The rules of using a runner for an injured batsman

The rules of using a runner for an injured batsman

Runners, if a batsman sustains an injury during the match, he or she is allowed at the umpire's discretion to select a runner. Another member of the batting team to do their running between the wickets, the runner should, if possible, be someone who has already batted. The runner must also wear external protective equipment equivalent to that worn by the batsman for whom he or she runs and must carry a bat when the injured batsman is the striker. Normally the runner stands at square leg and the umpire moves to the offside. 

If the batsman wants to take a run, the runner and the non-striking do the running. When the injured batsman is the non striker, he or she has to go and stand at square leg while the runner takes the normal position at the non strikers end. To all intents and purposes, the runner will now be regarded as the batsman he or she is running for. They are to become one, and any transgressions of the laws that the runner makes will apply to the injured batsman. Strikers and runners beware the chaos this can cause. 

The injured strikers ground is always at the wicket keepers end even if the injured batsman forgets about their runner and tries to hobble a run. Here, for example, the runner is edging out of his or her ground before the ball reaches the striker. This is not permitted and may result in a run out if there is no run out and if the strikers end umpire considers the runner to be in breach of this restriction, then he or she will call and signal dead ball as soon as the ball reaches the boundary or at the completion of the first run.

All runs scored from that ball will be disallowed for the complete run down on runners referred to Law 25 and Law 30 in the Bluebook.