SRSport Rules
Cricket dismissals

Run outs and stumpings turn on ground, wicket, and timing.

A run out or stumping can look obvious until you ask whose ground matters, whether the wicket was fairly broken, whether the batter had anything grounded behind the crease, and whether the ball was still live.

Quick ruling: identify the end being appealed, check whether the batter was out of their ground, then check whether the wicket was put down legally while the ball was live.
Decision path

How the umpire checks it

  1. Which end is being appealed?
  2. Which batter is entitled to that ground at the key moment?
  3. Was the batter short, airborne, or without bat/body grounded behind the popping crease?
  4. Was the wicket fairly broken by the ball or by a fielder holding the ball?
  5. Was the ball live, and was the dismissal type available?
Run out

What makes a run out

A batter can be run out when they are out of their ground and the wicket is fairly broken while the ball is in play. A direct hit, relay throw, or deflection can all matter if the wicket is put down legally.

Stumping

What makes a stumping

A stumping is usually a wicketkeeper dismissal against a striker who has left their ground while receiving a legal delivery and is not attempting a run. If the batter is attempting a run, the dismissal is usually treated as a run out instead.

Ground

Grounded means actually grounded

A bat or part of the batter's body must be grounded behind the crease. Being over the line in the air is not enough if nothing is grounded when the wicket is broken.

Common arguments

Details fans miss most

  • Breaking both bails is not always needed: if a bail is already off, the law gives other ways to put the wicket down.
  • The closest crease is not always the answer: the appeal is tied to the end where the wicket was broken.
  • A dive can still fail: the bat can bounce after being grounded, leaving the batter out of their ground.
  • A no-ball does not protect against every dismissal: run out and stumping availability depends on the specific law and playing conditions.