NEW DELHI, Nov 6: For the first time in the 146 years history of international cricket, Sri Lanka’s Angelo Mathews was on Monday declared ‘timed out’ during his team’s crucial clash against Bangladesh in the on-going World Cup at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi.
A former Sri Lanka captain, Mathews walked in after the fall of Sadeera Samarawickrama in the 25th over of the Sri Lankan innings but appeared to have issues with the strap of his helmet.
The incident happened on the second ball of the 25th over, bowled by Bangladesh captain Shakib al Hasan. Sadeera Samarawickrama had just been dismissed and Angelo Mathews arrived at the crease at the fall of the fourth wicket. But soon there was confusion as Mathews realised that he had brought the wrong helmet and pleaded his case with the Bangladesh players and the umpires.
The visuals showed that he was indicating that the helmet strap had come off. The damage had, however, been done by then. The substitute player of the Sri Lanka team did run with the correct helmet. But by then, Bangladesh had already appealed for a ‘timed out’. Angelo Mathews, quite animatedly, pleaded with the umpires and Shakib al Hasan but the appeal was not withdrawn. Angelo Mathews was absolutely livid after the dismissal and threw away his helmet in frustration right after going out of the field of play.
Under the tournament’s playing conditions, a new batter should be ready to face the ball within two minutes but Mathews was seen still fiddling with the helmet. He was eventually adjudged timed out accepting the appeal of the Bangladesh captain.
Angelo Mathews is the first player in the history of international cricket to be ruled timed out. Before this, six cricketers were ruled timed out in first-class cricket. India’s Hemulal Yadav is part of that list of batters who had been ruled timed out.
According to the MCC rules, “After the fall of a wicket or the retirement of a batter, the incoming batter must, unless Time has been called, be ready to receive the ball, or for the other batter to be ready to receive the next ball within 3 minutes of the dismissal or retirement. If this requirement is not met, the incoming batter will be out, Timed out.”
The Cricket World Cup 2023 playing conditions pertaining to “timed out” dismissals reads: “40.1.1 After the fall of a wicket or the retirement of a batter, the incoming batter must, unless Time has been called, be ready to receive the ball, or for the other batter to be ready to receive the next ball within 2 minutes of the dismissal or retirement. If this requirement is not met, the incoming batter will be out, Timed out.”
Mathews was left fuming after returning to the dugout. Much like the non-striker run-out, the form of dismissal is expected to create a controversy and trigger debate on social media, among fans and experts of the game.
(Manas Dasgupta)