Different Types of Stumps and Bails in Cricket

Cricket which is a team sport is the second most-watched sport in the World next to Soccer. Though the origin of cricket was unclear, it is believed to have originated in the late 16th century in England.

The year 1598 marks the first recorded match in Kent, England. Cricket became a popular sport in England in the 1700s and developed globally in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Cricket which has been played for nearly five decades as of now introduced many formats and rules to gain popularity but also stuck with the basic fundamentals in some terms.

Though many changes were made in cricket during its progression, basic elements including the number of players, usage of the bat, ball, stumps, grounds and some other terms remain unchanged.

The usage of the bat will vary from player to player but has to be under the cricket terms and conditions. Cricket balls on the other hand will differ based on the format. To understand it clearly, we have created a separate article under “Different types of balls in cricket“.

In this section, we have listed the different types of stumps and bails in cricket. Cricket stumps have also undergone multiple upgrades with the change in generations.

Stumps and bails will be used as a pair in a cricket match and will not use different sets of stumps with different sets of bails. Moreover, the same model of stumps and bails will be used on both sides of the wicket.

Different Types of Stumps and Bails in Cricket

Cricket which has its roots back in the 15th century uses various models of stumps and bails till date.

Stumps are the three vertical posts that support two bails and they form the wicket. A cricket match will use a couple of wickets on both ends of the pitch. The overall width of each wicket is 9 inches(22.9 cm).

Each stump stands 28 inches(71.1 cm) tall with a maximum and minimum diameter of 3.81 cm and 3.49 cm. The three vertical stumps will have a spike at one end for inserting in the ground and the other end will have a “U-shaped” cut to place the bails over the stumps.

Following are the different types of stumps and Bails used in cricket so far:

Stumps

• Ash Stumps
• Willow Stumps
• Composite Stumps
• Plastic Stumps
• Metal Stumps
• LED Stumps
• Zing Stumps
• Electra Stumps

Bails

• Wooden Bails
• LED Bails
• Zing Bails

Types of Stumps in Cricket

Ash Stumps 

Ash Stumps are traditionally made from ash and are widely used in many cricket matches to date considering their durability.

According to the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), the custodians of the Laws of Cricket, the official name is “Stumps”, and they must be made of wood, preferably from the ash tree (Fraxinus excelsior) or other hardwoods.

According to the cricket rules, the wooden stumps should be 30 inches(76.2 cm) in height, 3.25 inches(8.3 cm) in diameter and the distance between centers of two adjacent stumps should be 22 inches (55.9 cm).

Ash Stumps are available in different grades which are:

• English Ash: High-quality, premium ash stumps
• European Ash: High-quality, affordable ash stumps
• Indian Ash: Good-quality, budget-friendly ash stumps

Popular manufacturers of Ash Stumps: Gray-Nicolls, Kookaburra, Gunn & Moore (GM), Sherwood, C&K, Lakewood, Wills, Abacus, Vivian Thomas and JSS.

Ash Stumps Price Range:

• Basic: $30-$60
• Mid-range: $60-$120
• Premium: $120-$250
• Elite: $250-$500

Willow Stumps 

Like Ash Stumps, Willow Stumps are also durable and popular but unlike Ash Stumps, these stumps are made from Willow wood. These kinds of stumps are easy to maintain and repair. Willow stumps are resistant to ball impact and wear and are also available in various sizes and grades.

Willow Stumps are available in different grades which are:

• English Willow: High-quality, premium willow stumps
• Bangladeshi Willow: High-quality, affordable willow stumps
• Indian Willow: Good-quality, budget-friendly willow stumps

Popular manufacturers of Willow Stumps: Gray-Nicolls, Kookaburra, Gunn & Moore (GM), Sherwood, C&K, New Balance, Lakewood, Wills, PUMA, and Abacus.

Willow Stumps Price Range:

• Basic: $20-$50
• Mid-range: $50-$100
• Premium: $100-$250
• Elite: $250-$500

Plastic Stumps

Unlike the Ash, Willow or Composite stumps, these kinds of stumps are not used for professional cricket matches. These kinds of stumps are used during practice sessions and are often made of plastic or lightweight materials and are called – Poly Stumps, Plastic Stumps or Training Poly Stumps.

Plastic Stumps are available in three different types which are:

• High-Density Plastic Stumps: Durable and long-lasting
• Polypropylene Stumps: Lightweight and resistant to impact
• HDPE Stumps: High-performance and durable

Popular manufacturers of Plastic Stumps: Kookaburra, Gray-Nicolls, Gunn & Moore (GM), Sherwood, and C&K.

Plastic Stumps Price Range:

• Basic: $20-$50
• Mid-range: $50-$100
• Premium: $100-$200

Metal Stumps

These kinds of stumps are used in practice sessions or on artificial pitches, but not typically in professional matches. Metal Stumps provide longer durability than any other stumps. These stumps are extremely durable and resistant to ball impact, wear, and weather.

Metals stumps will be considerably heavier than the other stumps and it might be difficult to carry in and out of the match. But these kinds of stumps will long last compared to the other stumps.

Metal Stumps are available in three different types which are:

• Aluminum Stumps: Lightweight and corrosion-resistant
• Steel Stumps: Durable and high-performance
• Galvanized Steel Stumps: Rust-resistant and long-lasting

Popular manufacturers of Metal Stumps: Kookaburra, Gray-Nicolls, Gunn & Moore (GM), Sherwood, and C&K.

Metal Stumps are available in four different price categories starting from $50.

• Basic: $50-$100
• Mid-range: $100-$250
• Premium: $250-$500
• Elite: $500-$1000

Composite Stumps

Composite Stumps are introduced as an alternative to the traditional wood stumps. These stumps are made from a combination of materials – carbon fiber, plastic and fiberglass.

Composite Stumps are lightweight and durable and also resistant to ball impact, wear and weather. These stumps are suitable for both indoor and outdoor play. As of Ash Stumps, Composite Stumps are also available in different types which are:

• Carbon Fiber Stumps: High-performance, lightweight stumps
• Fiberglass Stumps: Durable, affordable stumps
• Plastic Stumps: Lightweight, easy to assemble stumps

Popular manufacturers of Composite Stumps: Kookaburra, Gray-Nicolls, Gunn & Moore (GM), Sherwood, and C&K.

Composite Stumps Price Range:

• Basic: $50-$100
• Mid-range: $100-$250
• Premium: $250-$500
• Elite: $500-$1000

LED Stumps

Stumps and bails are embedded with red LEDs, which flash when they are completely dislodged. LED stumps are the latest and widely used stumps in cricket matches. LED wickets are made from a composite plastic, which are embedded with LED lights.

Australian mechanical industrial Engineer and inventor Bronte EcKermann invented the LED Stumps.

LED Stumps were first tried out in a club game in Adelaide. Right after Cricket Australia was convinced regarding the usage of LED stumps instead of standard wooden stumps for night matches, the board decided to use the LED Stumps in the 2012 edition of the Big Bash League.

Later the LED Stumps were introduced in international cricket in 2015 during a T20I match between Australia and New Zealand in Brisbane, Australia, on February 12, 2015.

These kinds of stumps provide an assist to the umpires in making their decisions easier. Particularly in the night matches these LED stumps will flash a light to indicate a disturbance in the stumps.

Apart from wicket assistance, these stumps are also stuffed with a camera, mic and some sensors to assist the umpires in making decisions. For professional matches, one or more of the stumps are hallowed and stuffed with a small television camera and a microphone.

These stump cams give a unique view of play for action replays, particularly when a batsman is bowled. LED stumps with audio detectors or mic provide instant indication of wickets, runs, and other game events.

How do LED Stumps Work?

• LED stumps will incorporate low-voltage batteries in each of the bails and stumps.
• When a bail is dislodged from the stumps, the sensor detects the movement and sends a signal to the LED lights which inturn flash or glow brightly, indicating a wicket.

Zing Stumps

Stumps with bails that glow when dislodged, making it easier for umpires to make decisions. Zing Stumps uses advanced sensors and algorithms for accurate wicket detection, while LED Stumps rely on basic electronic systems.

In Zing Stumps, the bails light up within 1/1000th second of them being lifted. Zing Stumps provides in-depth game data and analysis. Tracks and displays detailed game data, including ball speed, trajectory, and spin.

How do ZING Stumps Work?

• The sensors embedded within the stumps will detect even the slightest movement or impact on the stumps and send a signal to the processor.
• The processor will trigger a bright flash of light from the bail, indicating that the wicket has fallen.

Popular manufacturers of Electronic Stumps: Kookaburra, Gray-Nicolls, Gunn & Moore (GM), Sherwood, and C&K.

The price of Electronic Stumps ranges from $500 to $10000:

• Basic: $500-$1000
• Mid-range: $1000-$2500
• Premium: $2500-$5000
• Elite: $5000-$10000

Electra Stumps 

Cricket Australia which introduced ‘Zing Bails’ back in 2012, has introduced the concept of Electra Stumps in the Big Bash League(BBL) 2023-24 season.

Electra Stumps are equipped with lights that illuminate in various colours and will flash different colours for various events. Colour indication of the Electra Stumps:

Types of Bails in Cricket

As of stumps, various types of bails are also used in cricket matches. The bails are the key factors deciding the fall of the wicket. Types of bails in cricket are as follows.

Wooden Bails

Traditional Bails are typically made from wood, often ash or willow. These bails will have a simpler design with no electronic components. These bails are less expensive than the modern electronic bails. Umpires will confirm the dismissal only when the bails dislodged from the stumps.

LED Bails

Unlike traditional bails, LED bails will use electronic components to indicate the dismissal. LED bails will automatically flash a bright light when the ball/player makes a disturbance in the wicket.

LED bails work based on a microcontroller. When the ball hits the wicket, the sensor detects the impact and sends a signal to the microprocessor which in turn confirms the signal and sends another signal to the LED lights which illuminate to indicate a wicket has been taken.

Zing Bails

The lights in Zing Bails flash only when both ends of the bail break contact with the stumps, which makes it extremely clear regarding the dismissal. The Australian company Zing International created the bails with LED lights called Zing Cricket Wicket or Zings.

Zing Bails widely helps the match officials to have a clear view of the exact moment at which the bails were dislodged during the review of the stumping and run-out dismissals.

Umpires had long struggled with the stumping and run-out decisions as it’s never been easy to determine the exact point at which the bails have been dislodged from the stumps.

Though Cricket has adopted Decision Review System(DRS) and many other technologies to decide the outcome, they further increased the need for determining the exact moment at which the bails were removed.

These Zing Bails provide an easy and convenient solution for making the decision. As the bails glow as soon as they are removed, it helps the match officials to confirm the exact impact time.