MCC Lawmakers Release Statement Following Mitchell Starc's Controversial Catch in Lord's Test
Mitchell Starc claimed that he had taken the catch cleanly (cricket.com.au)
In the wake of a controversial incident that unfolded during the ongoing second Test of The Ashes 2023 at Lord's, the lawmakers of the game, Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) have taken a definitive stance.
MCC's gives verdict on Mitchell Starc's Catch
Releasing a statement, MCC has addressed the controversy surrounding a catch claimed by Mitchell Starc which was subsequently deemed not out by third umpire Marais Erasmus.
During the third session of the fourth day's play, Starc lunged to secure the catch of England's Ben Duckett, only to face disappointment when the umpire ruled him not in complete control of the ball during the catch's completion. Dissatisfied with the decision, Starc, and his Australian teammates expressed their discontent.
The MCC, through a tweet, clarified their perspective on the matter, stating that Starc's catch was not deemed legal due to his apparent lack of control over his movement.
“In relation to the below incident, Law 33.3 clearly states that a catch is only completed when the fielder has "complete control over the ball and his/her own movement. The ball cannot touch the ground before then,” wrote MCC.
In fact, former English cricketers Michael Vaughan and Alastair Cook also weighed in on the incident, supporting the umpire's decision. Vaughan remarked that Starc failed to maintain proper control over his body and even scraped the ball during the catch.
“I don't think he had control of his body, he did scrape the ball. Starc should have been sharper. He will turn his hand next time,” said Vaughan.
Cook echoed Vaughan's sentiments and reckoned that Starc caught the ball while still in motion and clearly made contact with the ground. While the former England opener admitted some uncertainty regarding the rules, he maintained that a catch should be considered invalid if the ball touches the ground.
“He caught that catch in his hands while still moving and he quite obviously scraped the floor. I wasn't totally sure of the rules, but it should be simple, if the ball touches the ground, it shouldn't be out,” stated Cook.
Meanwhile, as the fourth day drew to a close, Duckett remained unbeaten on 50 alongside captain Ben Stokes who is batting on 29. However, England find themselves in a challenging position as the head into the final day, still requiring 257 runs to secure victory with only six wickets remaining.
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