MCC clarifies the Hit-wicket controversy during Kent vs. Somerset in the County Championship match. An incident involving Lewis Goldsworthy, batsman of Somerset side, raised eyebrows in the County Championship.
HIT-WICKET CONTROVERY IN SOMERSET VS. KENT
Jaskaran Singh was delivering his ball when Lewis Goldsworthy was at 79 runs. The Kent side bowler delivered a yorker, focusing the off-stumps line. Lewis Goldsworthy hit the ball, went all for it, and a chunk of his bat broke and hit the stumps. This incident of a broken portion of the bat hitting the stumps and crashing into it turned everyone’s heads. Moreover, Lewis Goldsworthy almost thought that he would have to return to the pavilion and might be out in the form of a hit-wicket. However, little did he know that Jaskaran Singh had overstepped, the umpire signaled no ball. As a result, Lewis Goldsworthy was not given out because as per MCC(Marylebone Cricket Club) Law 35.2 (Hit wicket), “The striker is not out under this Law… [if] the delivery is a No ball.”
What if it was a fair delivery? Lewis Goldsworthy in this case would have been given out
Law 35.1 states: “The striker is out Hit wicket if, after the bowler has entered the delivery stride and while the ball is in play, his/her wicket is broken by either the striker’s bat or person as described in Laws 29.2.1.2 to 29.2.1.4 (Breaking the wicket fairly) in any of the following circumstances:
35.1.1.1 in the course of any action taken by him/her in preparing to receive or in receiving a delivery”.
That refers us back to Law 29.2.1.3 which says that the wicket can be fairly broken:
“29.2.1.3 for the purpose of this law only, by the striker’s bat not in hand, or by any part of the bat which has become detached”
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