Cheteshwar Pujara entered the history books as he became the 59th batsman to be dismissed handling the ball. He was dismissed while playing for Derbyshire against Leicestershire in a County Championship Division Two match at Derby. Varun Arora looks at the laws regarding Handling the ball, and lists out the players who have been dismissed that way.
Cheteshwar Pujara was batting on 6 when he was dismissed facing left-arm seamer Atif Sheikh. He faced 21 balls during his 28 minute stay at the crease. He now joins Mohinder Amarnath who was the first Indian to be dismissed handling the ball in an ODI against Australia in 1986.
Before Pujara, Evin Lewis of Trinidad and Tobago was dismissed in similar fashion when he was playing against Leeward Island in March 2014 at Port of Spain.
Handling the ball is a rare method of dismissal in first-class cricket. The law has laid down the following conditions when a batsman can be dismissed through handling the ball. Below are the conditions on the basis of which it is decided whether the batsman is Out or Not out handling the ball according to Lords.org.
Law 33 (Handled the ball)
1. Out Handled the ball
The striker is out Handled the ball if, except in the circumstances of 2 below, in the act of playing a ball delivered by the bowler, he wilfully strikes the ball with a hand not holding the bat. This will apply whether no-ball has been called or not and whether it is the first strike or a second or subsequent strike.
The act of playing the ball shall also encompass both playing at the ball and striking the ball more than once in defence of his wicket.
2. Not out Handled the ball
Notwithstanding 1 above,
(a) the striker will not be out Handled the ball if the strike with a hand not holding the bat is in order to avoid injury.
(b) the striker will not be out Handled the ball but will be liable to be out Obstructing the field if he makes a strike with a hand not holding the bat
(i) unless trying to avoid injury, as a lawful second or subsequent strike which prevents a catch. See Law 37.3 (Obstructing a ball from being caught).
(ii) unless trying to avoid injury, after he has completed the act of playing the ball, as defined in 1 above.
(iii) at any time while the ball is in play, to return the ball to any fielder, without the consent of a fielder. See Law 37.4 (Returning the ball to a fielder).
3. Bowler does not get credit
The bowler does not get credit for the wicket.
The most recent dismissals through this method have been listed below.
GA Gooch
England v Australia
Manchester
1993
AC Waller
Mashonaland CD v Mashonaland Under-24
Harare
1994-95
KM Krikken
Derbyshire v Indians
Derby
1996
A Badenhorst
Eastern Province B v North West
Fochville
1998-99
SR Waugh
Australia v India
Chennai
2000-01
MP Vaughan
England v India
Bangalore
2001-02
Tushar Imran
Bangladesh A v Jamaica
Spanish Town
2001-2002
Al Sahariar
Dhaka v Chittagong
Dhaka
2003-04
Junaid Zia
Rawalpindi v Lahore
Lahore
2003-04
DJ Watson
Dolphins v Eagles
Bloemfontein
2004-05
M Zondecki
Cape Cobras v Eagles
Bloemfontein
2006-07
LN Mosena
Free State v Limpopo
Bloemfontein
2007-08
WSA Williams
Canterbury v Otago
Dunedin
2012-13
E Lewis
Trinidad & Tobago v Leeward Islands
Trinidad
2013-14
CA Pujara
Derbyshire v Leicestershire
Derby
2014
(Varun Arorais a reporter with CricketCountry.com. He started as a medium-fast bowler, converted to an opening batsman but finally settled with his passion of writing about the game. His Twitter handle is @varunjgd)
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