Angelo Mathews’ two-minute time limit had elapsed even before his helmet strap broke during his controversial ‘Timed Out’ dismissal for Sri Lanka against Bangladesh in the World Cup today, according to fourth umpire Adrian Holdstock.

The contentious moment has ignited debate, with some feeling Bangladesh’s appeal was not within the Spirit of Cricket. Mathews came out to bat at the fall of Sadeera Samarawickrama’s wicket, but was delayed as he prepared to face up by an issue with his helmet.

He called for a replacement, but Shakib Al Hasan, the Bangladesh captain, appealed for him to be timed out, and Mathews was sent on his way, the first to be given out in such fashion in the history of international cricket.

Given that Mathews was concerned with a safety issue, there were suggestions that Bangladesh should have withdrawn the appeal. However, Holdstock, making the rare move as a match official of being interviewed to explain an unprecedented occurrence in international cricket, revealed that Mathews’ time limit had elapsed even before the helmet problem.

“When it comes to timed out, at the fall of a wicket or even the retirement of a batsman, the incoming batter has to be in position and ready to receive the ball within two minutes, or for his partner to receive the ball within two minutes,” he said. “We have certain protocols where the TV umpire at the fall of a wicket, he basically monitors the two wickets, and he will then relay the message through to the on-field umpires, and in the instance this afternoon, the batter wasn’t ready to receive the ball within those two minutes, even before the strap became an issue for him.”

He also explained that Shakib’s appeal had come after the helmet had broken, but pushed back at suggestions that there needed to be a provision for a batter replacing broken equipment in the laws.

“In the playing conditions, the fielding captain initiated the appeal to Marais Erasmus, who was the standing umpire, that he wanted to appeal for timed out,” he said. “That was just after the strap came loose that the fielding captain requested to appeal for timed out. I think as a batsman, you need to make sure that you have all your equipment in place in order to make sure you get here, because you actually have to be ready to receive within two minutes, not ready to prepare or take your guard. So technically you should be there within maybe 50 seconds to make sure all those things are in place to receive the ball.”

According to ICC commentator Ian Bishop, Shakib was approached twice by the umpires and asked if he wanted to withdraw the appeal, but he chose to go through with it.

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