In a recent Melbourne club cricket game, a perplexing incident unfolded when the umpire declared the batter "not out" despite the middle wicket being disturbed. The image of intact bails in this bizarre scenario quickly went viral, sparking diverse opinions on the umpire's call. During the match, the middle wicket saw a peculiar disturbance, but the bails remained surprisingly intact. The umpire's decision to declare the batter "not out" raised eyebrows and initiated a debate among cricket enthusiasts.
Out or Not out pic.twitter.com/SSqz0hB3lw
— Geoffrey Toyana (@geoffreytoyana) December 10, 2023
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Varied Opinions
Opinions on the umpire's call were split, with some supporting the decision based on the intact bails and the stumps not completely uprooted. Conversely, critics argued that the umpires should have ensured a looser placement of the stumps and bails to avoid such an unusual situation.
The Laws of Cricket
The incident prompted a revisit to the laws of cricket outlined by the Marleyborne Cricket Club (MCC). According to Law 29, a bail must be completely removed, or a stump struck out of the ground for a fair wicket break. The disturbance of a bail, whether temporary or not, does not constitute its complete removal. In the specific case, both bails remained undisturbed, causing confusion among spectators.
Historical Precedent
This peculiar incident echoes a similar episode in 2017 when batter Jatinder Singh was given out despite the bails being intact. In that case, the middle stump was completely uprooted, leading to a deliberation by the umpires, ultimately resulting in the batter being adjudged out.
