Australian pacer Mitchell Starc’s catch of Ben Duckett during the second test of the 2023 Ashes led to a debate over the third umpire’s decision. The catch was ruled not out by the third umpire, ensuing a drama. The Marylebone Cricket Club has issued a clarification over Mitchell Starc’s catch and the decision.
The incident took place late on the fourth day’s play at The Lord’s. Mitchell Starc claimed a catch at fine-leg after Ben Duckett toe-ended an uppercut shot. The replays showed that the ball touched the turf as Starc slid near the boundary. The third umpire ruled it not out, following which Australian skipper Pat Cummins had a chat with the on-field umpires.
Mitchell Starc’s catch led to a debate on social media, with some claiming the decision to be unfair. However, the Marylebone Cricket Club has issued a clarification regarding the incident. They took to Twitter, to state the law and clarified that Starc did not have full control over his movements when the ball touched the ground. They wrote,
“In relation to the below incident, Law 33.3 clearly states that a catch is only completed when the fielder has “complete control over the ball and his/her own movement.”
“The ball cannot touch the ground before then. In this particular incident, Mitchell Starc was still sliding as the ball rubbed the ground, therefore he was not in control of his movement,” they added.
In relation to the below incident, Law 33.3 clearly states that a catch is only completed when the fielder has “complete control over the ball and his/her own movement.”
See here for full clarification: https://t.co/cCBoJd6xOS#MCCLaws pic.twitter.com/TEOE1WKJvu
— Marylebone Cricket Club (@MCCOfficial) July 1, 2023
Ben Stokes and Ben Duckett keep England’s hopes alive in Lord’s Test
England finished day four with 114 runs on the board at the loss of four wickets. Zak Crawley and Ollie Pope got out early in the innings. The hosts further collapsed as Joe Root and Harry Brook were dismissed in quick succession. Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins picked up a couple of wickets each. However, opener Ben Duckett kept one end strong. He was joined by skipper Ben Stokes, and the duo are unbeaten overnight. Duckett is batting on 50, while Stokes has scored 29 runs. England needs 257 runs, while Australia needs six wickets to win the Lord’s Test.
Get the latest cricket news here, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram for more such updates.
