1. Out Caught
The striker is out Caught if a ball delivered by the
bowler, not being a No ball, touches his bat without
having previously been in contact with any member of
the fielding side and is subsequently held by a fielder
as a fair catch before it touches the ground.
2. Caught to take precedence
If the criteria of 1 above are met and the striker is
not out Bowled, then he is out Caught, even though a
decision against either batsman for another method of
dismissal would be justified. Runs completed by the
batsmen before the completion of the catch will not
be scored. Note also Laws 21.6 (Winning hit or extras)
and 42.17(b) (Penalty runs).
3. A fair catch
A catch shall be considered to have been fairly made
if (a) throughout the act of making the catch
(i) any fielder in contact with the ball is within the
field of play. See 4 below.
(ii) the ball is at no time in contact with any object
grounded beyond the boundary.
The act of making the catch shall start from the time
when a fielder first handles the ball and shall end
when a fielder obtains complete control both over the
ball and over his own movement.
(b) the ball is hugged to the body of the catcher or
accidentally lodges in his clothing or, in the case
of the wicket-keeper, in his pads. However, it is not
a fair catch if the ball lodges in a protective helmet
worn by a fielder. See Law 23 (Dead ball).
(c) the ball does not touch the ground, even though
the hand holding it does so in effecting the catch.
(d) a fielder catches the ball after it has been lawfully
struck more than once by the striker, but only if the
ball has not touched the ground since first being struck.
(e) a fielder catches the ball after it has touched
an umpire, another fielder or the other batsman. However,
it is not a fair catch if the ball has touched a protective
helmet worn by a fielder, although the ball remains
in play.
(f) a fielder catches the ball in the air after it has
crossed the boundary provided that
(i) he has no part of his person touching, or grounded
beyond, the boundary at any time when he is in contact
with the ball.
(ii) the ball has not been grounded beyond the boundary.
See Law 19.3 (Scoring a boundary).
(g) the ball is caught off an obstruction within the
boundary, provided it has not previously been decided
to regard the obstruction as a boundary.
4. Fielder within the field of play
(a) A fielder is not within the field of play if he
touches the boundary or has any part of his person grounded
beyond the boundary. See Law 19.3 (Scoring a boundary).
(b) 6 runs shall be scored if a fielder
(i) has any part of his person touching, or grounded
beyond, the boundary when he catches the ball.
(ii) catches the ball and subsequently touches the boundary
or grounds some part of his person over the boundary
while carrying the ball but before completing the catch.
See Laws 19.3 (Scoring a boundary) and 19.4 (Runs allowed
for boundaries).
5. No runs to be scored
If the striker is dismissed Caught, runs from that delivery
completed by the batsmen before the completion of the
catch shall not be scored, but any penalties awarded
to either side when the ball is dead, if applicable,
will stand. Law 18.12(a) (Batsman returning to wicket
he has left) shall apply from the instant of the catch.
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