A 'short' note on the LBW laws in light of below

Dear All,

I feel it may be helpful to clarify the LBW law for those not sure of what is a very important thing to know when umpiring, along with the bit about if you get a thick edge off your bat to the wicket keeper your out. Also, you walk!

1. If there is any doubt about whether the ball is going to hit the wickets when it travels the distance it has to, after it has hit the batsman on his pads, it must be given not out. Please take into account- from where the ball is bowled from; particularly on a square with such a pronounced slope as that at Stonegate. The further the ball has to travel in the umpires mind the less likely it is that an umpire should give it out. ie. if the batsmen has shimmed down the wicket a couple of yards, to try to cart the opposition captain over his head it should be considered that that produces a lot of doubt, no matter how loud the bowler appeals, waves his arms about, and then jumps about in celebration. (It's often very bad bowlers who appeal for things that are obviously not out.) It's easy to intimidate an umpire of dubious cricketing knowledge, something I am proud to say the Rascals are very good at not doing.

2. If the ball hits the batsman's pads outside the line of the off-stump he can not be given out, unless the batsmen is not playing a shot, and even then it's a very brave umpire that gives that one out. In our level of cricket I would say that it should never be considered.

3. Height. I swill say that again - HEIGHT! If the ball is traveling on an upwards trajectory and it hits the pads anywhere near the knee roll, unless the batsmen is a midget, it must be very doubtful that the ball will stop going upwards and suddenly drop onto the stumps.

4. If the ball pitches, before hitting the batsman's pads, outside the line of leg stump, it can not be given out. Consequently, if the bowler is left arm over to a right handed batsmen, or bowling around the wicket, there is even more doubt; think of where the arm is bowling from, again to a right handed bat. This all works in reverse obviously.

So in conclusion, there are many ways for an umpire to give a batsmen not out because of the many reasons why the ball would not go on hit the stumps. Always remember that no bowler can be in a position better than you, as the umpire to say if a ball will go on to hit the stumps, and if you say Not Out forcefully enough, they shut up quickly, especially if you tell them why it was not out as they walk back to their mark.

Please remember the golden rule. It's not where on the pads the ball hit's, but what the ball would do after it has hit the pad's.

Also, just because there were a couple of close calls that you gave not out as the umpire earlier, does not mean that you have to give the next close one out. If it's not out, it's not out. Read the score book.

Of course all this goes out the window, and the right index finger trigger is allowed to be used as often and as much as you want if-
You have a particular dislike for the batsmen.
The batsmen triggered you anything up to 25 years ago and you owe him back.
Your late for dinner at home and the wife has cooked something special.
Your thirst has got the better of your patience and you want to get in to the pub
The game is lost anyway, why prolong the agony.

Teddy x