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There was confusion, and no little anger, as India were at the centre of an umpiring controversy during their women’s T20 World Cup match against New Zealand in Dubai on Friday. They felt they had a legitimate wicket – a run-out of Amelia Kerr – but it wasn’t to be, with the umpires deciding the ball was dead when the incident took place.
The appeal for the run-out came after Kerr was caught well short of her ground while attempting a second run in the 14th over of New Zealand’s innings. Having hit the ball towards long-off off the last ball of Deepti Sharma’s over, Kerr and Sophie Devine took a single. With Harmanpreet Kaur, the fielder, collecting the ball and ambling in with it in her hands, Kerr and Devine tried pinching a second. Deepti had meanwhile asked the umpire to hand her cap back and had been given it.
Once the umpires – Anna Harris and Jacqueline Williams – decided the ball was dead, anything that came after, like Harmanpreet throwing to the wicketkeeper to effect the dismissal, could not count as occurring with the ball “in play”.
Play was held up for over seven minutes, with India head coach Amol Muzumdar visibly upset at the ruling, engaging in an animated chat with the fourth umpire, while Kerr was near the boundary before being called back.
As we wait for more details to emerge, here’s a look at the operative part of the MCC rule on the matter.
20.1: The dead-ball rule
- The ball shall be considered to be dead when it is clear to the bowler’s end umpire that the fielding side and both batters at the wicket have ceased to regard it as in play
- Whether the ball is finally settled or not is a matter for the umpire alone to decide
- Neither the call of “over” nor the call of “time” is to be made until the ball is dead
- When the ball has become dead, the bowler’s end umpire may call and signal “dead ball” if it is necessary to inform the players
However, the controversy didn’t end there.
Since it was ruled to be a single, Kerr should have been back on strike for the start of the next over. However, it was Devine who took strike and nudged a single. Kerr was out off the following delivery when she hit Renuka Singh to Pooja Vastrakar extra cover, to be dismissed for 13 off 22 balls.
More to follow…
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