BBL: Relay catch causes confusion
Brisbane, January 9
A two-man catch to dismiss Hobart skipper Matthew Wade in a T20 Big Bash match here has led to confusion over the laws, with even Lord’s weighing in. Hobart batted first and had limped to 98/5 off 14.4 overs, largely thanks to a captain’s knock by Wade. On 61, he launched the ball high to the long-on boundary. Brisbane’s Matt Renshaw, fielding just inside the ropes, leapt and parried the ball into the air as he fell backwards. He landed off the field and then jumped to slap the falling ball back over the ropes to Tom Banton, running from deep mid-wicket, who caught the pass.
My twin was there to catch it: Renshaw
“I was just worried about where the rope was and trying to keep it in. They always say play to the whistle in warm-up games. I made sure I played the whistle. I was trying to pass it to myself and luckily my twin Bants (Tom Banton) was over there ready to catch it as well,” Renshaw joked. “Just tried to play the whistle and keep the ball up and made sure I was in the air. But there was a fair bit of luck I reckon.”
complete the catch.
After a long video review the third umpire decided that Wade, who had already walked off, was out. “I had no idea of the rule really — once he hit outside the field of play I didn’t know if he was allowed to touch the ball or not,” Wade said later. “Umpires said he was, and once they told me he was allowed to go outside the field of play and tap it back in, I knew I was out.”
The 2017 update to the laws included a provision for boundaries and “airborne fielders”. Lord’s, home of the Marylebone Cricket Club, who act as cricket’s rule-makers, tweeted that “Under Law 19.5, the catch is deemed lawful.” The law says: “A boundary will also be given if a fielder in contact with the ball makes contact with any object grounded beyond the boundary, including another fielder.”
slaps the ball
back into the field.
The Lord’s tweet explained that “the key moment is when he first touches the ball, which is inside the boundary. He’s airborne for his second contact. Amazing catch,” it said. Wade was also impressed. “It was pretty good work,” he said. The Hurricanes finished on 126/9 and the Heat then passed that target with 10 balls and five wickets to spare. — AFP
