How do I apply the LBW law?

Under Law 36 of the MCC Laws of Cricket (2017 Code, 4th Edition 2026), the striker is out LBW only if all five of these apply:

1. The bowler delivers a ball that is not a No ball.
2. The ball, if it is not intercepted without landing, first lands in line between wicket and wicket or on the off side of the striker's wicket.
3. The ball has not previously touched the bat, and the striker intercepts it, with or without landing, with any part of their person.
4. The point of impact, even if above the level of the bails, is between wicket and wicket. If the striker made no genuine attempt to play the ball with the bat, the point of impact can also be outside the line of the off stump.
5. But for the interception, the ball would have hit the wicket.

Interception details (36.2)

• Only the first interception is considered for points 3, 4 and 5.
• If the ball touches the person and bat at the same time, it counts as having first touched the bat.
• For point 5, assume the ball's path before interception would have continued after it, whether or not it might have landed afterwards.

Off side (36.3): the off side of the striker's wicket is decided by the striker's batting position at the moment the ball comes into play for that delivery.

As with every dismissal, an appeal is needed before you can give the batter out (Law 31.1).