Watch: Zak Crawley had his 100th run chalked off in bizarre circumstances during the second innings of the Kent vs Somerset game in Taunton today (May 19).
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Electing to field first, Kent conceded 554 in the first innings as Tom Banton and James Rew scored hundreds for Somerset. In response, Kent were bowled out for 178 and were made to follow on, their second consecutive follow-on in two games.
Zak Crawley was trapped in front by Craig Overton for a golden duck in the first innings as Joe Denly was the only Kent batter to cross 50. They were much better in the second innings while following on, however, as both Ben Compton and Crawley stitched up 194 runs for the first wicket.
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Crawley was typically flamboyant, reaching his 100 off the 136th ball he faced. Before actually reaching his hundred though, there was a bizarre incident where he thought he had reached his century only for the umpires to call it a no ball.
On the second ball of the 37th over, Tom Lammonby banged a short ball into the pitch, which bounced twice and was headed off the pitch. Crawley ran after the ball and whacked it to cover to jog a single. Assuming that it was his hundredth run, Crawley celebrated, but the umpires convened and after a lengthy discussion, adjudged that Crawley’s run wouldn’t be counted.
Were the umpires right in calling it a dead ball?
According to Law 25.8 of MCC’s laws of cricket, a striker is only allowed to play a ball if some part of their bat or person remains within the confines of the pitch. If this condition is not satisfied, the umpire is supposed to signal a no ball and a dead ball.
In this case, however, a part of Crawley’s back foot was still inside the pitch when he made contact with the ball, meaning the umpires might have got it wrong and that Crawley should have got to celebrate his hundred on the second ball of the 37th over itself.
Instead, he had to go back on strike and wait four more deliveries before smashing a boundary to finally reach his hundred for good. At the time of writing, Kent are 212-1 from 48 overs, with Crawley batting on 123 off 166 balls.
Watch Zak Crawley get 100th run chalked off after wrong dead-ball call by umpires:
Lammonby bowls a stinker. Crawley chases after it on 99. Hits the single, celebrates the ton, doesn’t count.
Long live county cricket. pic.twitter.com/lObZouMGhv
— Daniel (@DanSenior97) May 19, 2024
