(Tom Smith’s p 225-236)
· Must be a fair ball (fact)
· The ball must pitch between wicket & wicket, or outside the off stump (fact)
· The ball must be intercepted by part of the person or batsman’s equipment (before it touches the bat) (fact)
· The point of impact must be between wicket and wicket, even if above bail height OR (fact)
· If the point of impact is outside the off-stump – the striker must have made no genuine attempt to play the ball (fact)
· The ball must have been going on to hit the wicket (in the opinion of the umpire)
THERE MUST BE AN APPEAL.
Must assume that the path of the ball before interception will continue the on same line after impact – even if the ball might later pitch (full toss)
Offside is determined by the striker’s stance at the moment the ball comes into play.
A ball which hits the bat and the pad simultaneously is deemed to have hit the bat first.
No ball pitching outside the leg stump can result in a batsman being given out LBW (or hitting batsman full pitch outside leg stump).
You must consider all aspects of the law and be certain that each and every one has been met in order to give the batsman out.
Expect an LBW appeal to be made every time the ball hits the batsman’s pads.
Although the law is Leg B W this does not prevent an LBW dismissal if the ball hits other parts of the body.
Every ball must be treated on its individual merits.
Disregard any hypothetical movement the ball may have made had it pitched after interception
There is nothing in the law that says a batsman cannot be given out LBW if he has gone down the pitch, but consider the further distance which the ball has to travel.
Outside the off stump means completely outside the 9” strip of the stumps.
Outside the leg stump means completely outside the 9” strip.
DON’T MAKE INSTANT DECISIONS
Considerations for the Umpire
· Do not linger on watching the bowler’s feet after landing – look for the ball pitching and follow the line of the delivery.
· Look for movement through the air and off the pitch.
· Consider the height of the bounce of the ball after it has pitched and at impact and the hardness of the pitch.
· Was the ball still rising or was it dropping?
· Consider the point from where the ball was delivered.
· Consider the flight path of the ball.
· Consider the direction and strength of the wind.
· Consider the distance travelled by the ball between pitching and impact –
§ you must be able to see the ball for a reasonable distance after it has pitched in order to determine any deviation and bounce.
· Consider the speed of the ball – the faster the delivery the longer the travelling distance you need to make a decision.
· Consider the position of the striker at the time of the impact - the further down the wicket the greater distance the ball still has to travel.