A unique dismissal in U18 county cricket last season which saw a batter bowled by a ball that ricocheted off the non-striker's stumps has prompted a law change by the MCC.
The MCC announced its new edition of The Laws of Cricket this week, which feature 73 material changes to the previously existing laws. One of those changes is to law 32, which concerns bowled dismissals.
Speaking on the Wisden Cricket Weekly podcast, MCC Laws Manager Fraser Stewart revealed what had inspired the change to the law. "You think that bowled is a pretty simple law," he said. "And we have thought about this happening and should we change the law but we thought, 'no, we're not going to legislate for that'. But then it happened in a junior game, Gloucestershire against Somerset U18s.
"The batter hit a very powerful straight drive. It didn't touch the bowler, it hit the stumps at the non-striker's end and rolled all the way back down and hit the batter's wicket. Under the law, that is out bowled. If you hit it and the ball hits a fielder and it goes back on your stumps it can't be out bowled, but this was one that the laws didn't count against. So we have now inserted into the laws in this edition that it can't be out bowled if it has hit the stumps at the non-striker's end.
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What does the law now say?
Under the 2022 edition, Law 32 read: "[32.1.1]The striker is out Bowled if his/her wicket is broken by a ball delivered by the bowler, not being a No ball, even if it first touches the striker’s bat or person. [32.1.2] However, the striker shall not be out Bowled if before striking the wicket the ball has been in contact with any other player or an umpire. The striker will, however, be subject to Laws 37 (Obstructing the field), 38 (Run out) and 39 (Stumped)."
This made no provision for the ball first hitting the stumps at the non-striker's end, as happened to a Gloucestershire U18 batter last season. The new edition of law 32.1.2 reads: "However, the striker shall not be out Bowled if before striking the wicket the ball has been in contact with any other player, the wicket at the non-striker’s end, or an umpire. The striker will, however, be subject to Laws 37 (Obstructing the field), 38 (Run out) and 39 (Stumped)."
"Most people will read that and think it's unlikely to happen," said Stewart. "But now, with so many more games being streamed across club cricket, junior cricket etcetera, we are getting more examples of these crazy and wonderful things that the game throws up. This was an example where people say that's nonsense, and we can say 'no, here's proof of it happening'."
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