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Stokes should’ve been out for obstruction in World Cup final – former NZ captain

by Wisden Staff 1 minute read

Glenn Turner, the New Zealand batting great, has voiced his disapproval of how the World Cup 2019 final panned out, saying Ben Stokes should have been given out for obstructing the field.

In the final stages of the second innings, a throw from the deep deflected off Stokes’ bat as he was diving to get in the crease, and ended up running to the boundary. Stokes raised his hands in apology immediately, as extra runs were awarded to England in a chase of 242.

It helped Stokes level scores at the end of 50 overs, and England famously went on to win the World Cup on boundary count, after the Super Over was tied as well.

However, Turner has now said that rather than award the runs to England, Stokes should have been back in the dressing room for obstructing the field. “I think that they gave the wrong result,” Turner told Breakfast on 1 News.

“But to have given out the Man of the Match at the time for obstructing the field, which ought to have happened, would have of course changed the result.”

According to laws pertaining to the incident, a batsman is out obstructing the field only if he “wilfully” does so. Article 37.2 of the ICC’s playing conditions specifically states that a batsman “shall not be out obstructing the field if [the] obstruction or distraction is accidental”, which seemed to be the case with Stokes.

Turner, however, hoped the incident would spark better use of technology in the future. “Now that you are getting third umpires involved,” he said, “and they are seeing replays of things, they will be able to make those sorts of decisions in the future, I would hope.”

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