MCC calls on batters to remain in crease "until they have seen the ball leave the bowler's hand"

The clarification from the game's Law-makers follows the dismissal of Charlie Dean by Deepti Sharma in the final ODI of the women's international summer

Nick Friend | 25/09/2022 at 13:41

The MCC has called for batters to remain in their crease "until they have seen the ball leave the bowler's hand" in a statement released in light of Deepti Sharma's dismissal of Charlie Dean on Saturday.

Sharma pulled out of her delivery stride to remove the bails, crowning a 16-run victory for India at Lord's to seal an ODI whitewash in the process.

Earlier this year, the MCC amended the game's Laws to move being run out at the non-striker's end from being deemed "unfair play" to "run out". That change is only due to come into effect from October 1 but "was done to clarify this matter and to place an onus on batters to ensure that they do not leave the crease at the non-striker's end, prior to a bowler releasing the ball".

The statement added: "The Law is clear, as it needs to be for all umpires to be able to easily interpret throughout all levels of the game and at all moments in the game.

"Cricket is a broad church and the spirit by which it is played is no different. As custodians of the Spirit of Cricket, MCC appreciates its application is interpreted differently across the globe.

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^{Charlie Dean and England fell 17 runs short of victory at Lord's (Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)}

"Respectful debate is healthy and should continue, as where one person sees the bowler as breaching the Spirit in such examples, another will point at the non-striker gaining an unfair advantage by leaving their ground early.

"MCC's message to non-strikers continues to be to remain in their ground until they have seen the ball leave the bowler's hand. Then dismissals, such as the one seen yesterday, cannot happen.

"Whilst yesterday was indeed an unusual end to an exciting match, it was properly officiated and should not be considered as anything more."