View source for Caught

{{Short description|Cricket dismissal method; the ball does not hit the ground after it is batted}}
{{Other uses|Caught (disambiguation)}}
{{Redirect-distinguish|c&b|Crate & Barrel}}
[[Image:In the air.jpg|thumb|250px|right|An Australian fielder runs to take a catch]]
[[File:Shane Bond catching Mohammad Yousuf, Dunedin, NZ, 2009.jpg|thumb|250px|right|New Zealand fast bowler [[Shane Bond]] about to dismiss [[Mohammad Yousuf (cricketer, born 1974)|Mohammad Yousuf]] caught and bowled]]
'''Caught''' is a method of [[Dismissal (cricket)|dismissing]] a [[batsman]] in [[cricket]]. A batsman is out caught if the batsman hits the [[cricket ball|ball]], from a legitimate [[Delivery (cricket)|delivery]], with the [[cricket bat|bat]], and the ball is caught by the bowler or a fielder before it hits the ground.

If the catch is taken by the [[wicket-keeper]], then informally it is known as '''caught behind'''<ref name="BBC">{{Cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/rules_and_equipment/4176002.stm |title=Ways of getting out: Caught|website=bbc.co.uk|date=26 August 2005|language=en|access-date=2019-04-17}}</ref> or '''caught at the [[wicket]]'''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2004/dec/13/cricket.englandinsouthafrica200405 |title=Runs for Vaughan but England caught short|website=theguardian.com|date=13 December 2004|language=en|access-date=2019-04-17}}</ref> A catch by the [[Bowler (cricket)|bowler]] is known as '''caught and bowled'''.<ref name="BBC" /> This has nothing to do with the dismissal [[bowled]] but is rather a shorthand for saying the catcher and bowler are the same player. (The scorecard annotation is usually ''c. and b.'' or ''c&b'' followed by the bowler's name.)

Caught is the most common method of dismissal at higher levels of competition, accounting for 36,190 [[Test cricket|Test match]] dismissals between 1877 and 2012, which is 56.9% of all Test match dismissals in this period.<ref name="ESPN622519">{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/blogs/content/story/622519.html|title=Analysing Test dismissals across the ages|work=espncricinfo.com}}</ref>

South African wicket-keeper [[Mark Boucher]] holds the record for the most Test match catches, with 532,<ref name="ESPN1">{{Cite web|url=http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/records/283365.html |title=Most catches in career|website=espncricinfo.com/|language=en|access-date=2019-04-17}}</ref> while [[Rahul Dravid]] holds the record for the most Test match catches by non-wicket-keepers, with 210.<ref name="ESPN2">{{Cite web|url=http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/records/283548.html |title=Most catches |website=espncricinfo.com/|language=en|access-date=2019-04-17}}</ref>

==Laws==

This method of dismissal is covered by Law 33 of the [[Laws of cricket|''Laws of Cricket'']], which reads:<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.lords.org/mcc/laws/caught|title=Law 33 - Caught|website=www.lords.org|language=en|access-date=2019-04-17}}</ref><blockquote>
''The striker is out Caught if a ball delivered by the bowler, not being a No ball, touches his/her bat without having previously been in contact with any fielder, and is subsequently held by a fielder as a fair catch,..., before it touches the ground.''</blockquote>This means that the batsman cannot be out caught if:
* The ball is called a [[no-ball]] or [[dead ball (cricket)|dead ball]].
* The batsman does not hit the ball with his [[cricket bat|bat]] or a gloved hand holding the bat.
* The ball, having been hit, makes contact with the field before a fielder catches the ball.
* The ball does not remain under the control of the fielder.
* The ball is hit and lands beyond or on the [[boundary (cricket)|boundary]]; ([[six (cricket)|six runs]]).
* A fielder taking the catch makes contact with the boundary rope or the area outside the boundary, with any part of his body, equipment, when touching the ball.
* An airborne fielder taking the catch, having not previously legally touched the ball, had his last contact with the ground not entirely within the boundary.<ref>{{Cite web|title={% DocumentName %} Law {{!}} MCC|url=https://www.lords.org/mcc/the-laws-of-cricket/boundaries|access-date=2020-12-04|website=www.lords.org}}</ref>

A catch is not completed until the fielder catching the ball obtains complete control over both the ball and his/her own movement (Law 33.3).

Note that if a batsman could be given out both caught and by another method, 'caught' takes precedence, unless the other method is bowled.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://ndca.nsw.cricket.com.au/files/2977/files/laws/Law32.htm|title=Law 32 (Caught)|website=ndca.nsw.cricket.com.au |language=en|access-date=2019-04-17|archive-date=2019-12-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191211105155/http://ndca.nsw.cricket.com.au/files/2977/files/laws/Law32.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref>

If a batsman is out caught, any [[run (cricket)|runs]] scored off that delivery are voided.

If a batsman is caught, the bowler is credited with the batsman's wicket and the catching fielder is credited for the dismissal; there are no catch assists for saving boundaries before a catch, or deflecting the ball to a different fielder in the [[Slip (cricket)|slips cordon]]. If the two batsmen cross each other, in attempting to take a run, before the catch was taken, the non-striking batsman at the time remains at the opposite end of the pitch as the new incoming batsman comes to the crease at his former end. This means, unless it is now a new over, he is now on strike and the incoming batsman is not.

==Adjudication==

If the catch taken is pronounced or obvious, the players need not [[appeal (cricket)|appeal]] to the umpire; the batsman normally chooses to acknowledge the dismissal himself. However, if the ball brushes the edge of the bat, or the catch is taken very close to the ground, or the ball appears to have bounced off the batsman's foot (so it has not touched the ground), or the ball appearing to come off the bat very close to the pitch surface (bump ball), or if the batsman is reluctant to accept that he has been dismissed, then the fielding team has to appeal to the umpire for this decision. In international competition, if neither field umpire can clearly decide if a catch has been made or not, they may refer to the third (television) umpire for a review. The third umpire may also be used if the [[Umpire Decision Review System]] is available and a team wishes to dispute a call concerning a possible catch.

==Celebration==
Before 2000, the ''Laws of Cricket'' defined a catch as being completed when the player had "complete control over the further disposal of the ball". In the very strictest sense, this meant that the player did not finish catching the ball until he threw it away, though the player doesn't have to throw the ball to anyone in particular in so doing.

For this reason, even today many cricketers celebrate a catch by lobbing the ball into the air. In a Super Sixes match in the [[1999 Cricket World Cup]], [[South Africa]]n [[Herschelle Gibbs]] caught [[Australia]]n captain [[Steve Waugh]] on 56, but Waugh was given not out when Gibbs was ruled to not have control of the ball when attempting to throw the ball in celebration.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/151523.html|title=Australia v South Africa|website=cricinfo.com|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101105143200/http://www.cricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/151523.html|archive-date=2010-11-05}}</ref> Waugh went on to score a match-winning 120 not out<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/current/match/65231.html|title=9th Super, ICC World Cup at Leeds, Jun 13 1999 - Match Summary - ESPNCricinfo|website=ESPNcricinfo|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100410060447/http://www.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/current/match/65231.html|archive-date=2010-04-10}}</ref> to qualify his team for the semi-finals; Australia went on to win the tournament.

==Records==
===Test matches===

The wicket-keepers with the highest number of catches taken in [[Test cricket|Test matches]] are as follows. Note: this list ''excludes'' catches made while not fielding as a wicket-keeper.
{{See also|List_of_Test_cricket_records#Individual_records_(wicket-keeping)|label 1=Most catches in Test career (wicket-keepers)}}

{| class="sortable wikitable"
|-
! Rank
! Wicket-keeper
! Catches
! Test Career dates
|-
| 1
| {{cricon|RSA}} [[Mark Boucher]]
|'''532'''
|1997–2012
|-
| 2
| {{cricon|AUS}} [[Adam Gilchrist]]
|'''379'''
|1999–2008
|-
| 3
| {{cricon|AUS}} [[Ian Healy]]
|'''366'''
|1988–99
|-
| 4
| {{cricon|AUS}} [[Rod Marsh]]
| '''343'''
| 1970–84
|-
| 5
| {{cricon|WIN}} [[Jeff Dujon]]
| '''265'''
| 1981–91
|-
| 6
| {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Brad Haddin]]
| '''262'''
| 2008–15
|-
| 7
| {{flagicon|NZ}} [[BJ Watling]]
| '''257'''
| 2009–21
|-
| 8
| {{cricon|IND}} [[MS Dhoni]]
| '''256'''
| 2005–14
|-
| 9
| {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Alan Knott]]
| '''250'''
| 1967–81
|-
| 10
| {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Matt Prior]]
| '''243'''
| 2007–14

|}
Source:  [http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/records/283365.html Cricinfo Statsguru]. Last updated: 20 June 2024.

The non-wicket-keepers with the highest number of catches taken in Test matches are as follows. Note: this ''excludes'' any catches made while fielding as a wicket-keeper.
{{See also|List_of_Test_cricket_records#Most_catches_in_Test_career|label 1=Most catches in Test career}}

{| class="sortable wikitable"
|-
! Rank
! Fielder
! Catches
! Test Career dates
|-
| 1
| {{cricon|IND}} [[Rahul Dravid]]
|'''210'''
|1996–2012
|-
| 2
| {{cricon|ENG}} [[Joe Root]]
| '''207'''
| 2012-
|-
| 3
| {{cricon|SRI}} [[Mahela Jayawardene]]
|'''205'''
|1997–2014
|-
| 4=
| {{cricon|RSA}} [[Jacques Kallis]]
|'''200'''
|1995–2013
|-
| 4=
| {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Steve Smith (cricketer)|Steve Smith]]
| '''200'''
| 2010-
|-
| 6
| {{cricon|AUS}} [[Ricky Ponting]]
| '''196'''
| 1995–2012
|-
| 7
| {{cricon|AUS}} [[Mark Waugh]]
| '''181'''
| 1991–2002
|-
| 8
| {{flagicon|England}} [[Alastair Cook]]
| '''175'''
| 2006–18
|-
| 9
| {{flagicon|New Zealand}} [[Stephen Fleming]]
| '''171'''
| 1994–2008
|-
| 10
| {{flagicon|South Africa}} [[Graeme Smith]]
| '''169'''
| 2002–14
|}
Source:  [http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/records/283548.html Cricinfo Statsguru]. Last updated: 9 February 2025.

===One Day Internationals===

{{See also|List_of_One_Day_International_cricket_records#Most_catches|label 1=Most catches in ODI career (wicket-keeping)}}
{{See also|List_of_One_Day_International_cricket_records#Most_catches_in_ODI_career|label 1=Most catches in ODI career (non-wicket-keeping)}}

===T20 Internationals===
{{See also|List_of_Twenty20_International_records#Most_catches_in_career|label 1=Most catches in T20I career (wicket-keeping)}}
{{See also|List_of_Twenty20_International_records#Most_catches_in_T20I_career|label 1=Most catches in T20I career (non-wicket-keeping)}}

===First Class cricket===
{{See also|List_of_first-class_cricket_records#Most_catches_in_a_career|label 1=Most catches in FC career (non-wicket-keeping)}}

== See also ==

* [[Catch (baseball)]]

==References==
<references />

{{Methods of dismissal in cricket}}
{{Cricket statistics}}

[[Category:Cricket laws and regulations]]
[[Category:Cricket terminology]]