Bowlers tend to get the wickets of batters in numerous ways which may or may not involve assistance from fielders. One mode of dismissal that does not require any fielder is when the batter is dismissed clean bowled that is markedly different from a hit wicket.
When the batter fails to guard the stumps and the striking of the ball dislodged the bails, the batter is declared clean bowled. In cricket, there have been instances when the bails get dislodged even without the ball touching the stumps. This occurs when the batter’s bat or a part of his body or gear makes contact with the stumps. There are various ways in which this can happen. Here are some scenarios:
- The batter casually swings the bat that dislodged the bails.
- The batter’s bat breaks and the broken part hits the stumps.
- The batter moves his feet behind in the act of shot making resulting in a contact with the stumps.
- The batter ducks in a spontaneous way to a bouncer, but in the process the helmet comes off and hits the stumps.
- The batter loses balance and tumbles over the stumps.
- The batter loses grip of the bat that goes on to breaks the stumps.
- The batter’s gloves come off and hit the stumps.
It is important to note that the batsman is give out for a hit wicket only if the bowler has released the ball and brought it into play. In case the bowler bowls a no ball, the batsman is given not out despite a hit wicket. Though the hit wicket is not what the bowler aims for, it is still credited to their wickets tally. Moreover, if the batter hits a shot that crosses the boundary, but the bat contacted the bails during the act of shot making, then no runs are rewarded to the batting side.
Over 150 men and 10 women have been out hit wicket in international cricket. Sunil Ambris of West Indies is the only batsman to have got out by hit wicket in the first two matches of his debut.
