During the first Test against India, Australia batter Marnus Labuschagne could have been given out for obstructing the field on multiple occasions – according to an advisor to the MCC on the laws of the game.
India captain Jasprit Bumrah won the toss and chose to bat first, but his side were bundled out for 150 in two sessions. KL Rahul was watchful at the start but given out in controversial fashion, and Rishabh Pant managed to hold the middle of the innings together with 37. Debutant Nitish Kumar Reddy, batting at No.8, top-scored with 41.
Bumrah then got India off to a spectacular start with the ball, picking up Nathan McSweeney in the third over before removing Usman Khawaja and Steve Smith off consecutive deliveries in the seventh over.
No.3 Marnus Labuschagne managed to survive the carnage around him (with some help from Virat Kohli), even as Australia slipped to 31-4. With India in the ascendancy, another wicket could have firmly shifted the balance in their favour.
Read more: India equal their lowest first innings total in Australia
In the 13th over of Australia’s innings, Labuschagne attempted to fend off a short delivery from Mohammed Siraj, and the ball dropped right next to the batter off his gloves.
Labuschagne, who had taken his eyes off it, hovered just outside his crease, looking for the ball. He turned back and made his ground, and noticing the ball, knocked it away even as the bowler was arriving perhaps to attempt kicking it onto the stumps. Siraj, along with a couple of teammates, made a half-hearted appeal for the batter to be given out, which the umpires did not take entirely seriously.
MCC Laws of Cricket Advisor: Hard to justify a not out decision
However, according to Jonny Singer, a Laws of Cricket advisor for the MCC, the decision to give Labuschagne not out, had India registered an appeal, would have been difficult to justify as per the letter of the law.
Siraj has appealed for OTF/Hit the ball Twice. It’s pretty hard to justify in Law an Not out decision. Equally, absolutely no-one wants that to be given out, and the umpires have just completely ignored the appeal. Which I think is wrong, and also extremely good umpiring!
— Jonny Singer (@jonnysinger.bsky.social) November 22, 2024 at 2:07 PM
According to Law 37.1 concerning the obstructing the field dismissal: “Either batter is out Obstructing the field if, except in the circumstances of 37.2, and while the ball is in play, he/she wilfully attempts to obstruct or distract the fielding side by word or action.”
The circumstances of 37.2 referred to here say that a batter shall not be given out if the obstruction is accidental, or made to prevent the ball from hitting the stumps (the latter as per Law 34.3).
Law 34, concerning the hitting the ball twice dismissal, says, ‘The striker is out Hit the ball twice if, while the ball is in play, it strikes any part of his/her person or is struck by his/her bat and, before the ball has been touched by a fielder, the striker wilfully strikes it again with his/her bat or person, other than a hand not holding the bat, except for the sole purpose of guarding his/her wicket.”
Watch: Rishabh Pant rolls over after ramping Pat Cummins for six with India at 108-6
The incident in the 13th over could well have put Labuschagne in danger, had India stood by their appeal, as the ball was almost stationary and there was next to no danger of it hitting the stumps. He was not at any risk of injury either.
The batter flirted with more danger off the final ball of the 16th over, when he defended a ball straight back to Harshit Rana. The bowler threw the ball back at the stumps, which Labuschagne blocked. Once again, there was little more than a half-hearted appeal from India, and therefore no real chance of him being given out.
In the end, these non-appeals did not cost India much as Labuschagne was trapped lbw by Siraj for two off 52 balls in the 21st over to leave Australia 47-6.
Follow Wisden for all cricket updates, including live scores, match stats, quizzes and more. Stay up to date with the latest cricket news, player updates, team standings, match highlights, video analysis and live match odds.
