- Saturday, July 27, 2024
The on-field umpire changed the decision to award six runs to the visiting side after an overthrow went for a boundary and made it five under the MCC rule.
By: Shubham Ghosh
THE first day of the first Test match between India and England at Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad on Thursday (25) witnessed a confusion as a run was deducted from the visitors’ total. The incident happened when Rehan Ahmed, who came to bat at No. 8, ran a double before an overthrow from an Indian fielder went on to touch the boundary ropes.
The batting side should have got six runs in those circumstances, as many thought, but actually five were awarded, leaving fans on the ground and netizens confused.
A full-toss delivery from pacer Jasprit Bumrah on to the pads of Ahmed was flicked by the latter behind square on the on side. The throw from the fielder was wide off the target and the backup fielder failed to stop it, conceding a boundary.
Read: England pick three spinners in first Test against India; Anderson misses out
Initially, six runs were awarded by the on-field umpire who changed his decision to make it five since the two batters had not crossed each other when the throw left the fielder’s hand.
The issue of overthrow rocked the cricketing world after the final of the 2019 World Cup in England when the hosts were given six runs instead of five under similar circumstances (the batters had not crossed) and they went on to beat New Zealand to lift the crown.
Read: Pakistan-origin Shoaib Bashir finally gets visa to travel India for Test series
Rule 19.8 of the MCC says, “If the boundary results from an overthrow or from the wilful act of a fielder, the runs scored shall be any runs for penalties awarded to either side and the allowance for the boundary and the runs completed by the batters, together with the run in progress if they had already crossed at the instant of the throw or act.”
England were bowled out for 246 on the first day after they won the toss and decided to bat. Captain Ben Stokes scored the highest runs for his side — 70, while three India spinners in Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin and Axar Patel shared eight wickets between them. Bumrah took the remaining two.
India came up with a strong reply and were comfortably placed on 94 for 1 with opener Yashavi Jaiswal hitting an unbeaten fifty. Spinner Jack Leach took the wicket of captain Rohit Sharma who made 24. Ace batter Virat Kohli is not playing the match due to personal reasons.
