Third Umpire Review Process: How It Works Behind the Scenes

While the on-field umpires are the most visible officials in a cricket match, the third umpire is arguably the most consequential in the modern era. Sitting off the field in a dedicated room filled with monitors, camera feeds, and specialist software, the third umpire adjudicates the most technically difficult decisions in the game — catching the edges that human eyes miss, tracking the trajectory of a ball that curved at the last moment, determining whether a fielder's toe touched the boundary line.

Understanding how the third umpire works — their room, their process, their technology, and their communication with on-field officials — gives you a fundamentally different appreciation of how cricket is actually officiated. This guide goes behind the scenes.

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What is the Third Umpire?

The third umpire is an off-field match official appointed by the relevant cricket board or the ICC to assist the two on-field umpires in making difficult decisions using technology. The third umpire role was first introduced into Test cricket in 1992, initially only for run-outs where the third umpire could review replays to determine whether a batsman had made their ground.

Since then, the role has expanded dramatically. The third umpire is now involved in the full Decision Review System (DRS) — where player-initiated reviews trigger ball-tracking, edge-detection, and infrared analysis — and in direct umpire referrals for a wide range of decisions including catches near the boundary, whether a catch was taken cleanly, disputed run-outs, and no-ball checks in some tournament formats.

The third umpire is always a qualified international umpire — typically someone on the ICC's Elite Panel or International Panel of Umpires. They operate from a dedicated room at the ground, which in major international venues is a fully equipped broadcasting-grade facility. At smaller or newer venues, the setup may be more modest, but the core equipment — multiple monitor screens, access to camera feeds, and specialist technology software — is always present.

For a comprehensive explanation of the full DRS system from the player's perspective, see /blog/what-is-drs-in-cricket-explained.

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When Does the Third Umpire Get Involved?

The third umpire can be called upon in two distinct ways: through a player-initiated DRS review or through a direct on-field umpire referral. These are fundamentally different processes with different rules.

Player-initiated DRS reviews: A batting or fielding team exercises their DRS review (the T-signal). This triggers the full DRS process, with the third umpire reviewing ball-tracking, UltraEdge, and HotSpot. This costs the reviewing team one of their limited reviews (unless the result is umpire's call, in which case the review is retained).

On-field umpire referrals: The on-field umpire themselves refers the decision to the third umpire. This does not use a team's DRS review allocation. Umpire referrals are used for:

• Run-outs (always referred to third umpire if marginal)
• Stumpings (when the keeper's glove-action is disputed)
• Disputed catches close to the ground
• Boundary line decisions (did the ball cross the rope, or did a fielder ground it?)
• No-ball checks in some tournament formats (where the third umpire monitors front-foot position independently)

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DRS Reviews — Player Initiated

When a player initiates a DRS review, the sequence is:

1. The captain or batsman makes the T-signal within 15 seconds of the on-field decision
2. The on-field umpire acknowledges the review signal and communicates with the third umpire via the ear communication system
3. The third umpire requests the relevant camera feeds and technology outputs
4. The review proceeds through a specific sequence of checks depending on the type of dismissal being reviewed

For an LBW review, the sequence is:

• Was there an inside edge (bat before pad)? — UltraEdge and HotSpot checked
• Did the ball pitch in line? — Hawk-Eye ball-tracking checked
• Was the impact in line? — Ball-tracking impact point checked
• Was the ball going on to hit the stumps? — Ball-tracking predictive projection checked

Each check can end the review — if the ball pitched outside leg stump, the review ends immediately with "not out." The third umpire works through each stage methodically, narrating their findings to the on-field umpire via earpiece.

For a caught-behind review:

• Third umpire checks UltraEdge waveform for a spike coinciding with ball passing the bat
• HotSpot imaging checked for a heat mark on the bat edge
• Slow-motion visual replay from multiple angles reviewed

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Direct Referrals — Umpire Initiated

Direct umpire referrals are made when the on-field umpire is unsure of a decision and wants third-umpire assistance — or when the playing conditions mandate automatic referral (as with run-outs in most international cricket).

Run-outs: Almost all marginal run-out decisions in international cricket are referred automatically to the third umpire. The process:

1. On-field umpire holds up their hand with the TV replay signal
2. Third umpire reviews ultra-slow-motion replays of the run-out moment
3. Third umpire determines whether the batsman's bat or body was grounded behind the crease before the bails were removed
4. Decision announced via earpiece

Run-out decisions can involve extraordinarily fine margins — millimetres of bat position relative to the crease line. Ultra-slow-motion cameras capturing at thousands of frames per second are used to freeze the exact moment of bail removal and compare it to the bat position.

Boundary decisions: The on-field umpire can refer any uncertain boundary decision — whether a ball crossed the rope, whether a fielder grounded the ball at the boundary, whether a fielder was in contact with the rope during a catch attempt.

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Technology Available to the Third Umpire

The third umpire's room contains access to all of the following:

Multiple camera feeds: The third umpire can access all camera angles from the broadcast production, including ultra-slow-motion cameras positioned at key locations: behind the bowler's arm, at fine leg for run-outs, at the boundary positions, and at stump-cam level. In major international venues, there may be 30+ camera feeds available.

Hawk-Eye Ball Tracking: A dedicated display showing the ball's tracked trajectory from delivery through to the batsman and beyond. Hawk-Eye provides LBW data including pitch point, impact point, and the predictive projection showing whether the ball would have hit the stumps. All Hawk-Eye data is displayed with confidence levels.

UltraEdge (Snickometer): An audio waveform display showing sound data from stump microphones. The third umpire looks for spikes in the waveform at the precise moment the ball passes the bat. A spike coinciding with ball-passing-bat suggests edge contact; no spike suggests no contact.

HotSpot Infrared: Where available (not at all venues due to cost), an infrared imaging display showing friction heat marks from ball contact. HotSpot can reveal thin edges invisible to the naked eye and to the standard camera.

Stump Vision: Cameras built into the stumps provide a ground-level view of run-out and stumping decisions, giving the third umpire a clear line of sight to whether the bat has made its ground relative to the crease.

Real Ball-Speed Data: The third umpire has access to ball speed data from the Hawk-Eye system, which can be relevant for assessing certain types of dismissal claims.

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Communication Between Third Umpire and On-Field Officials

The third umpire communicates with the on-field umpires via a closed two-way ear communication system. This system is private — the broadcast commentary team and other officials cannot hear this communication in real time. Only after the review is complete does the third umpire's decision become public.

The communication follows a structured protocol:

• The third umpire narrates what they are checking and what they are seeing
• The on-field umpire acknowledges but does not provide input — they wait for the verdict
• The third umpire announces the decision clearly and unambiguously: "Out" or "Not out" or "Umpire's call — on-field decision stands"
• The on-field umpire then signals the decision to the scorers and players

The on-field umpire signals the final decision, not the third umpire directly. This is intentional — the on-field umpire retains formal authority for all decisions, with the third umpire acting in an advisory and technical capacity (even though in DRS, the third umpire's verdict is binding).

In some matches and tournaments, the third umpire also communicates with the Scorers to ensure the scoreboard is updated correctly following a boundary or no-ball determination.

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How Long Does a Review Take?

The duration of a third umpire review varies significantly depending on the type and complexity of the decision:

Simple run-out review: 30–60 seconds for straightforward cases; up to 2–3 minutes for extremely close decisions requiring frame-by-frame analysis

LBW DRS review: Typically 60–90 seconds for a clear case; up to 3–4 minutes for complex cases where multiple checks are needed and each is inconclusive

Caught-behind review: 60–120 seconds, depending on how clear the UltraEdge and HotSpot evidence is

Boundary catch review: 45–90 seconds for typical cases; longer when camera angles are limited or the fielder's feet position is ambiguous

Direct referral for caught close to ground: 1–3 minutes, as multiple camera angles need to be reviewed to determine whether the ball carried to the fielder

There is no formal time limit imposed on the third umpire for completing a review. They are expected to be thorough. In broadcasts, this waiting period is typically filled with commentary, replays shown to the television audience, and, in-ground, with the big screen showing graphics indicating a review is in progress.

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Famous Third Umpire Decisions

Steve Waugh run-out — 1999 World Cup: One of the earlier high-profile third umpire decisions, when Steve Waugh was adjudged run out in a critical World Cup match. The third umpire technology at the time was far less sophisticated than today, but the decision highlighted the importance of an off-field official with access to replays.

Brian Lara caught-behind decisions — various Test matches: Lara's batting in the 1990s and 2000s coincided with the early years of the third umpire role, and several high-profile decisions in his innings tested the nascent technology's accuracy for edge detection.

MS Dhoni stumpings — IPL and international: Dhoni's stumpings are often so fast that they routinely require third umpire review. Frame-by-frame analysis of his glove-work has produced several split-frame decisions where the bails began to be dislodged while the foot was still in the air — legal under the laws — and several where his glove was marginally ahead of the crease line. Each decision required the third umpire to examine ultra-slow motion footage at the frame level.

Ashes 2021-22 — multiple run-out and catch reviews: The 2021-22 Ashes series in Australia produced a series of high-profile third umpire reviews that were heavily discussed in commentary and social media, with some decisions on catches near the ground considered particularly difficult.

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Quick Reference Table

Aspect	Detail
Third umpire introduced	1992 (for run-outs initially)
Who appoints the third umpire?	ICC (international) or relevant board (domestic)
Player-initiated review signal	T shape (DRS)
Time window for player review	15 seconds
Umpire referral — uses team review?	No
Run-outs — automatic referral?	Yes (most international cricket)
Technology: ball tracking	Hawk-Eye
Technology: edge detection	UltraEdge (Snickometer)
Technology: infrared	HotSpot (where available)
Communication method	Closed earpiece system
Who announces final decision?	On-field umpire (after third umpire verdict)
Broadcast access to third umpire comms?	No — private system
Typical review duration	30 seconds to 3 minutes

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can the third umpire overturn a decision without being asked? In specific situations where the ICC playing conditions mandate automatic third umpire checks (such as no-ball monitoring by a third umpire in some tournaments), the third umpire can intervene without a request from players or on-field umpires. For most decisions, however, the third umpire only acts when called upon through either a DRS review or an umpire referral.

Does the third umpire watch every delivery? In tournaments where the third umpire monitors front-foot no-balls independently, they watch every delivery in that regard. For other decisions, the third umpire stands by and activates their full review capability when called upon. They are always watching the live feed but do not intervene unless invited by the on-field umpires or a player review.

Can the third umpire's decision be wrong? Yes. The technology provides the best available evidence, but it is not infallible. Hawk-Eye has a known margin of error (approximately 2.5mm for LBW prediction), and HotSpot has known limitations in certain conditions. The third umpire can only work with the evidence available. Decisions that appear wrong in hindsight — when multiple camera angles later show something the review footage did not — do occur, though they are far less frequent than in the pre-DRS era.

What happens if the third umpire's communication system fails? If the communication system between the third umpire and the on-field umpires fails, the match continues with the on-field umpires making all decisions until the system is restored. The fourth umpire (the other off-field umpire) can act as a relay in some circumstances. Reviews are typically suspended until communication is restored.

Do all grounds have the same technology available to the third umpire? No. While Hawk-Eye ball tracking and UltraEdge are now available at virtually all venues hosting international cricket, HotSpot is not universally deployed due to cost. The third umpire operates with whatever technology is available at the venue, and both teams are informed before the match of which technologies are active.

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The third umpire's room is one of the defining features of modern cricket officiation — a quiet, technology-filled space where some of the most consequential decisions in the sport are made in the span of seconds. Understanding the process that happens in that room, from the moment a review is signalled to the moment the decision is announced, transforms how you experience DRS reviews as a fan. Every second of that process is purposeful and structured, driven by the technology and the protocol designed to get the decision right.

For more in the series, visit /category/cricket-rules.

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Sources:

• ICC Playing Conditions — DRS and Third Umpire Protocol
• Hawk-Eye Innovations — Cricket Technology
• ESPNcricinfo — Third Umpire History and Process