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The leg before wicket (lbw) rule

Football has the offside rule and cricket has the equivalent – leg before wicket.
The most important thing to remember is this:
If the ball pitches outside the line of leg stump the batsman cannot be given out lbw. Even if the ball would have gone on to hit the stumps.

The lbw law explained

The batsman is also ‘not out’ if:
  • The ball hits the bat before striking the pad.
  • The batsman is struck on the pad outside the line of off stump having made a genuine attempt to hit the ball .
  • The bowler bowls a ‘no ball’.
The batsman is ‘out’ if:
  • The batsman is struck on the pad in front of the stumps and the ball has not pitched outside leg stump (i.e. the ball has pitched in line with the stumps, or outside the line of off stump).
  • The batsman is struck on the pad outside the line of off stump having not made an attempt to hit the ball. This is an important part of the lbw law to remember as a batsman CAN be given out playing no stroke – even if they are struck outside the line of the off stump – as long as the ball is going on to hit the stumps.
  • A batsman can still be given out lbw even if the ball has not hit their pads.
  • For example, a batsman can be given out lbw if they have been hit on the helmet.


We don’t see too many lbw decisions in junior cricket but umpires will give them, subject to an appeal, if there is no doubt.
Here is a great guide to the lbw rule.

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