David Warner was on 73 when had a narrow escape during Australia’s 2023 World Cup match against the Netherlands at Delhi, with the ‘full control’ law that saw a Mitchell Starc ‘catch’ chalked off during the 2023 Ashes at play.

Despite losing Mitchell Marsh (9) in the fourth over, David Warner and Steve Smith continued to pile on runs against the Netherlands after Pat Cummins opted to bat. They were 156-2 in 22.4 overs when Bas de Leede ran in to bowl at Warner.

De Leede bowled a full toss outside off. Warner drove it through cover, but Roelof van der Merwe at short extra cover dived to his right, held an excellent catch, and appealed.

The umpires, Michael Gough and Sharfuddoula, were not sure about it being a clean catch. Upon discussion, they referred the decision to television umpire Marais Erasmus.

Replays revealed that the ball had almost certainly hit the grass when van der Merwe’s hand had touched the ground, and Erasmus ruled Warner not out.

His decision was in accordance with Law 33 (“a catch will be fair if the ball is held in the hand or hands of a fielder, even if the hand holding the ball is touching the ground”). The law also states: “The act of making a catch shall start from the time when the ball first comes into contact with a fielder’s person and shall end when a fielder obtains complete control over both the ball and his/her own movement.”

This law came under scrutiny during the 2023 Ashes, with an attempted catch of Ben Duckett by Starc given ‘not out’ by the TV umpire for similar reasons. That decision bemused the Australians, and enraged some pundits, with Glenn McGrath in particular infuriated by it.

Warner put the next ball away for four but four balls later, van der Merwe took another excellent catch – this time at backward point – off Aryan Dutt to dismiss Smith for a 68-ball 71.

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