Unusual dismissals in Test and One-Day International Cricket

In the third Test match, 19-23 December 2001, between England and India at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore, England's Michael Vaughan became the seventh batsman in Test cricket history and the second England player to be dismissed 'handled the ball'. An appeal was upheld as he caught the ball near his feet with his right-hand, although it did not appear headed for the stumps.

In a previous incident, in the third Test match, 18-22 March 2001, played between Australia and India at Chidambram Stadium, Chennai, Australia's Captain Steve Waugh became the sixth batsman in Test cricket history and the second Australian to be dismissed 'handled the ball'. Actually, he palmed off a ball from off-spinner Harbhajan Singh with his right-hand, as it appeared headed for the stumps.

Here are some details of the other unusual dismissals in Test and One-day International Cricket followed by detailed listings:

Test Cricket: Unusual dismissals
Sir Len Hutton, England v South Africa, The Oval, 1951 incident
England's batting celebrity Sir Len Hutton remains the only batsman in Test history to be given out for deliberately 'obstructing the field'. A ball from South Africa's Athol Rowan hit Hutton's bat handle and rose straight up in the air. The batsman swiped it away with the intention of preventing the ball from falling on to the wicket. The wicketkeeper Russell Endean was poised to take the catch and successfully appealed for obstruction.

Russell Endean, South Africa v England, Cape Town, 1956-57 incident
Six season's after Hutton's 'obstructing the field' incident, South Africa's Russell Endean himself became the first batsman in Test annals to be given out for 'handling the ball' in January 1957 when he padded away a ball from England's Jim Laker. The delivery pitched outside the off-stump - and as it deflected upwards and towards the stumps - Endean palmed it away in the style of a hockey goalkeeper.

Sarfraz Nawaz-Andrew Hilditch and Sikander Bakht-Alan Hurst incident
Pakistan bowler Sarfraz Nawaz, unsportingly appealed for a 'handled the ball' dismissal under the laws of the game and the umpire had to concede the appeal. This was an unsavoury incident. The batsman was merely performing an act of courtesy in handing back the ball. This sordid Hilditch/Sarfraz fracas was quite possibly in retaliation for an equally unsavoury incident earlier in the day in this same Test when Pakistani tail-ender Sikander Bakht was run out by the Aussie speedster Alan Hurst at the bowler's end whilst backing up too far - the fourth such instance in Test cricket.

Vinod Mankad-Bill Brown ("mankaded") incident
The first deliberate non-striker running-out had taken place in December 1947 when Vinod Mankad ran out Bill Brown at the bowler's end when the Aussie opener backed up too far before the ball was delivered. Mankad had warned the same player a month earlier in a side game against an Australian XI on the same ground before actually delivering the ball. He threatened to run him out in earnest if he attempted to do so again. Mankad kept his word. This type of run-out is now often referred as "mankaded".

Charlie Griffith-Ian Redpath and Ewan Chatfield-Derek Randall incidents
The two other instance of batsmen being run out by the bowler at the non-striker's end were in January 1969 when Windies fast man Charlie Griffith broke the wicket at his end with Ian Redpath left stranded outside the crease, and in February 1978 when Kiwi bowler Ewan Chatfield ran out Derek Randall with an under-arm throw before reaching his delivery stride and without prior warning.

Other 'handling the ball' incidents
In September 1982, Pakistan's Mohsin Khan played defensively to a ball from Aussie speed merchant Geoff Lawson and knocked it away with his hand when it rebounded towards his stumps.

In November 1983, West Indian Desmond Haynes brushed away with his hand a delivery from Kapil Dev which had taken the inside edge and was rolling slowly towards his stumps via his pads.

In the first Test between England and Australia at Old Trafford in 1993, Graham Gooch, became the fifth batsman to be out 'handled the ball' in Test cricket. Having played the ball down into his crease off Merv Hughes, he fended it away with his right glove when it bounced up and was about to fall on his stumps.

One-Day International Cricket: Unusual dismissals
In One-day International Cricket there have been five 'unusual' dismissals to date involving Rameez Raja (1), Mohinder Amarnath (2), Kapil Dev (1) and Dipak Patel (1).

Rameez Raja (Pakistan) became the first batsman to be dismissed 'obstructing the field' in ODIs when he hit the ball with his bat to avoid being run out when taking a second run trying to complete his hundred on the final ball of the match.

Mohinder Amarnath (India) became the second player to be dismissed for 'obstructing the field' in ODIs when he kicked a ball away from the bowler to prevent being run out.

Mohinder Amarnath (India) was also involved in 'handling the ball' in the second final of the World Series Cup at Melbourne, 1985-86 which Australia won by 7 wickets.

Kapil Dev (India) "mankaded" Peter Kirsten, the non-striker, backing up too far before the ball was delivered. Apparently, Kapil Dev had warned Kirsten at least twice in the earlier matches. When the umpire declared Kirsten out, Wessels showed two fingers to Kapil Dev and got into an argument with the fielders. Kirsten refused to leave until the umpire signalled him to leave the field. Kirsten alone was fined later, for dissenting with the umpire's decision.

Dipak Patel (NZ) "mankaded" Grant Flower, the non-striker, backing up too far, Zimbabwe v New Zealand in 1992-93, 2nd One-day International at Harare Sports Club which New Zealand won by 4 wickets.

Obstructing the Field in Test Cricket(deliberately preventing a catch)

Sir Len HuttonEng v SA     at The OvalScorecard

Handling-the-Ball in Test Cricket

WR EndeanSA v Eng     at Cape TownScorecardAMJ HilditchAus v Pak    at PerthScorecardMohsin KhanPak v Aus    at KarachiScorecardDL HaynesWI v Ind     at BombayScorecardGA GoochEng v Aus    at ManchesterScorecardSR WaughAus v Ind    at ChennaiScorecardMP VaughanEng v Ind    at BangaloreScorecard

Run-Out by the Bowler in Test Cricket(while backing up before the ball had been bowled)

WA Brown(MH Mankad)          Aus v Ind       at SydneyScorecardIR Redpath(CC Griffith) Aus v WI  at AdelaideScorecardDW Randall(EJ Chatfield) Eng v NZ  at ChristchurchScorecardSikander Bakht(AG Hurst)  Pak v Aus  at PerthScorecard

Obstructing the Field in One-Day International Cricket(deliberately preventing a run-out)

Rameez RajaEng v Pak       at KarachiScorecardMohinder AmarnathInd v SL  at AhmedabadScorecard

Handling-the-Ball in One-Day International Cricket

Mohinder AmarnathInd v Aus     at MelbourneScorecard

Run-Out by the Bowler in One-Day International Cricket(while backing up before the ball had been bowled)

PN Kirsten(Kapil Dev)  Ind v RSA       at Port ElizabethScorecardGW Flower(Dipak Patel) NZ v Zim  at HarareScorecard

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