Marylebone Cricket Club, the guardians of cricketing laws, have made a significant move to remove any ambiguity surrounding run outs at the non-strikers’ end with immediate effect. This decision comes on the heels of a heated debate surrounding Melbourne Stars skipper Adam Zampa’s dismissal in the ongoing Big Bash League (BBL) 2022. The incident, which saw Zampa dislodge the bails during his follow-through as non-striker Tom Rogers advanced down the wicket, was initially turned down by the television umpire citing that the bowler’s arm had already passed the point of release.
To address this issue, the MCC has amended Law 38.3.2, which came into effect on January 19, to state: “Even if the non-striker had left his/her ground before the instant at which the bowler would normally have been expected to release the ball, once the bowler has reached that point, it is no longer possible for the bowler to run out the non-striker under this Law.”
The MCC has also clarified that this amendment does not change the existing interpretation of the law and is only intended to provide more clarity. “It is important to note that this does not change the way the Law should be interpreted – it has been interpreted that way for the past six years, without much misunderstanding. However, the intention is that this will make things clearer,” said the MCC in a statement. With this amendment, the MCC hopes to put an end to any further confusion surrounding run outs at the non-strikers’ end.
