Drama ensued during the final minutes of Day 4 of the second Ashes Test on Saturday, as a catch attempt from Mitchell Starc was controversially adjudged not out by third umpire Marais Erasmus. Ben Duckett, batting on 50, found a thick upper edge as he tried to play the lap shot, and the ball travelled left of fine leg, Starc grabbed it impressively. However, it seemed the Australia star wasn't in full control of his sprint and as he dived, the ball grazed the ground.
After careful deliberation, Erasmus eventually ruled the decision in favour of Duckett, much to the astonishment of Australia fielders as well as Starc, who had already raised his finger while signalling to a fellow teammate. The decision created a furore on social media as well as on the commentary panel, where Glenn McGrath went absolutely livid with Erasmus, calling the decision a “disgrace.”
Also read: Watch: Starc's insane catch overturned as controversy erupts in Ashes; McGrath's volcanic 'disgrace' reaction goes viral
Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting also insisted that there are inconsistencies over such calls, referring to Steve Smith's catch of Joe Root in the first innings of the Lord's Test; Ponting stated Starc looked more in control of his catch than Smith.
After the outrage on social media, the Marylebone Cricket Club, the custodians of cricketing law, posted a thread explaining why Erasmus was in the right while taking the decision. The MCC cited law 33.3 of the rulebook, which states that catch is completed only when fielder is in control of the “ball and his/her own movement.”
{{/usCountry}}After the outrage on social media, the Marylebone Cricket Club, the custodians of cricketing law, posted a thread explaining why Erasmus was in the right while taking the decision. The MCC cited law 33.3 of the rulebook, which states that catch is completed only when fielder is in control of the “ball and his/her own movement.”
{{/usCountry}}"In relation to the 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 MCC wrote on their official Twitter account.
“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.”
In recent weeks, the law in question has seen several instances of its applications; Smith's catch of Root was also questionable but was given out. In the World Test Championship final, Cameron Green's catch of Shubman Gill sparked massive outrage on social media after Richard Kettleborough, the third umpire at the time, adjudged the India batter out.