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Timed out is a method of dismissal in the sport of cricket. It occurs when an incoming batsman is not ready to play within a given amount of time of the previous batter being either dismissed or retired. This is one case of a 'diamond' or 'platinum' duck, as the player is out without having faced a ball. The purpose of the law is to ensure there are no unnecessary delays to the game. It is easily avoided, and it is very unusual for a batter to get out 'timed out'. , there have been no instances of this type of dismissal in Test cricket, a single instance each in One Day International and Twenty20 International cricket, and seven instances in first-class cricket.
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. 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 batter should be marked as "absent", which is how it appears in the 1920 edition of Wisden Cricketers' Almanack. Under present rules, Heygate would have been recorded as "absent hurt", and this is how his innings is now recorded in CricketArchive. The match ended in a tie.See the CricketArchive Scorecard. Heygate was given out under Law 45 of the Laws of cricket, 1884 code – 1919 revision .
The amount of time given for the incoming batter to be ready varies depending on the match playing conditions. The default period of time defined in Law 40 is 3 minutes, but this is amended to 2 minutes for Test cricket and one day international cricket. Twenty20 cricket shortens the period of time even further to 90 seconds, and an on-field dugout is often provided in this format (in a similar manner to some other team sports such as association football and rugby) to enable incoming batters to make their way to the wicket immediately when a wicket falls to avoid being timed out. The umpires cannot rule on any appeal for timed out until someone takes the field of play.
The "incoming batter" may be any batter who has not yet batted. There is no prescribed batting order in cricket, i.e. the team does not have to come out to bat in any specific order even if one has been published. Until one batter has set foot on the field the batting captain may pick any player who has not yet batted who, when they appear on the field, may then be given out on appeal. MCC Answers to Questions on Law 31 Knowing that a better batter will shortly be able to take the field, the captain can therefore sacrifice onto the field their worst remaining batter (colloquially the "No. 11") or one who is present injured, even one who previously retired hurt.
Whether or not an appeal for timed out is made, if the delay in which no batter comes to the wicket extends beyond the prescribed minutes, an "extended delay" is judged and the umpires follow the procedure in Law 16.3 with a view to award the match to the opposing team. They will discuss the situation together, make contact with the Captain of the team who are refusing to play and can award the game to the bowling side.
If no remaining not out players are able to take the field (e.g. through absence, injury or illness, or suspension or ejection as a result of a players' conduct offence) then none is given out timed out; instead the innings is to be considered as completed and "absent ill/injured/hurt" (or retired in the event of a players' conduct offence) is noted next to all remaining players' names as appropriate.
| 1 ! scope="row" | Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi, India | 38th Match, 2023 Cricket World Cup | Lost | |||
| Mathews was making his way to the crease following the dismissal of Sadeera Samarawickrama when his helmet strap broke, exchanging his helmet on the boundary before proceeding. The resulting delay meant that Mathews failed to be ready to receive the next ball in time, however he still would not have been ready in time even without the helmet malfunction. | ||||||
| 1 ! scope="row" | Willowmoore Park, Benoni, South Africa | 12th Match, 2023 Africa Cricket Association Cup | Won | |||
| Following the dismissal of Samson Awiah, Bakiweyem was uncertain as to whether he was next to bat, the resulting delay meaning that he failed to be ready to receive the next ball in time. | ||||||
| 1 ! scope="row" | Eastern Province | Transvaal | Adcock Stadium, Port Elizabeth, South Africa | Howa Bowl | Drawn | |
| Jordaan was due to open the batting but was prevented from reaching the ground due to flooded roads following an overnight downpour. | ||||||
| 2 ! scope="row" | Tripura | Orissa | Barabati Stadium, Cuttack, India | 1997–98 Ranji Trophy | Drawn | |
| Yadav was in conversation with his team manager on the boundary at the fall of the 9th wicket, and made no attempt to reach the crease. | ||||||
| 3 ! scope="row" | Border | Free State | Buffalo Park, East London, South Africa | 2002–03 SuperSport Series | Lost | |
| Drakes had been playing for West Indies in the Champions Trophy and was included in Border's team under the assumption that he would arrive on time. His flight from Colombo was delayed and he had not yet arrived at the ground when he was due to bat. | ||||||
| 4 ! scope="row" | Nottinghamshire | Durham UCCE | Trent Bridge, Nottingham, England | 2003 University Centres of Cricketing Excellence | Won | |
| Harris had strained a groin muscle and was not initially expecting to bat, but later decided to bat as Chris Read was nearing a century but was running out of batting partners. He was not yet ready to bat at the fall of the 9th wicket and was still making his way to the field when time elapsed, stranding Read on 94 not out. | ||||||
| 5 ! scope="row" | Combined Campuses and Colleges | Windward Islands | Arnos Vale Ground, Kingstown, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 2013–14 Regional Four Day Competition | Won | |
| Austin was the last nominated batter and failed to be ready to receive the next ball in time. Despite this, he won the Player of the Match award due to his career-best bowling of 11-101 contributing towards an 82-run win. | ||||||
| 6 ! scope="row" | Matabeleland Tuskers | Mountaineers | Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe | 2017–18 Logan Cup | Lost | |
| After Matabeleland Tuskers lost 3 wickets in 6 balls, Kunje was unprepared to bat and failed to be ready to receive the next ball in time. | ||||||
| 7 ! scope="row" | State Bank of Pakistan | Pakistan Television | Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi, Pakistan | Final, 2024–25 President's Trophy | Lost | |
| After State Bank of Pakistan lost 2 wickets in 2 balls, Shakeel was unprepared to bat and failed to be ready to receive the next ball in time. | ||||||
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