball touched the bat — often the most difficult call in cricket when the edge is faint (a 'feather edge') or the batsman claims the ball deflected off the pad rather than the bat.
Snickometer and Hotspot
Two technologies detect edges for DRS review: Snickometer (an audio waveform system that detects sound spikes at the moment of contact — a bat edge creates a specific acoustic signature that differs from pad contact); and Hotspot (an infrared imaging system that shows heat friction on any surface the ball contacts — bat edges leave a distinct heat mark on the bat face that is invisible to the naked eye). Ball-tracking (Hawk-Eye) is not used for caught behind reviews — that technology tracks ball trajectory, not contact.
When Caught Behind Occurs
Caught behind is most common in: seam-friendly conditions (away-swinging or seam deliveries that take the outside edge of the bat as the batsman plays a drive); against pace bowling with the new ball (movement maximised); and when a batsman has been set up over multiple deliveries to play at a specific line (the caught-behind dismissal is often the last delivery of a planned sequence — full outside off forces a drive after a series of short balls). Caught behind frequency is lower in T20 cricket (batsmen attack more aggressively and take different risks) but remains cricket's most common dismissal mode in Test cricket.
Wicket Keeper Positioning
Wicket keepers stand close to the stumps (up to the stumps) for spin bowling and short deliveries (allowing potential stumpings if the batsman misses); and stand back (several metres behind the stumps) for pace bowling. Standing up to pace is occasionally used for specific tactical purposes (denying batsmen the room to cut or flick), but risks edges flying past at pace faster than the keeper can react. The keeper's gloves must be clean of the ground when they catch — a glove touching the ground before catching invalidates the dismissal. The keeper also records stumpings, run outs from their end, and any direct hit dismissals they can effect.
Frequently asked questions
What is caught behind in cricket?
Caught behind occurs when a batsman edges the ball to the wicket keeper, who catches it cleanly before it bounces. For the dismissal to stand: the ball must have touched the bat (or the glove in contact with the bat handle); it must not have touched any other fielder or the ground between bat and keeper; and the keeper must catch it cleanly. If any doubt exists about whether the ball touched the bat (a 'feather edge'), the batting team may review using DRS — Snickometer and Hotspot technology detect the edge presence.
How does snickometer detect a bat edge?
Snickometer detects bat edges by monitoring the ambient sound around the crease area using ultra-sensitive microphones. When a ball contacts the bat, it creates a distinctive acoustic waveform ('spike') that differs from ball-to-pad contact or ball-to-ground contact in its shape, amplitude, and timing relative to the ball's position. The Snickometer waveform is displayed to third umpires during DRS reviews. A spike coinciding with the ball passing the bat edge is strong evidence of bat contact. The system is not infallible — loud crowd noise, pad contact, and bat-hitting-ground can also create spikes.
What is Hotspot technology in cricket?
Hotspot is an infrared thermal imaging technology that detects the heat generated by friction when the ball contacts any surface. When a ball contacts the bat, it generates localised heat on the bat face that appears as a bright spot in thermal imaging. The system requires two infrared cameras positioned above the ground filming continuously. Unlike Snickometer (which detects sound), Hotspot is considered definitive for contact detection — but both are used together in DRS because: Hotspot requires a minimum friction speed to generate detectable heat (very faint glancing edges may not appear); Snickometer fills this gap.