Calling when batting - should you ever say "No" to a "Yes"?

[Mattsville]

Hi everyone, wonder if you could give me some advice.
I’m trying to figure out exactly how my team should be calling for runs when batting.
So, I know the basics of who should call. But my question is – if one batsman calls “Yes” is the other batsman ever allowed to disagree and shout “No”?
Here’s a situation that happened in a game recently:
A ball was hit to a fielder at square leg, just behind square. So it’s the non-strikers call, but both batsmen have a clear view, and the fielder is closer to the strikers end but could easily throw to either. The non-striker thought he could make the run and called “Yes”, but the striker didn’t think he could make it to the bowlers end and shouted “No” immediately, and didn’t run.
The non-striker then ignored this, repeated the yes and carried on running, and there was a run out.
So – who made a mistake here? Should the striker have run even though he didn’t think he could make it or is it acceptable to “overrule” the call from non-striker and shout “No”?
Thanks,
Matt

 

[Neil Pickup]

Ah, that wonderful grey area where no-one is quite sure whose call it is. Had a similar example in a kids' game today (always a great place to see bad running)... striker hit it to point, called yes, non-striker responded and ran despite knowing full well he wasn't even going to be in the frame.

I think, on balance, when it's in that dodgy zone, then either batsman has the right to call "no", at which point you cut your losses and stick in your crease.

 

[Son Of Coco]

In short, yes of course you can say no.

You're not obliged to run just because the bloke at the other end says yes. If he has a brain fart and calls a ridiculous run then he's the one who should be scrambling back to his crease.

In a perfect world, the bloke responsible for calling the run would take into account how fast the guy is at the other end. In reality, usually the dopey bastard forgets and ****s it up.

 

[BackFootPunch]

A call of 'no' from the striker would have been perfectly acceptable in the situation. From the sounds of it, it possibly should have been the striker's call in the first place. I've always been told that it has to go pretty fine for it to be up to the non-striker. But, as mentioned above, knowing your team mates and having an understanding is really the most important thing. Knowing instinctively whether the bloke down the other end will want a run is something that only comes with practice and playing together.

 

[Hurricane]

I've had two situations where I've been the striker and I've hit it straight to square leg and the non striker has called yes. On both occassions I sent him back and he couldn't make his ground and was run out by a country mile. Both times there was never a run there as evidenced by the fact they couldn't turn and make their ground although it always is hard to stop and go back. In both cases the other guy was slutted off with me and one guy got the whole team to back him up and things were uncomfortable for me for the rest of the day. Whenever now I bat with a guy who has ants in his pants (and there is always one or two on every team) I tell them if it goes square it is the strikers call.

 

[Daemon]

General rule to go by imo is if either batsmen says no, just turn around and get back to your crease. Unless it's painfully obvious you'll be missing out in a run, hesitant running is a killer.

 

[Prince EWS]

Yeah, either batsman has the right to over-rule with a no IMO as long as he does it early on.

 

[Dan]

Yeah, either batsman has the right to over-rule with a no IMO as long as he does it early on.

Yep, the 'striker calls in front of the wicket, non-striker behind' is only for a call of 'yes' AFAIC. The second either batsman has doubts, a call of 'no' is no. There is absolutely no point sacrificing yourself to be run out because it was a horrible call, just because the textbook suggests they did have to right to make a call.

 

[Son Of Coco]

Reminds me of a girl I once knew. In front of the wicket was a definite yes, but behind the wicket was a loud no.

 

[SLA]

Most cricketers in this country (UK) call for everything when they're on strike unless they don't know where the ball went. The non striker is responsible for calling nicks and byes only.

This makes most sense: if I'm the striker and I deliberately angle the ball between slip and gully or just backward of square leg, I know as soon as it leaves the bat that there is a run there, shout "yep, easy one" or "yep, pushing two", make a quick look up to check he's heard, and get jogging, the non striker doesn't have a very good view in comparison. If you're unsure and you want the other guy to make the call you usually shout "looking".


and you always have the right to say no, as long as you say it straight away and loud enough to rattle the windows in the pavilion.

 

[Hurricane]

Most cricketers in this country (UK) call for everything when they're on strike unless they don't know where the ball went. The non striker is responsible for calling nicks and byes only.

This makes most sense: if I'm the striker and I deliberately angle the ball between slip and gully or just backward of square leg, I know as soon as it leaves the bat that there is a run there, shout "yep, easy one" or "yep, pushing two", make a quick look up to check he's heard, and get jogging, the non striker doesn't have a very good view in comparison. If you're unsure and you want the other guy to make the call you usually shout "looking".


and you always have the right to say no, as long as you say it straight away and loud enough to rattle the windows in the pavilion.

MAtter of preference I guess - behind square was always the non strikers call when I grew up.

What I do worry about is this comment:
"yep pushing two"

That works when the mongrel at the other end has a brain. I find inexperienced guys at 8, 9 10 and 11 who I have to bat a lot with if I am playing a big inning - get confused by anything other than yes, no, or wait.
I have seen mongrels turn and just start running the second one when there wasn't a second one there because the striker yelled out "run hard" after hitting the ball. Any fool should know that run hard means sprint the first one and look for two and if it isn't there sit in your crease. But this rabbit didn't and it lead to our team's downfall.

Therefore I don't believe in saying "look for two" I just expect my other partner to hustle the first one and always look for two.

Once you have a good relationship with your regular batting partner then you can say whatever you want within reason however.

 

[Daemon]

Goddamn mongrels

 

[SLA]

MAtter of preference I guess - behind square was always the non strikers call when I grew up.

What I do worry about is this comment:
"yep pushing two"

That works when the mongrel at the other end has a brain. I find inexperienced guys at 8, 9 10 and 11 who I have to bat a lot with if I am playing a big inning - get confused by anything other than yes, no, or wait.
I have seen mongrels turn and just start running the second one when there wasn't a second one there because the striker yelled out "run hard" after hitting the ball. Any fool should know that run hard means sprint the first one and look for two and if it isn't there sit in your crease. But this rabbit didn't and it lead to our team's downfall.

Therefore I don't believe in saying "look for two" I just expect my other partner to hustle the first one and always look for two.

Once you have a good relationship with your regular batting partner then you can say whatever you want within reason however.

I think as long as you're loud and don't say anything needlessly ambiguous, just treat calling as a conversation and you'll be alright. Good cricketers are constantly yelling stuff to each other about where the ball is and how many runs they might be able to get.

If I'm playing with someone who doesn't know what they're doing I just do all the calling and if they get run out because they weren't ready to go, that's their fault.

 

[Son Of Coco]

I think the less you turn calling into a conversation the better.


Actually in these modern times of ours, with kids turning more and more to social media, I believe a simple text of ýes' or 'no' to the bloke at the other end should suffice. Maybe a 'luk 4 2' if you think there's a chance to run another.

This way, when you get runout because you've stopped to check Facebook updates halfway down the wicket, you can Tweet what a ****wit the other guy is on the way off the ground.

 

[Dan]

Yeah, when I pass my partner I might occasionally add 'push for two' or 'two there' to let them know that I'm damn well running again, and they better deal with it unless they have a good reason.