There is something about New Zealand in the World Cup and the confusion regarding the cricket laws.
There is something about New Zealand in the World Cup and the confusion regarding the cricket laws. It doesn’t matter whether the final decision, given by the third umpire, is correct. The Kiwis always seem to be on the receiving end in this tournament.
While the Blackcaps registered a comprehensive victory over the Netherlands to top the table, they were subjected to a controversial decision in the second innings of the game. The chaos unfolded in the 41st over when Tom Latham effected a simple stumping to send back Sybrand Engelbrecht, who was playing his maiden contest of the tournament.
The spinner, Rachin Ravindra, bowled a length delivery outside the off-stump line to the batter who, while attempting a big shot, couldn’t make any contact, and the ball went behind to the wicketkeeper. Tom Latham quickly collected the ball and disturbed the sticks to complete an easy stumping and solidify their position in the match further.
However, the on-field umpire stopped the batter and went to the third umpire, Joel Wilson, to check whether the ball had been collected neatly by Latham. According to the rule, a wicketkeeper is not allowed to fetch the ball in front of the stumps to dislodge the bails and stump the batter. Hence, the TV umpire was asked to check it.
The replay showed that Latham had collected the ball behind the stumps, and the batter was well short of his crease before the bails were removed. But the third umpire deemed it no out and gave it a no ball, with the free hit awarded to the batting team. No one, not even the commentators, could believe the decision and termed it a blunder by the TV umpire.
The Kiwi players were also surprised by the decision but had no option but to accept and move on. “As a former keeper, that’s the most bizarre thing I have ever seen,” exclaimed a surprised Ian Smith on air. The websites and social media erupted, with almost every one of them claiming the decision to be faulty.
Also Read: WATCH: BTS of Indian dressing room after Australia win
But was the decision by Wilson really wrong? The answer is no. It was absolutely correct, and the third umpire showed terrific law awareness.
Law 27.3 concerning the position of the wicketkeeper states, “The wicketkeeper shall remain wholly behind the wicket at the striker’s end from the moment the ball comes into play until a ball is delivered by the bowler touches the bat or person of the striker or passes the wicket at the striker’s end.”
If the replays are rewound, Tom Latham can be seen bringing his gloves ahead of the stumps for a few seconds before the ball reaches behind the sticks. So, while Latham took his gloves back in time and collected the ball correctly, his gloves weren’t behind the stumps for the whole time, which is not allowed according to the law. A wicketkeeper should keep his hands behind till the ball crosses the stumps completely.
— Ishan Martinez (@IshanMarti66419) October 9, 2023
Hence, despite a neat collection, it was a no-ball. The third umpire was spot-on. Tom Latham did most things lawfully, but a slight error took away an easy wicket and also gave the batter a license to hit the next ball anywhere.
The free hit was a dot, causing no damage for New Zealand. The words used by the TV umpire are debatable, given he referred to the position of Latham’s gloves while collecting the ball.
“I’m checking where are the gloves when he is collecting it. He’s not wholly behind the stumps, so I have a no-ball, and the batsman will be not out,” he stated before turning up to the big screen.
By “he’s not wholly behind the stumps”, Wilson probably meant Latham is not behind the stumps the whole time. Maybe that’s why he didn’t wait for Latham to collect the ball in the replay during his final inspection. The third umpire deserves appreciation for this excellent decision. It was a blunder by Tom Latham, not the third umpire Joel Wilson.
For more updates, follow CricXtasy on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
