Obstructing the field is one of the rare ways of losing one’s wicket in cricket. Law 37 of the laws of cricket delineates the rule for obstructing the field.
In short, if either batsman willfully attempt to distract or obstruct the fielding side by action or words, the batsman on strike during the ball can be given out.
According to the rules, handling the ball, another rare mode of dismissal, is now dealt with under the rule of obstruction of the field. Here’s a detailed explanation of Law 37-
Although had been in place for quite sometime, Rameez Raja, former Pakistan Captain became the first cricketer to dismissed Obstructing the field in ODI’s in 1987 against England in Karachi, Pakistan. Since then a few others have been out obstructing the field.
Here’s a list of 7 cricketers who were out obstructing the field-
Mohammad Hafeez Dismissed Obstructing The Field
The Pakistani opener was controversially given out obstructing the field against South Africa in 2013. The questions were, did he look at where the ball was coming from? Did he change his line of running to come between the stump and the throw?
After a hesitation, Hafeez was running towards the non-striker’s end when AB de Villiers took a shy at the stump, but only managed to hit Hafeez. After an appeal from the South African players, the on field umpired referred the decision to the third umpire. In the replay, it was seen that there was a slight deviation which did place him in the line of the throw.
Billy Bowden, the third umpire adjudged Hafeez as out. Mohammad Hafeez was not happy and was evidently livid as he walked out of the ground shaking his head in complete disappointment.
Anwar Ali Against South Africa
The Pakistani all-rounder was dismissed obstructing the field in the second ODII match against South Africa in 2013. Anwar Ali tried to sneak in a run in single when he couldn’t put bat on ball. South African wicket-keeper, Quinton de Kock aimed at the non-striker’s end and hit Anwar Ali on the shoulder.
Dale Steyn was heard screaming that Anwar Ali ran straight down the wicket. The umpire declared Anwar Ali out considering that he knew the trajectory of the ball. Anwar was aware that the ball went to the wicket keeper and he ran straight down the wicket to cover the line of the stump.
He did not change the line of his running but it is against the rule to run in the middle of the wicket. Therefore, it was held that he intentionally ran down in the middle of the pitch to avoid the run out.
Inzamam- ul- Haq Against India
In the first ODI of Pakistan and India at Peshawar in early 2006, Inzamam was out obstructing the field. Pakistan needed 40 runs from 41 balls with 5 wickets let when Inzamam drove the ball to Suresh Raina at mid-on.
As a part of his follow through, he came down the pitch by a few steps. Suresh Raina threw the ball at the stumps. While Inzamam was carelessly trying to get inside the crease backwards, he put his bat in front of himself and tapped the ball away.
At that moment, he was between trajectory of ball and the stump. Additionally, he was well outside the crease. Inzamam was shocked after he was given out and consulted the umpires regarding the decision but the decision remained unchanged.
When Jason Roy Deliberately Obstructed the Field
England was cruising towards their second win of the 3-match T20 series. Jonny Bairstow and Jason Roy had shared a 110 runs partnership for the second wicket. Roy was trying to get back on strike trying to sneak in a quick single, but was sent back by his partner.
Trying to make his ground, he ran across the pitch and changed the line of his running. The new line that he took was in path of the ball and stump and the ball was blocked by his leg. He was adjudged out following his obstruction of the field. The proteas levelled the series 1-1 as proteas won the match by just 3 runs.
Ben Stokes Against Australia
Mitchell Starc was bowling the 26th over to Ben Stokes during England’s run chase. Ben Stokes tried to play a straight drive to Mitchell Starc. As he played the shot, he motioned himself out of the crease as a follow through.
Mitchell Starc stopped the ball one-handed and took a shy at the stump because Ben Stokes was out of his crease. Ben Stokes saw the ball tracing towards him and put his hand up to prevent himself from getting hit from the ball.
Although, as he fell over backwards trying to protect himself, it was seen in the replay that the ball was not going to hit him. The ball was on a trajectory to hit the stump and his hand was away from his body in the balls path of hitting the stump.
The umpires decided that Stokes was trying to stop the ball from hitting the stump and adjudged him out. Ben Stokes were very unhappy with the decision and insisted that it was a reflex action to protect himself from an injury and not an intentional act to stop the ball from hitting the stumps.
Alex Ross In Big Bash League Against Hurricane Hobarts
Alex Ross was given out due to obstruction of field in one of the most controversial decision regarding this kind of dismissal. Alex Ross was coming back for a second run after placing the short ball to the mid-wicket.
As Alex Ross was trying to make his way back to the crease, Jorfa Archer threw the ball towards the keeper to get Alex out. As Alex was approaching the stumps, he moved away from his original line and made an unusual dive. The ball deflected from his body and hit the stumps although, he had already made his ground.
After an appeal, the umpires were looking at a possible dismissal from obstructing the field. The umpires adjudged Alex Ross out as the whole ground was in shock as it seemed on the replay that he did not try to come in the path of the ball and was trying to avoid the injury by moving away from the path between stumps and the ball.
Yusuf Pathan In IPL
Yusuf Pathan defended a ball delivered by Parnell and trying to take a single to get across the wicket. As he was running to the other end, he kicked the ball that was on the pitch on his way to the other side.
After an appeal by the Pune Warriors, the umpires decided to judge him out obstructing the cricket field. This was the first ever dismissal through obstruction of the field in the Indian Premier League.
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