When a ball is dead
A ball becomes dead when the umpire calls it dead, when it reaches the boundary or is caught, when it has gone to the wicket-keeper or the bowler, or when it has been played or lodged in a fielder's clothing. The exact list is in the Laws.
Why it matters
Runs and dismissals depend on the ball being in play. A run completed after a ball is dead does not count, and a dismissal after a dead ball is not valid. The scorer needs to know when the ball stopped.
What the scorer records
- Each runs total only after the ball is dead.
- Any run completed before the ball became dead.
- Dismissals that happened while the ball was in play.
Common mistakes
- Counting runs completed after the umpire called the ball dead.
- Recording a dismissal after the ball had already become dead.
Citations
MCC Laws of Cricket, the section on the dead ball.
Match questions
Questions scorers actually ask
- 01 Can runs be scored off a dead ball?
- Not after it has become dead. Runs completed before it became dead still count.
- 02 Is a ball dead when it reaches the boundary?
- Yes, a boundary ends the ball for scoring. The runs are recorded as the boundary.
- 03 Who calls a ball dead?
- Usually the umpire, or it becomes dead by the Laws when a specified event happens.
