1. Home
2. Sports News

Victims welcome abolition of Law 33: Handled the ball dismissal

Bipin Dani. Dated: 4/18/2017 12:23:07 AM

Mumbai, Apr 17: Victims of Handled the ball (Law 33) have welcomed the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) decision to abolish this mode of dismissal.
MCC, the oldest club in England has been the owner of the Laws of Cricket since the 18th century and continues to be the custodian of game's laws, have recommended.
The number of modes of dismissal being reduced from ten to nine, with ‘Handled the ball’ being subsumed into ‘Obstructing the field’.
Fraser Stewart, the Cricket Academy Manager at the MCC, speaking exclusively from Lord's said, "Handled the ball is really a more specific type of Obstruction of the field. By handling the ball in a way that would be Out under the current Law, the striker will also be obstructing the field in some way. Consequently, MCC has decided to bring together the two Laws, under the banner of Obstructing the field".
"There are no new loopholes that will allow a batsman to handle the ball and be Not out, where he would have been Out under the old Law", he further added.
No loopholes
"However, in terms of a batsman being dismissed, anything that would have been Out Handled the ball will still be Out Obstructing the field. There are no new loopholes that will allow a batsman to handle the ball and be Not out, where he would have been Out under the old Law", he added further.
Wise decision: Chamu Chibhabha
Zimbabwe's Chamu Chibhabha is one of the victims of this dismissal (against Afghanistan at Bulawayo in 2015).
Speaking exclusively from Zimbabwe, he says, "I think it is a wise decision to abolish it because it is not a common thing. No one does it with the intention of cheating. If you are allowed to kick it or use your bat, then surely you can use your hands".
"With my incident, if you went through the footage you can see that I actually blocked the ball and it bounced off the wicket towards my body so it was more of a reflex to handle the ball and I threw it back to the bowler and they appealed. And I was given out even though the ball wasn't going anywhere towards the wicket".
Sensible and logical
Pakistan's Mohsin Khan, another victim (Test match against Australia at Karachi in 1982) has termed the decision to abolish as sensible and logical.
"I think it's a fair decision because handling the ball is when you play a ball or stop a ball bowled at you and you feel that the ball might hit your stumps so you can stop the ball with your bat or any part of your body except your hands. Myself and others who got out in this manner were shocked (with this dismissal)", Mohsin Khan, speaking exclusively from Pakistan, said.
"To me either you should not be allowed to stop the ball second time at all and if you are allowed to block the ball if it's running on to the stumps with your bat or any part of your body then why not your hands also".
"I am sure ICC has taken sensible and a very logical decision. I wondered why it was there at the first place. Yes, this law should stay that you can only stop the ball but can't change the direction of the ball intentionally", he signed off.