Ashes 2023

Watch: ‘Should be embarrassed’ – English club team effect run out while batter celebrates fifty, one week after controversial Bairstow stumping | Ashes 2023

by Wisden Staff July 9, 2023 - 8:17am 3 minute read

Watch: During a Yorkshire Premier League North match, a Sessay CC batter left his crease to congratulate his partner upon reaching fifty against York, and was run out in the process, with echoes of Alex Carey’s controversial stumping of Jonny Bairstow.

Asked to bat in a match reduced to 48 overs, York were bowled out for 186 in 41.5 overs, batting through multiple rain interruptions. Opener Luke Kilby made 43 in 39 balls, while Breidyn Schaper got 58. For Sessay, Joseph Watson claimed 3-46.

The rain interruptions reduced Sessay’s target to 136 in 26 overs, and despite Tim Hall’s early onslaught, Ryan McKendry (3-35) took wickets with consecutive balls to reduce Sessay to 38-2 in eight overs.

At this point Diego Rosier joined Hall, and the pair scored at a brisk rate. At 99-2 in 18.1 overs, the match was as good as over. Hall pushed the second ball of Dave Brent’s third over towards wide long on to bring up his fifty.

The fielder from long-on threw the ball in, but Brent did not collect it. Instead, Schaper backed up at extra cover. Having grounded his bat, Rosier walked out to congratulate Hall. He was clearly under the assumption that the ball was dead.

Schaper delayed with the ball in his hands before throwing to captain-wicketkeeper Tom Brooks, who whipped off the bails. The umpires consulted before ruling Rosier run out.

Law 20.1.1.1 (under dead ball) mentions that “The ball becomes dead when … it is finally settled in the hands of the wicket-keeper or of the bowler.” Schaper did neither.

However, Law 20.1.2 states: “The ball shall be considered to be dead when it is clear to the bowler’s end umpire that the fielding side and both batters at the wicket have ceased to regard it as in play.”

Additionally, the ‘Unfair Play’ law (Law 41) bars ‘fake fielding’, which it could be argued that convincing a batter a ball is dead falls under.

Law 41.5.1 states: “It is unfair for any fielder wilfully to attempt, by word or action, to…deceive…either batter after the striker has received the ball.

Law 41.5.2 adds: “It is for either one of the umpires to decide whether any…deception…is wilful.”

Hall (59) took Sessay to the brink of win. They eventually won with five wickets and 11 balls in hand.

Watch the controversial run out here:

Error 404 spirit of the game not found? 🤦‍♂️ looks like he's going to congratulate him on 50? Changes his mind then they run him out. Drama pic.twitter.com/5QQbxjHuqa

— The Fat Cricketer🏏 (@DatFatCricketer) July 8, 2023

The incident took place a week after Alex Carey’s much-discussed stumping of Jonny Bairstow in the Ashes Test match at Lord’s. It drew reactions from the cricket fraternity.

The fielder and captain of this team should be embarrassed. This is shocking. https://t.co/HZzWnRoazw

— Chris Rushworth (@ChrisRush22) July 9, 2023

Any batter, at any level, wandering out of their crease while the ball is live has no excuse after the past seven days imo. https://t.co/DPFiSVqfuT

— Tom Evans (@TomEvansCricket) July 9, 2023

‘20.1.2 The ball shall be considered to be dead when it is CLEAR to the BOWLER’S END UMPIRE that the fielding side AND both batters at the wicket have ceased to regard it as in play.’

This will inevitably lead to subjective, context-sensitive judgement calls. https://t.co/nuAVfc40ck

— Derbyshire ACO (Umpires & Scorers Association) (@DerbyshireACO) July 9, 2023