Setting up the Game (The Umpires)

Have you ever been watching a game of cricket and was confused by the signal an umpire made? Your confusion will now be a thing of the past as in this edition of How’s That we will be looking at the many signals and their meanings that umpires make. 

*For the duties of an Umpire before, during and after a match please visit the previous editions of “How’s That”

Signals made while the ball is in play 

Dead ball – by crossing and re-crossing the wrists below the waist.

No ball – by extending one arm horizontally.

Out – by raising an index finger above the head. (If not out, the umpire shall call Not out.)

Wide – by extending both arms horizontally.

When the ball is dead, the bowler’s end umpire shall repeat the signals with the exception of the signal for Out, to the scorers.

The signals listed below shall be made to the scorers only when the ball is dead.

Boundary 4 – by waving an arm from side to side finishing with the arm across the chest.

Boundary 6 – by raising both arms above the head.

Bye – by raising an open hand above the head.

Commencement of last hour – by pointing to a raised wrist with the other hand.

Five Penalty runs awarded to the batting side – by repeated tapping of one shoulder with the opposite hand.

Five Penalty runs awarded to the fielding side – by placing one hand on the opposite shoulder.

Leg bye – by touching a raised knee with the hand.

New ball – by holding the ball above the head.

Revoke the last decision – by touching both shoulders, each with the opposite hand.

Short run – by bending one arm upwards and touching the nearer shoulder with the tips of the fingers.

The following signals are for Levels 3 and 4 of the player conduct offences.  Each signal has two parts, both of which should be acknowledged separately by the scorers.

Level 3 conduct       

Part 1 – by putting one arm out to the side of the body and repeatedly raising it and lowering it.

Part 2 – by raising both hands, all fingers spread, to shoulder height, palms facing towards the scorers.

Level 4 conduct       

Part 1 – by putting one arm out to the side of the body and repeatedly raising it and lowering it.

Part 2 – by raising an index finger, held at shoulder height, to the side of the body.

All the signals are to be made by the bowler’s end umpire except that for Short run, which is to be signaled by the umpire at the end where short running occurs.  However, the bowler’s end umpire shall be responsible both for the final signal of Short run to the scorers and, if more than one run is short, for informing them as to the number of runs to be recorded.

The umpire shall wait until each signal to the scorers has been separately acknowledged by a scorer before allowing play to proceed.

If several signals are to be used, they should be given in the order that the events occurred.

This video by the New South Wales Cricket Umpires and Scorers Association gives a perfect visual example of the signals made.

Source: Tom Smith’s Cricket Umpiring and Scoring (Law 2)

Interested in learning more about the Laws of Cricket? Please feel free to join the North Zone Cricket Umpires and Scorers Association of Trinidad and Tobago. Training classes utilize a combination of power point presentations, verbal discussions, quizzes and on field   demonstrations when the laws of cricket are being taught. Training classes are free of charge and persons male or female and of any age are welcome to join. For more information please contact (868)464-8005.