Appealing in Cricket: What It Is and How It Works

Picture a ball that clips the top of off stump and the bails don’t fall, but every fielder freezes, certain the batter should walk. If nobody shouts, nobody’s out. That’s the strange logic built into Law 31: a dismissal only counts once the fielding side formally asks for it. The batter can be plumb in front, dead to rights, and the umpire’s hands are tied without a request.

What the law says

Law 31 states that the fielding side must appeal before an umpire gives a decision of out. That appeal can come from any fielder, including the bowler and the wicketkeeper. It doesn’t need to be elaborate; any verbal appeal at the right moment counts.

”Howzat!” — the traditional call

The most recognizable phrase in the sport is “How’s That!”, commonly rendered phonetically as Howzat. It’s directed at the umpire and asks for a ruling on a potential dismissal. Other variations, like “Out!” or “How was that?”, are equally valid under the Laws.

When an appeal must happen

An appeal has to be made before the next ball is delivered. Once the bowler starts the run-up for the following delivery, the window for appealing the previous one has closed.

Which umpire handles which appeal?

Appeal type	Primary umpire
Bowled	Square leg or bowler’s end umpire
Caught	Umpire closest to the action
LBW	Bowler’s end umpire
Run out	Umpire at the end where the wicket was broken
Stumped	Bowler’s end umpire

In professional cricket, the on-field umpire can also refer a decision to the Third Umpire (TV umpire), who reviews it using ball-tracking, Hawk-Eye, or ultra-edge technology.

The Decision Review System (DRS)

DRS added a formal check on the appeal process in international cricket. If a team disagrees with an on-field decision, or the lack of one, it can request a review within a set time window. Each team gets a limited number of reviews per innings: successful reviews are retained, unsuccessful ones are lost.

Withdrawing an appeal

A fielding captain can withdraw an appeal before the next ball is bowled. It doesn’t happen often, but when it does, it’s usually because a batter is clearly injured, the fielding side suspects a misfield played a part in the wicket, or simply as a show of fair play.

Spirit of the game

The Laws and the Spirit of Cricket ask fielders to appeal only when they genuinely believe a dismissal occurred, not as a routine tactic to pressure the umpire. Excessive or frivolous appealing can draw a rebuke from the umpire or match referee under the Code of Conduct.

What happens after the appeal

• Umpire signals out: the batter leaves the field; the next batter comes in.
• Umpire signals not out: play continues from where the ball ended up.
• Umpire is unsure: they may consult the other on-field umpire or refer to the TV umpire under DRS.