Matthew Renshaw unwittingly exploited a bizarre catching law to help dismiss Matthew Wade but the Test batsman isn’t sure it will become a regular occurrence.
Knowing the rule is one thing, but exploiting it will be another according to Matthew Wade after his impromptu cricket theory lesson at the Gabba.
The returning Test batsman was doing his best to propel the Hobart Hurricanes to a defendable total against Brisbane on Thursday night when he found Matthew Renshaw on the mid-on boundary.
Renshaw caught the ball, stumbled backwards and lobbed it in the air as he fell over the boundary before jumping again and parrying the ball back to Tom Banton.
The catch was reviewed and after a lengthy delay Wade, who admitted he wasn’t sure of the rule, was sent on his way for 61.
Brisbane stuttered in their chase of 127 before Ben Cutting blasted an unbeaten 43 to get the hosts home with ten balls to spare.
Renshaw’s self-described “assist” was the talking point though, Wade admitting he was one of many on the field unaware that a 2013 rule change meant it was a fair catch.
That’s despite the likes of Sam Billings, Glenn Maxwell and Renshaw’s Heat teammate Josh Lalor all benefiting from that interpretation to claim catches in recent years.
“It’s a bit of a strange one, we play a lot of sports where you can’t come from outside the field of play and touch the ball again,” Wade said.
“But I’ve got no grudges… nobody’s talked about it until this point so it hasn’t been much of an issue, but will it be an issue (now that it’s happened again)?
“Maybe players could expose it a little, but you’d have to do a hell of a job to do it.”
Renshaw, who admitted he didn’t know the law and that the parry back to Banton was accidental, said the skill may find its way into fielding sessions.
“Apparently you can just keep hitting the ball up as long as you’re in the air,” he said.
“So maybe we’ll keep practising that.”
TheGeneral
Roar Rookie
But he didn't chuck it back into play. He deflected it over the boundary, and then went off the field and grounded his feet, jumped and knocked the ball back. In any sport in the world that is out of play. Even the umpires didn't have a clue. Not out first decision. Rubbish rule.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
I think the law is excellent. It promotes exciting skills in executing a catch. Not all change is bad
TheGeneral
Roar Rookie
That was the confusion over the rule. The third umpire gave it not out originally. Then he changed his mind. If the umpires are unsure of this rule, where does that leave us spectators.
TheGeneral
Roar Rookie
So the second time you touch the ball when you have stepped off the field is OK.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Because he wasn't able to complete the play inside the boundary.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
That should apply to every time.
JGK
Roar Guru
What I like about it is that it was accidental - he didn't know the rule and I think you can see from his reaction that he and Lalor didn't think it was out.
Pope Paul VII
Roar Rookie
I'll take Renners' extraordinary effort over these chunky bats any old day.
JGK
Roar Guru
No, the first time you touch the ball you need to be standing in the field of play or have jumped from the field of play. For what it’s worth, here is the relevant Law (which I might add is particularly poorly drafted): 19.5.2 A fielder who is not in contact with the ground is considered to be grounded beyond the boundary if his/her final contact with the ground, before his/her first contact with the ball after it has been delivered by the bowler, was not entirely within the boundary.
James
Roar Rookie
Poor rule change. Immediate rewrite required. The player shouldn't be allowed to jump from outside the field of play whether he initially touched it from inside the field of play or not. Imagine if Renshaw's first attempt stayed out. He could have had a second go, or more.. Maybe if his team mate needed more time he could have jumped up and played solo volleyball for a while or simply repeated the jumps until he reached the field of play himself. Change the rule and have a look at the rule where a batsmen can be caught if he hits a fielder on the helmet too!
JGK
Roar Guru
It basically means every player can stand outside the field and just knock what would have been a six back into play Not quite. The first time you touch the ball you need to be inside the boundary or have jumped from inside the boundary.
JGK
Roar Guru
No. The Law was changed to allow the throw back in the field catches that T20 crowds love. But it is flawed because it uses contact with the ground at the time of touching the ball as the Test. Most of us would consider that jumping from outside and landing outside should be a continuous "outside" scenario but the Law isn't drafted that way. It would be a pretty simple change though. That said, it is a pretty rare occurrence.
TheGeneral
Roar Rookie
I thought once you plant your feet outside the boundary, surely you are not in play.
TheGeneral
Roar Rookie
The problem is he put his feet on the ground outside the field of play, surely illegal, before jumping and knocking the ball up. It basically means every player can stand outside the field and just knock what would have been a six back into play. I thought players had to stay inside the boundary.
TheGeneral
Roar Rookie
So according to the rule it is ok to stand outside the boundary, knock what would have been a six in the air by jumping up, and return to the field to catch it. I thought a player had to knock the ball up when in the field of play, then return and catch it or a teammate to take it.
JGK
Roar Guru
The interpretation was absolutely correct. At no stage did Renshaw touch the ball while touching the ground outside the boundary.
josh
Roar Rookie
He first touched the ball inside the field of play? What's the problem?
Pope Paul VII
Roar Rookie
Maybe because I can remember Thommo leaning on a picket fence to take a catch, I think if you have the presence of mind to catch the ball and chuck it back in before going over the rope, then you've controlled the catch. To have to go through all the other palaver of hoicking it to team mate is just unnecessary. Full credit to Matty Renshaw.
Cadfael
Roar Guru
The law may be right but its interpretation last night wasn't. We have seen many cases where a player has leapt from the field of play and knocked the ball back infield before he touches the ground outside the boundary. In this case he knocked the ball up in the air, landed outside the boundary rope then jumped up to knock the ball infield.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
I know. I want to know what reasoning could possibly lead to such a non-cricket idea.