Understanding the Language of Cricket: Umpire Signals
Hopefully, by now, you understand a little about all the different Cricketing Terms. Now, we’ll try to explain the different umpiring signals.
Cricket is a game the celebrates strategy, skill and sportsmanship, and like any game, it boasts its own language and communication system. Forefront of the communication systems are umpires, who try to communicate what is going on not only to the players on the field, but spectators at the ground and those watching on TV. In this post, we delve into the intricate world of umpire signals in cricket, exploring their significance in fostering a universally understood game
Umpire signals form a crucial part of this unique communication system, where gestures speak louder than words. As players navigate the complexities of the game, umpire signals become the unspoken language that guides every delivery, boundary, and dismissal.
The Critical Role of Umpires in Maintaining Fair Play
Anyone who watches any sport played in any stadium around the world know that umpires (or referees in other sports) are necessary to ensure the game is play fairly. While we never wish to impugn on a sport person’s integrity, most would, given the chance, bend the rules to suit themselves. Batters never think themselves out and bowlers always think the batter is out.
When an umpire makes a decision we believe is incorrect, we may wish that umpires never existed, but the game we love would devolve into outright chaos without them.
In the following section, we will dissect specific umpire signals, exploring their meanings, nuances, and impact on the game. Join us in this journey to decipher the silent language that enriches the world of cricket, where every signal tells a story and adds to the tapestry of this beloved sport.
Decoding the Silent Messages: A Guide to Umpire Signals
As with any guide, we’ll start with the simple stuff.
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Out:
There are many ways a batter can be given out; we’ll give a blog post about these later on. But whether it is LBW or Caught Behind, the umpire only gives one signal.
To give the ‘out’ signal, the umpire simply raises their hand to the sky, index finger pointing. It’s a very simple signal, but it is one that ever batter dreads.
Acabashi, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
No Ball:
A ‘no-ball’ is when a bowler, in the act of bowling, oversteps the front line of the crease. It is an illegal delivery, and one run is added to the batter team’s score, and the batter can not get out, except for a run out.
To signal a no-ball, an umpire raises one arm horizontally to the side.
Dion Gillard, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Wide:
If the ball is bowled so that, by the time it reaches the batter’s end, it is too far from him, it is called a ‘wide’, and the batting team receives an extra run.
To signal a wide, the umpire raises both arms horizontally to the side.
Four:
If the batter hits the ball, and it crosses the boundary line, having bounced before, the batter is given four runs.
To signal this, the umpire extends his arm and waves it in front of his body a few times.
Six:
If the batter hits the ball and it lands over the boundary line, having not bounced before it, the batter is given six runs.
To signal this, the umpire extends both arms in the air above his head.
Byes:
A bye is when a batsman scores a run even though he hasn’t hit it with his bat and it hasn’t hit his body or pads. This usually occurs if the wicket keeper wasn’t able to catch the ball after it passed the stumps, given the batters enough time to score a run.
To signal this, the umpire extends one arm in the air, with the palm opened. This is similar to the ‘out’ signal, however, for the out signal, the umpire raises only one finger.
Leg Byes:
A leg bye occurs when the ball hits the batter’s body or pads, but doesn’t touch the bat, and the batter is able to score some runs.
To signal this, the umpire raises his knee and touches it with his hand. Note, if a batter runs and no ‘bye’ or ‘leg bye’ signal is given, it is consider a run to the batter. Byes and leg byes are given as runs to the batting team, but not to the batter themselves.
Free Hit
When a no-ball is bowled in a One Day or T20 game of cricket, the following ball is considered a free ball, a ball where the batter can not get out, except for being run out.
To signal this, the umpire will raise their hand a circle their finger horizontally above their head, as if they are tracing a halo.
Dead Ball
When a ball is bowled and the batter hits it or misses it, the ball is in play until it is considered ‘dead’. A ball is ‘dead’ when it is being tossed back to the bowler, or when both teams consider the ball ‘dead’. It is also ‘dead’ when the ball gets stuck in the batter’s clothes or protective equipment.
Another time it is considered ‘dead’ is if a batter lets the ball hit their pads or body without playing a shot, and then takes some runs. To receive a leg bye, the ball must be at least played at.
To signal a dead ball, the umpire will swing their arms below their waist, crossing and uncrossing their wrists. They perform this signal when the fact that the ball is dead is not necessarily clear and obvious, so even though the ball becomes ‘dead’ after every delivery, it is fairly rare that the umpire will perform this signal.
Decision Review System
There are times when the umpires on the field need a little help. When this occurs, they request assistance from the Third Umpire, who has access to video replays and various technology to come to an accurate decision (well, most times). Additionally, the fielding captain or one of the batters, can call for a referral of an umpire’s decision.
When calling for the Third Umpire referral, an umpire will signal a rectangle, miming a TV set.
Conclusion
Love them or hate them, the sport of cricket needs umpires. We may not always agree with their decisions, but their decisions are required to ensure the game is as fair as possible to all participants. Umpire’s signals help batters, fielders, and spectators to understand the umpire’s decision making process. A game came be decided by one decision, so understanding that decision is important for all people involved.
Have you seen some umpiring decisions and signals that have made you wonder what was going on? Have you noticed umpires putting on their own personal spin to the way the signal? If so, please comment below and let’s get a conversation started.