The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), the guardians of cricket rules, have clarified the non-strikers’ run-out rule. This took place in the midst of a contentious incident involving Adam Zampa, the captain of the Melbourne Stars in the current BBL 2022.
Zampa had removed the bails during the Stars’ match against the Melbourne Renegades This happened during his follow-through as non-striker Tom Rogers moved down the wicket.
To his surprise, the television umpire Shawn Craig rejected the run-out appeal on the grounds. The argument being that the leggie’s bowling arm had advanced much beyond the point at which he would have first released the ball.
MCC has now said that while the match official’s assessment of whether to rule on running out a batter at the non-strikers’ end was correct, the guardian of cricketing rules has also provided greater clarification on this rule.
In October of last year, the International Cricket Council (ICC) legalised running out batters at the non-striker’s end.
Statement of MCC on non-striker run out rule
According to the revised Law 38.3.2, which became effective on January 19:
“Even if the non-striker had left his/her ground before the instant at which the bowler would normally have been expected to release the ball, once the bowler has reached that point, it is no longer possible for the bowler to run out the non-striker under this Law.”
“However, we acknowledge that while this Law has generally been understood well by players and umpires, there is ambiguity in the wording which could lead to confusion”,
The statement read.
MCC has made it clear that the new interpretations were primarily intended to increase clarity and do not in any way alter the law.
“It is important to note that this does not change the way the Law should be interpreted – it has been interpreted that way for the past six years, without much misunderstanding. However, the intention is that this will make things clearer.”
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