Timed out: being ready matters more than reaching the pitch
Understand MCC's three-minute rule and why competition conditions must also be checked.
The clock follows a wicket or retirement
Under the retrieved MCC Law 40, the incoming batter must be ready to receive, or the other batter ready to receive the next ball, within three minutes of a dismissal or retirement unless Time has been called. The wording is about readiness, not merely arrival near the wicket.
A hypothetical batter walking onto the field before three minutes but still unable to receive is not automatically safe because they crossed the boundary. The relevant requirement concerns the next delivery.
Do not apply one number to every competition
This guide describes the MCC Law as retrieved. A competition can have its own playing conditions, so check those before applying this three-minute figure to a particular international or domestic match.
The distinction matters when commentary mentions a different limit. Do not call the commentary false solely because a general Laws guide gives three minutes. First establish which playing conditions govern the game.
The wicket does not belong to the bowler
MCC says the bowler does not get credit for timed out. The side can therefore lose a wicket without a bowler adding one to their figures. For extended delays with no incoming batter, the Law points to a separate match-award procedure.
A live score alone cannot prove when readiness was achieved or whether Time had been called. Use the reported dismissal and the match's governing conditions, rather than timing an edited television clip.