Hit the Ball Twice in Cricket: Law 34 Explained
Hitting the ball twice is a rarely invoked dismissal that occurs when a batter strikes the ball a second time with the bat or body to prevent a fielder taking a catch or making a play on it.
Under Law 34 of the Laws of Cricket, a batter can be given out if they deliberately strike the ball a second time with the bat or body — except to prevent the ball hitting the wicket. It is one of the rarest dismissals in cricket history and has occurred fewer than ten times in first-class cricket.
The Exception: Protecting the Wicket
A batter may legally strike the ball a second time solely to prevent the ball from hitting their stumps. If the ball is rolling toward the wicket after the first hit and the batter taps it away, this is legal. However, if in doing so the batter also prevents a fielder from taking a catch or completing a play, the umpire must adjudicate intent.
Historical Context
The law exists to prevent batters deliberately interfering with fielders. A batter who mishits the ball and then deliberately strikes it again to direct it away from an approaching fielder, or to prevent a return catch, can be given out. The fielding team must appeal and the umpire must determine the action was deliberate.
Modern Relevance
In modern cricket the law occasionally becomes relevant when batters practice the 'switch hit' and the ball deflects off the bat again, or in tight T20 finishes where batters flick the ball a second time. Generally umpires apply common sense, giving out only when deliberate interference is obvious.
Frequently asked questions
Can a batter score runs off a second hit?
No. Under Law 34, runs cannot be scored off a ball the batter hits twice (except to prevent it hitting the wicket). Any runs made are not counted and the batter cannot be out off the second hit for any reason other than hitting the ball twice itself.
Is hitting the ball twice the same as a double hit?
Yes — 'double hit' and 'hitting the ball twice' refer to the same dismissal under Law 34. It means the bat makes contact with the same delivery on two separate occasions.