Cricket Umpire Signals: What Every Hand Gesture Means
A complete guide to cricket umpire signals — the 17 official on-field signals used in international cricket, what each signal means, how they are communicated to the scorers, the difference between the on-field umpire's signals and the third umpire's review, and why standardised signals exist as a communication system between officials, players, and spectators.
The Communication System
Cricket umpire signals are a standardised visual communication system that allows the on-field umpire to communicate decisions and scoring events to the scorers (who record the information), the fielding captain and players (who need to know the outcome of appeals), and the crowd (who can follow events from a distance). Signals are defined in the Laws of Cricket (specifically Law 3.14) and are used at every level from village cricket to international matches. When a signal is given, the umpire holds the position until acknowledged by the scorer — this ensures the scorer has recorded the information before the umpire changes signal or continues play.
Scoring Signals
Boundary four: both arms extended outward, waving from side to side. Boundary six: both arms raised above the head. No-ball: one arm extended horizontally to the side. Wide: both arms extended horizontally to the sides (held still, not waving — distinguished from the boundary four by the lack of waving motion and context). Bye: one arm raised above the head. Leg bye: one hand touches the raised knee. Dead ball: both arms crossed and uncrossed in front of the body at waist height. Short run: one arm bent at the elbow, hand touching the shoulder. Five penalty runs to batting side: the umpire pats the top of their batting glove-covered forearm to signal extra runs. Five penalty runs to fielding side: the same signal but then points to the fielding side.
Dismissal and Review Signals
Out: the index finger raised above the head — the iconic 'finger up' signal used to indicate dismissal. This is the signal that matters most to players and spectators — when an appeal is made and the umpire raises the finger, the batsman is dismissed. Not out: the umpire shakes their head without raising the finger. TV umpire referral: the umpire uses both hands to form a square shape (representing a television screen), signalling that the decision is being referred to the third umpire for DRS review. New ball: the umpire holds the ball above their head with one hand. Last hour: the umpire taps the watch on their wrist. Revoke the last signal: the umpire crosses both arms in front of them and shakes their head, indicating they are reversing a signal just given (for example, if an out signal is followed by the realisation that it was a no-ball — the no-ball negates the dismissal).
Frequently asked questions
Do all cricket-playing countries use exactly the same umpire signals?
Yes — the signals are standardised by the ICC and apply to all international matches and ICC-affiliated domestic cricket. The Laws of Cricket define the signals, and all Test, ODI, and T20I matches use these uniform signals regardless of which countries are playing. Minor regional variations exist in lower-level cricket where the Laws are followed less strictly, but the international standard is universal and has been stable for decades (with modifications over time as new rules like DRS have added new signals). The standardisation is important precisely because matches involve umpires and teams from different countries — the signals must be unambiguous across language barriers.
Why do umpires hold their signals until the scorer acknowledges?
The hold-until-acknowledged protocol ensures that the scoring record is accurate. In distant or noisy grounds, a scorer might not immediately see a signal — if the umpire drops the signal before the scorer has processed it, an event might be recorded incorrectly or missed entirely. The acknowledgement (typically the scorer raising a flag or hand to confirm they've recorded the signal) completes the communication loop. This is particularly important for the more visually similar signals (bye vs leg bye, for instance) — an ambiguous signal held clearly for several seconds gives the scorer time to determine which one it is before confirming. The protocol is also why you see umpires maintain seemingly frozen positions for several seconds after making a signal.
Can players challenge an umpire's signal (not the decision, just the signal)?
Players cannot formally challenge a signal — signals communicate facts (a bye occurred, a no-ball was called) rather than subjective judgements in the way a dismissal decision is. However, a player can query whether a wide was correctly called (seeking an explanation), and the umpire can revoke an incorrect signal (using the revoke signal) if they realise they signalled incorrectly. The DRS system allows players to challenge dismissal decisions but not factual signals like 'wide' or 'no-ball' — the DRS reviews the outcome (was the batsman out?) rather than the signalling process. A 'no-ball' call, once made, cannot be overturned even by DRS in most scenarios — it is a factual call by the umpire at the time of delivery.