Watch: Chris Green sparks obstructing the field Laws debate after blocking return throw with bat | Sheffield Shield 2023/24
Watch: New South Wales’ Chris Green was involved in an obstructing the field appeal on day two of the Sheffield Shield clash against Western Australia.
Batting at No.8 in the first innings, Green blocked a full, straight delivery from Western Australia seamer Charlie Stobo, who fielded the ball in his follow-through.
Upon realising that Green was out of his crease, Stobo threw the ball towards the stumps in an attempt to run him out. Heading straight towards his feet, Green blocked the ball with the bat for a second time in order to stop it from hitting his feet.
This prompted the Western Australia fielders to go up in appeal for an obstructing the field dismissal even as Green looked bemused. The umpires converged to discuss for a while before turning down the appeal and not giving Green out.
According to Law 37.2, a batter is not to be given out obstructing the field “if the obstruction or distraction is accidental, or the obstruction is in order to avoid injury, or in the case of the striker, he/she makes a second or subsequent strike to guard his/her wicket lawfully as in Law 34.3 (Ball lawfully struck more than once).”
Western Australia coach Adam Voges said at the end of the day’s play that he had asked the umpires for an explanation as to why Green was not given out, but hadn’t received one yet.
“I’m waiting to hear from the match referee as to what the interpretation was. I’ve asked the question, I just haven’t got an answer yet,” Voges said.
Presumably, the umpires must have felt that the obstruction was “in order to avoid injury”, leading them to their not out decision. In another obstructing the field related incident recently, an England U19 batter was given out after picking up a ball which he thought was dead and giving it to the Zimbabwe U19 wicketkeeper.
Green was eventually dismissed by Stobo for 19 off 75 balls as NSW folded for 251 in response to Western Australia’s 256 in the first innings.
Watch Chris Green block return throw with the bat leading to obstructing the field appeal:
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