What criteria should umpires in club matches use to call bad light, when there are no light meters?

"If there's a risk of physical danger to any player or umpire because of the light, you go off."

A new batsman less than four feet tall walks to the crease (not a junior). When should you signal wides and no-balls?

"Can the batsman reach the ball? If he can't because of his size, you must give wides or no-balls."

If the fielding team ask for a review and the delivery turns out to be a no-ball, do they lose the review, even though they're blameless (as the umpire has been at fault for not calling the no-ball "live").

"Yes. If the review is unsuccessful, you lose it."

Can a dog, such as a border collie, be a substitute fielder?

"No. A cricket match is played by human beings. The Law doesn't stipluate it, but it's a convention. Unless there's an agreement between teams beforehand. Normally the umpires will say to the captains beforehand what happens if a spectator or dog runs on - normally you'd just signal dead ball."

It's the first ball of the last over of a match the batting side are trying to draw, with a strong batsman the non-striker. They run three, and the fielder thinks it would be better to have four to get the tail-ender on strike, so he kicks the ball over the rope. What happens? And who faces the next ball?

"The runs scored are awarded, and if he deliberately kicks the ball over the rope it's five penalty runs for illegal fielding. At the moment the kicking happens, wherever the batsmen are, they stay at those ends."

The ball was played for a single, the non-striker walked a single but never made his ground at the batsman's end before facing the next ball. Is there any point in time the umpire could have called "one short"?

"There's the assumption because no-one threw the ball to break the wicket, it's a run completed. It happens quite often."

Is there a way I can respond to John there? If a batsman is not out bowled when the bail lands back in the groove, why do third umpire's look for the exact second the bail leaves the groove when adjudging line decisions?

If the ball clips the stumps, the bail flies up but lands back in the groove, was the umpire right to give it not out? 

"Correct."

BBC Test Match Special

Yep, John Holder is in position for Ask the Umpire. We'll bring you the best of the officiating teasers here, but you can also listen by tuning into Test Match Special.

Geoffrey Boycott
Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special

"It was a really bad morning for Sri Lanka. England could have been all out for another 30, instead they've added 100 runs. Those dropped catches have totally changed the complexion of the game. Moeen is getting form and confidence, and if England have another 40 minutes after lunch, they could get 450, and then you'd really fear for Sri Lanka."

England 408-8 (116 overs, won toss)

Batsmen: Moeen 85*, Finn 2*

Fall of wickets: 39-1 (Cook 15), 64-2 (Compton 9), 160-3 (Hales 83), 219-4 (Root 80), 227-5 (Vince 35), 297-6 (Bairstow 48), 389-7 (Woakes 39), 400-8 (Broad 7)

Bowling: Eranga 23-3-78-0, Lakmal 25-4-89-2, Pradeep 28-3-94-4, Herath 26-1-91-0, Mathews 6-2-16-0, Siriwardena 8-0-35-2.

Full scorecard

Steven Finn survives until lunch, fending off some Nuwan Pradeep bumpers and getting through a leg before shout from the final delivery. England's session this morning, helped by a severe Sri Lankan case of the dropsies. The England pacers should be pawing at the ground this afternoon.

Geoffrey Boycott
Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special

Image source, Rex Features

"If England get to 450, Sri Lanka are going to have to bat very well to avoid the follow-on. The more uneven these contests become, the more pressure there is going to be to have two divisions in Test cricket."

This is miles too easy for England. Moeen is gratefully accepting the singles on offer, while Steven Finn is refusing to be blown away. Sri Lanka could have learned something from their last tour, when England tried the same plan to Angelo Mathews and Rangana Herath and eventually ended up losing the Headingley Test. Maybe one over to go before lunch.

Image source, Tom Carslake

Tom & Victoria in Essex