Has any batsman ever been 'timed out' in cricket?

In cricket, ‘timed out’ is a method of dismissal that occurs when an incoming batsman is not ready to play within three minutes of the previous batsman being out. It is very rare to be out in such a fashion and has never occurred in any international cricket match. Law 31 of the Laws of Cricket provides that an incoming batsman must be in a position to take guard or for his partner to be ready to receive the next ball within three minutes of the fall of the previous wicket. If this requirement is not met, the incoming batsman will be given out, timed out, on appeal.

The "incoming batsman" may be any batsman who has not yet batted. There is no prescribed batting order in cricket. If no batsman has set foot on the field when the appeal is made, the batting captain may pick any player who has not yet batted as the one to be given out.As a result, if the next batsman was only slightly delayed, the captain would be expected to sacrifice his worst batsman – usually the No. 11.

A CASE OF REPRIEVE

The third test of the 2006-2007 series between India and South Africa was played at the Newlands Cricket Ground. In India's second innings, two batsmen were quickly dismissed. Sachin Tendulkar was listed as the fourth batsman.

As he had been replaced as a fielder for eighteen minutes at the end of South Africa's innings, he was ineligible to bat in the India second innings until another eighteen minutes had expired from its commencement. After a six-minute delay, Sourav Ganguly came in as the next batsman. South African captain Graeme Smith, however, did not appeal for a "timed out" dismissal.

THE LAW

"Timed Out" as a specific method of dismissal was added to the Laws in the 1980 code. It provided two minutes for the incoming batsman to "step onto the field of play". In the 2000 code, this was revised to three minutes for the batsman to "be in a position to take guard or for his partner to be ready to receive the next ball". However, the first printed Laws of cricket, in 1775, already required the umpires "To allow Two Minutes for each Man to come in when one is out".

In 1919, Sussex cricketer Harold Heygate was given out by the umpire Alfred Street as "timed out" in a first-class County Championship match with Somerset at Taunton. The MCC, then in charge of the Laws, later ruled that the umpire was correct in ending the Sussex innings when Heygate failed to appear within two minutes, but that the batsman should be marked as "absent", which is how it appears in the 1920 edition of Wisden Cricketers’ Almanac. Under present rules, Heygate would have been recorded as "absent hurt", and this is how his innings is now recorded in Cricket Archive.

BATSMEN DISMISSED ‘TIMED OUT’ IN CRICKET

Andrew Jordaan – Eastern Province v Transvaal at Port Elizabeth in 1987-88

In the Howa Bowl game between Eastern Province and Transvaal in February 1988, Andrew Jordaan, opening for Eastern Province, was 0 not out at the close of play. After torrential rain overnight, road conditions were so difficult the next morning that Jordaan couldn’t reach the ground for the start of play. He was subsequently timed out.

Hemulal Yadav – Tripura v Orissa at Cuttack in 1997

In December 1997, at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack, Tripura were batting against Orissa. When they lost their ninth wicket, the umpires called for a drinks break with the Tripura number 11, Hemulal Yadav as the last man in. However, Yadav was still deep in conversation with his team manager on the edge of the boundary and was given out.

Vasbert Drakes – Border v Free State at East London in 2002

In September 2002, Vasbert Drakes, a West Indian fast bowler, was trying to travel from Colombo, Sri Lanka, where he had been playing in the Champions Trophy, East London, South Africa, to play for Border. This was a trip of 4,400 miles (7,000 km). His plane was delayed and even though he was dropped lower and lower in the batting order, he never made it, finding himself in the unique position of being timed out whilst in mid-air.

AJ Harris – Nottinghamshire v Durham UCCE at Nottingham in 2003

Playing against Durham UCCE in 2003, Nottinghamshire were batting strongly. Andrew Harris, their number 11, had suffered a groin strain and had not changed thinking he would not be required. However, the middle order collapsed and Harris was told to bat. He flung on his clothes but was too late reaching the middle - he was timed out. His teammate, Chris Read, wasn’t very pleased – he was left stranded on 94.

Ryan Austin – Combined Campuses and Colleges vs Windward Islands at Kingstown, St. Vincent in 2013-14

After taking a career-best eight wickets at St.Vincent in 2013/14, Campuses and Colleges off-spinner Ryan Austin became the fifth batsman to be timed out. Opening the bowling against the Windward Islands, Austin took 8-64, but when his time came to bat in the second innings, he failed to make it to the crease in time and was given out.

Although the ‘timed out’ decision is unusual, the purpose of the law is to ensure there are no unnecessary delays to the game. It is easily avoided, so it is very rare that a batsman has got out 'timed out'.