Timed out is a method of dismissal in the sport of cricket. It is very rare to be out in such a fashion, and has never occurred in any international match.

Definition

Law 31 of the Laws of cricket provides that an incoming batsman must be in position to take guard or for his partner to be ready to receive the next ball within 3 minutes of the fall of the previous wicket. If this requirement is not met, the incoming batsman will be out, Timed out.

If there is protracted delay in which no batsman comes to the wicket so that the umpires consider that the batting team is refusing to play, the umpires will award the match to the other team. However, if no player comes to the wicket because all players are unable to bat (eg through injury or illness) then they are not given out Timed out. Instead the innings is declared closed and 'Absent ill/injured/hurt' is noted next to those players names as appropriate.

Unusual dismissal

The purpose of the law is to ensure there are no unnecessary delays to the game. It is easily avoided and so it is very unusual for a batsman to get out 'timed out'. As of the end of 2003. there have been no instances of this type of dismissal in test match or one-day international cricket and there are only three instances in first-class cricket as a whole.

Batsmen dismissed 'timed out' in first class cricket

1. H Yadav - Tripura v Orissa at Cuttack in 1997
2. Vasbert Drakes - Border v Free State at East London in 2002
3. AJ Harris - Nottinghamshire v Durham UCCE at Nottingham in 2003