David Warner and Australia allocated 'six' runs instead of five against Pakistan in the Adelaide Test

Umpires, rules, and controversies seem to be the flavour of 2019. Remember the 2019 World Cup finals? Of course, that’s a stupid question considering what all transpired on that historic July day at Lord’s Cricket Ground. Before all the drama around the Super-Over that unfolded, one of the defining moments of the game came during the final over when a throw from one of the New Zealand fielders, deflected from the bat of Ben Stokes and the ball eventually rolled over for the boundary.

England was eventually awarded six runs for the same when they really should have been allotted five. Whether, that should they have been awarded the resultant boundary, is a different debate all-together. Coming back to why England should have been rewarded one run-less than what they eventually got, is because of ICC’s rule No. 19.8. But, you’d think that lightning wouldn’t strike twice? Well! Apologies to break it to you that it indeed struck twice when David Warner and his Australian side were allocated six runs instead of five during the first day of the Adelaide Test.

What does the ICC rule say?

According to the ICC’ rule for overthrows, “If the boundary results from an overthrow or from the willful act of a fielder, the runs scored shall be any runs for penalties awarded to either side and the allowance for the boundary and the runs completed by the batsmen, together with the run in progress if they had already crossed at the instant of the throw or act.”

As the replays showed, the throw had already been released by the fielder before the batsmen had crossed each other, meaning England should have had five runs added to their daily in place of six.

A similar incident took place during the 24th over of the Australian innings on the first day of the Pink Ball Test against Pakistan. After David Warner had tucked the ball to long-leg and trudged off for a possible second run before Shaheen Shah Afridi’s wayward throw resulted in going for four overthrows.

Again, the umpires awarded six runs to the batting team when, again, in a carbon copy of the World Cup final, the ball had left the fielders’ hand before the batsmen- David Warner and Marnus Labuschagne– had crossed for the second run. While the additional run is unlikely to bring a substantial impact on the game, which Australia is bossing at this stage, courtesy hundreds from both Warner and Labuschagne. It again brought to light a glaring error on the part of the Umpire, and it is about time ICC does something about it.

David Warner reaches 50, thanks to some timely overthrows! #AUSvPAK | https://t.co/0QSefkJERk pic.twitter.com/dKVXDkhnDm

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) November 29, 2019

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