In a Women's One-Day Cup 2025 fixture on Saturday (August 9), Gloucestershire's Meg Austin was given out in controversial fashion, as Worcestershire wicketkeeper Liv Gough appeared to drop the catch.
Meg Austin controversially given out caught in Women's One-Day Cup clash
In a League Two clash between Gloucestershire and Worcestershire in Bristol, the hosts won the toss and elected to bat first. Openers Meg Austin and Rebecca Halliday motored along to 25 in 3.4 overs in a brisk start, as Jess Beach came into the attack.
With the fifth delivery of the over, Beach induced an outside edge from Austin, and wicketkeeper Liv Gough dived to her right to take a one-handed catch. She did get to the ball, but as her elbow hit the ground, it popped out and landed on the turf.
After a brief discussion, the umpires ruled that Austin was out, despite the wicketkeeper looking down in disappointment, the bowler immediately returning to her mark for the next ball, and the slip fielder even signalling not out, as one of the broadcast commentators pointed out during a replay: “Slip says not out. The slip [fielder] is actually signalling not out!”
The on-field officials did not have the luxury of a third umpire, or television replays, to assist in their decision-making.
What do the Laws say?
According to section 33.3 of the Laws of the Game, “The act of making a catch shall start from the time when the ball first comes into contact with a fielder’s person and shall end when a fielder obtains complete control over both the ball and his/her own movement.” (emphasis added).
In this case, Gough had control of the ball initially, but by the time she hit the ground and it popped out, it would be difficult to say she had complete control of her movement; indeed, it seems she and her teammates thought the same.
The umpires, therefore, must have been satisfied that Gough was in complete control of both the ball and her movement before she landed, completing the catch and rendering her dropping of it irrelevant.
“As a keeper, if somebody gave that I'd almost be having to say, 'No, I didn't hold it,'” the other commentator noted. “The umpires will have a little bit of reflection to do, when they see the highlights later on.”
Austin did not seem pleased by the final decision either. At the halfway stage of the innings, Gloucestershire were 129-3, with Halliday and Katie Jones out in the middle.
Image credit: YouTube / Gloucestershire Cricket
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