Law 32 (Caught)
1. Out Caught
The striker is out Caught if a ball delivered by the bowler, not being a No ball,
touches his bat without having previously been in contact with any member of
the fielding side and is subsequently held by a fielder as a fair catch before
it touches the ground.
2. Caught to take precedence
If the criteria of 1 above are met and the striker is not out Bowled, then
he is out Caught, even though a decision against either batsman for another
method of dismissal would be justified. Runs completed by the batsmen before
the completion of the catch will not be scored. Note also Laws 21.6 (Winning
hit or extras) and 42.17(b) (Penalty runs).
3. A fair catch
A catch shall be considered to have been fairly made if
(a) throughout the act of making the catch
(i) any fielder in contact with the ball is within the field of play. See 4
below.
(ii) the ball is at no time in contact with any object grounded beyond the
boundary.
The act of making the catch shall start from the time when
a fielder first handles the ball and shall end when a fielder
obtains complete control both over the ball and over his own
movement.
(b) the ball is hugged to the body of the catcher or accidentally
lodges in his clothing or, in the case of the wicket-keeper,
in his pads. However, it is not a fair catch if the ball lodges
in a protective helmet worn by a fielder. See Law 23 (Dead
ball).
(c) the ball does not touch the ground, even though the hand
holding it does so in effecting the catch.
(d) a fielder catches the ball after it has been lawfully
struck more than once by the striker, but only if the ball
has not touched the ground since first being struck.
(e) a fielder catches the ball after it has touched an umpire,
another fielder or the other batsman. However, it is not a
fair catch if the ball has touched a protective helmet worn
by a fielder, although the ball remains in play.
(f) a fielder catches the ball in the air after it has crossed
the boundary provided that
(i) he has no part of his person touching, or grounded beyond, the boundary
at any time when he is in contact with the ball.
(ii) the ball has not been grounded beyond the boundary.
See Law 19.3 (Scoring a boundary).
(g) the ball is caught off an obstruction within the boundary,
provided it has not previously been decided to regard the obstruction
as a boundary.
4. Fielder within the field of play
(a) A fielder is not within the field of play if he touches the boundary or
has any part of his person grounded beyond the boundary. See Law 19.3 (Scoring
a boundary).
(b) 6 runs shall be scored if a fielder
(i) has any part of his person touching, or grounded beyond, the boundary when
he catches the ball.
(ii) catches the ball and subsequently touches the boundary or grounds some
part of his person over the boundary while carrying the ball but before completing
the catch.
See Laws 19.3 (Scoring a boundary) and 19.4 (Runs allowed
for boundaries).
5. No runs to be scored
If the striker is dismissed Caught, runs from that delivery completed by the
batsmen before the completion of the catch shall not be scored, but any penalties
awarded to either side when the ball is dead, if applicable, will stand.
Law 18.12(a) (Batsman returning to wicket he has left) shall apply from the
instant of the catch.