The MCC have issued a law clarification following Phoebe Litchfield’s controversial dismissal in The Hundred final, where she was caught playing a ramp shot by an on-the-move Georgia Adams.
Litchfield was caught by Adams at short fine leg for 10, attempting to play a reverse ramp. Adams initially moved to her left whilst the bowler, Charley Phillips, was running in, before continuing her movement as she saw Litchfield shaping to play the ramp shot.
Days after the final, the MCC have issued a law clarification over Adams’ movement, which states Litchfield’s dismissal should not have stood.
'The batter has an absolute right to know where the fielders are'
Law 28.6 states: “Any movement by any fielder, excluding the wicket-keeper, after the ball comes into play and before the ball reaches the striker, is unfair.”
The listed exceptions to this rule cover walking in towards the wicket, minor adjustments to a fielder’s stance, or "movement in response to the stroke that the striker is playing or that his/her actions suggest he/she intends to play".
A statement from the MCC in relation to the incident read: “The second part of Adams’ movement was therefore legitimate – she saw Litchfield shaping to play a fine sweep, so it was lawful quick-thinking for her to react to that.”
The first part of Adams’ movement, however, when Phillips was running into bowl was declared in contravention with Law 28.6. “The batter has an absolute right to know where the fielders are, and any change of position, like Adams’ movement during the run up, is a clear violation of this right,” read the statement.
Despite being against the laws, commentators were seemingly unaware Adams’ movement was illegal, and praised her on the final broadcast. Had the on-field umpires been aware of Adams’ movement, the correct course of action would have been to call a dead ball and award SunRisers five penalty runs.
‘She was absolutely distraught’
However,speaking on Wisden’s Women’s Cricket Weekly podcast, fellow SunRisers batter Lauren Winfield-Hill described the aftermath of Litchfield’s dismissal in the Sunrisers changing room.
“Litchfield came in and she was absolutely distraught,” said Winfield-Hill. ”She’s going on about: ‘she [Adams] moved, she moved, did you see it?’”...Suzie [Bates, who was batting at the non-striker’s end at the time of Litchfield’s dismissal] then came in saying: ‘I’m really sorry, I saw it all unfold, I knew what was going on and I couldn’t do anything about it’. Suzie felt really bad because she was like I was watching it all unfold in front of my eyes and I knew it wasn’t right because she moved at a time when you can’t move laterally.”
Winfield-Hill clarified the importance of the law prohibiting fielders from moving before batters have started to play their shot. “Phoebe was saying, ‘I look over my backlift, and if I can’t see fine leg in my peripheral vision, I know it’s open and the ramp is on. So they had a conversation, Suzie and Phoebe, about it against Southern Brave, because they had a backstop behind the keeper, and Litch didn’t play it [the ramp]. So Suzie was talking to her about when she plays it and when she doesn’t, and she was like, well if there’s someone there, fine, I just don’t play it.”
SunRisers were bowled out for 91 in the final, with Litchfield the third wicket to fall in the first 20 balls of their innings. Trent Rockets chased their target down in 54 balls to seal the trophy.
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