Cricket umpire signals
An umpire’s signals tell the scorers what has happened. Each one is held until a scorer acknowledges it, usually with a raised hand.
Scoring signals
| Signal | Meaning |
|---|---|
| One arm swept from side to side across the body | Four runs |
| Both arms raised above the head | Six runs |
| One arm raised with an open hand | Bye |
| A hand touching a raised knee | Leg bye |
| A hand tapping the near shoulder | Short run. One run is taken off |
Illegal deliveries
| Signal | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Both arms held out level | Wide |
| One arm held out level | No-ball |
| One hand circling above the head | Free hit, in formats that use it |
A no-ball is also called aloud at once, so the batter knows they can only be run out.
Dismissals and decisions
| Signal | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Index finger raised above the head | Out |
| Wrists crossed and uncrossed below the waist | Dead ball |
| Arms crossed with hands touching the shoulders | The last signal is cancelled |
There is no signal for “not out”. The umpire says it or shakes their head.
Other signals
| Signal | Meaning |
|---|---|
| The ball held up above the head | A new ball has been taken |
| One hand placed on the opposite shoulder | Five penalty runs to the fielding side |
| One hand tapping the opposite shoulder repeatedly | Five penalty runs to the batting side |
| An arm raised and the wrist pointed at | The last hour of play has begun |
Who is watching
The umpire at the bowler’s end makes most signals. The second umpire stands square of the wicket at the striker’s end and judges run-outs and stumpings there.
In club cricket the umpires are often players from the batting side taking a turn, especially in lower teams. They are expected to judge as fairly as any appointed official.
How to appeal
An umpire does not give a batter out unless the fielding side asks. The traditional appeal is “How’s that?” and it covers every way of being out.
A batter who is bowled or clearly caught simply walks off. An appeal is needed only when there is doubt.