Watch: Ben Green was praised for his sportsmanship in Somerset's T20 Blast fixture against Sussex last night (July 18), after he recalled Tymal Mills when he was given run out despite Green breaking the stumps with his legs.
Somerset and Sussex both sit towards the top of the South group in the Blast table, competing for quarter-final qualification. Batting first in the crunch fixture at Taunton, Sussex were 150-8 with four balls to go, and captain Mills at the crease facing his first ball.
Green sent down a full delivery angled in towards Mills' leg stump. Mills sent the ball into the off-side towards the fielder at backward point and tried to take a quick single. Green rapidly back-pedaled towards the stumps to be in position to take the throw and take the bails off before Mills could ground his bat. However, as the throw came in he was still running backward towards the stumps, and despite taking the ball was unable to stop his momentum and turn in time to break the wicket with his hands before his right knee collided with the stumps.
As it was Green's knee that broke the wicket, not his hands holding the ball, it would not have mattered whether Mills failed to ground his bat before the wicket was broken, he should've been given not out. Under MCC Law 29.2.1.5, the wicket can be broken "by a fielder with his/her hand or arm, providing that the ball is held in the hand or hands so used, or in the hand of the arm so used."
Thus, given the wicket was broken by Green's leg it should not have been deemed to have been broken fairly. However, the umpire gave Mills out, much to his obvious frustration, the Sussex captain standing still next to the stumps and not leaving the field.
The umpire went over to speak to Green, who, along with his Somerset teammates, chose to withdraw the appeal and allow Mills to continue. Other in batter Ollie Robinson faced the final three balls of the innings, with Sussex posting 158-9. Somerset chased the runs down for the loss of only four wickets with 14 balls to spare.
Watch: Ben Green recalls Tymall Mills after 'run-out'
Amazing sporting behaviour from Ben Green, calling back Tymal Mills after a run-out attempt 👏👏👏#SOMvSUS#WeAreSomerset pic.twitter.com/3wrHaShMzI
— Somerset Cricket 🏆 (@SomersetCCC) July 18, 2024
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