Some of the world’s best cricketers have hit out at the most divisive catch of the summer, with Josh Hazlewood calling for the rules to be changed in the wake of Michael Neser’s controversial screamer to dismiss Jordan Silk in the BBL.
Neser made contact with the ball inside the field of the play, then jumped over the rope, where he batted the ball back with his feet off the ground, and then hopped back inside the Gabba boundary to claim the catch.
It was a perfectly legal play according to the rules, but commentators, fans and players want to see it changed after it effectively ended any hope of the Sixers reeling in Brisbane’s total on Sunday night.
Watch BBL12. Every game live and ad-break free during play on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >
“I didn’t like it all,” Hazlewood said.
“I think it should be back to the old rule where you have to be in the field of play and that’s your last step before you throw it back in. It was something different and ‘Ness’ is pretty cluey with the rules. It worked for them last night.
“Players are definitely aware of the rule. I’m not sure when [the rule] changed, but it was a few years back.”
New Zealand veteran Trent Boult is gearing up for the Melbourne derby on Tuesday night, and while he doesn’t think the boundary rope should be pushed further back, he concedes the rule needs to be tweaked given the public backlash.
“I didn’t realise that was the rule,” said Boult.
“I think it might need addressing; I’ve seen a couple of comments saying ‘what is the point of a boundary rope?’ and ‘can you keep hopping around the field of play?’
“I’ve got to be careful because I may have taken one like that at one point …
“I think it’s a tough one, but to make it clear, I think you should have to touch the field of play again once you come back over the rope.”
