Gloucestershire No.3, Ollie Price, was the subject of an unusual dismissal in the One Day Cup today (August 26), when he was bowled by a full toss which went past his shoulder, but was not deemed a no ball because of how low he was in his stance.
Price came into bat during the first over of Gloucestershire's clash against Hampshire, after Cameron Bancroft was bowled first ball by Eddie Jack. In combination with other opener James Bracey, the pair steadied the innings and took the home side to 82-1. But their partnership was brought to a close when Price was bowled by Andrew Neal.
With Price on 36 off 60, left-arm spinner Neal sent down a loose delivery that looped up and reached Price above shoulder height without bouncing. Price looked to paddle around the corner to the fine leg boundary, crouching low and attempting to swat the ball off his nose. He missed the ball entirely and it went past his shoulder and onto his stumps.
As Hampshire celebrated, Price looked at both umpires with his hand outstretched in disbelief, asking whether the ball should be given a no ball or not. However, neither umpire was moved and Price had to depart.
Non-pitching deliveries – what do the laws say?
MCC Law 41.7 concerns “bowling of dangerous or unfair non-pitching deliveries”, and stipulates when they should be deemed no balls. “Any delivery, which passes or would have passed, without pitching, above waist height of the striker standing upright at the popping crease, is unfair. Whenever such a delivery is bowled, the umpire shall call and signal No ball,” states the law.
The key phrase in the law is “above waist height of the striker standing upright at the popping crease”. Given that Price had crouched so low in attempting to swat the ball away, the umpires deemed that, had he been stood upright, the ball would have passed him below waist height – thus the ball was deemed a fair delivery.
Price's dismissal brought Ben Charlesworth to the crease, who went on to score 104 off 83 balls, joining Bracey as a centurion in the innings. By the time the next wicket (Bracey’s) fell, Gloucestershire had passed the 200 mark, and went on to comfortably pass the 300 mark by the end of their innings.
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