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In the ongoing match between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, Angelo Mathews became first-ever cricketer to get timed out in international cricket history. However, there have been six batters who have been timed out in First-Class cricket.
Timed out is a method of dismissal in the sport of cricket which happens when an incoming batsman is not ready to play within three minutes of the previous batsman being out. The purpose of law is to ensure that there are no unnecessary delays in the game and it has been very unusual for a batsman to get dismissed through this mode (timed out).
This specific method of dismissal was added to the laws in the 1980 code, which provided two minutes for the incoming batsman to step on to the field of play. In 2000 code, this was revised to three minutes (two minutes in ICC events) for the batsman to be in position to take guard or for his partner to be ready to receive the next ball.
Current Law 40 states that an incoming batsman must be in 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 the requirement is not met, the incoming batsman will be given timed out on appeal.
The incoming batsman may be any batsman who has not yet batted as there is no prescribed batting order in cricket. If no batsman has set foot on the field when appeal is made, the batting captain may pick any player who has not yet batted as the one to be given out. If the next batsman was only slightly delayed, the captain would be expected to sacrifice his worst batsman (who bats at 11).
Today, Angelo Mathews got timed out as Shakib Al Hasan went onto appeal by law books. As per article 40.1 in ICC rules, Mathews was expected to be ready inside two minutes.
Batters to get timed out in First Class cricket:
Andrew Jordaan - Eastern Province vs Transvaal at Port Elizabeth in 1987/88
Hemulal Yadav - Tripura vs Orissa at Cuttack in 1997/98
Vasbert Drakes - Border vs Free State at East London in 2002
AJ Harris - Nottinghamshire vs Durham UCCE at Nottingham in 2003
Ryan Austin - Combined Campuses and Colleges vs Windward Islands at Kingstown in 2013/14
Charles Kunje - Matabeleland Tuskers vs Mountaineers at Bulawayo in 2017/18
