Bowled
The striker is out bowled if the bowler's delivery breaks their wicket — even if the ball touched their bat or body first.
What you need to know
- The ball must be a legal delivery: you can't be bowled off a no-ball.
- It still counts if the ball deflects off the bat or pads onto the stumps.
- It does NOT count if the ball touched another player or an umpire before hitting the stumps.
- The wicket is broken when at least one bail is removed (or a stump is struck out of the ground).
- If a batter is both bowled and could also be out another way, bowled takes precedence.
Examples
Specific situations
Bowled after the ball touched bat or body
Out, bowled. It still counts if the ball touched your bat or body on the way to the stumps.
- Law 32.1.1: the striker is out bowled if the wicket is broken by the ball "even if it first touches the striker's bat or person".
- Playing on — an inside edge onto the stumps — is bowled, not caught or anything else.
Source: MCC Law 32
Ball touched a fielder before hitting the stumps
Not out bowled. If the ball touched the keeper or another fielder (or an umpire, or the non-striker's wicket) before hitting your stumps, it isn't bowled.
- Law 32.1.2 says so directly.
- You can still be stumped or run out if their conditions are met.
Source: MCC Law 32
The ball hits the stumps but the bails stay on
Not out. The wicket is only broken when a bail is completely removed from the top of the stumps (or a stump is knocked out of the ground). The ball stays in play.
- Law 29.1 defines the wicket being broken; disturbing a bail without removing it doesn't count (Law 29.2.2).
- No dismissal, so the ball isn't dead (Law 20.1).
Source: MCC Law 29 · MCC Law 20
Official source
The Laws of Cricket, 2017 Code 4th Edition (2026). Summary in Inswing's own words — follow the link for the official text.
Related: Dismissals (ways to get out) · No ball · Hit wicket