Watch: Saif Zaib denied wicket due to rare no-ball declared by umpire in Vitality Blast 2024, video goes viral

Batters often reprived via no-balls caused due to bowlers overstepping the popping crease, having their backfoot exceed the permissible limit of the return crease, or due to the ball being delivered above the waist height. However, what went down in the 14th over of the first innings in the third quarter-final of Vitality Blast 2024, turned out to be a rare case.

Saif Zaib, in his third over of the evening, bowled a beautifully flighted delivery outside off which had Tom Kohler-Cadmore being completely deceived by the flight as Lewis McManus completed the honours by whipping off the bails in a flash. With Northamptonshire seeming confident about them getting the danger man, the decision was sent upstairs to be checked by the third umpire.

Check out the rare No-ball moment here:

A very rare type of no ball 👀 pic.twitter.com/j5QYoDeihC

— Vitality Blast (@VitalityBlast) September 5, 2024

However, they were in for a surprise as what had gone down was a freak case of the wicketkeeper's gloves being ahead of the line of the stumps before receiving the ball and stumping the batter out. But the batter seemed to have dragged his backfoot inside the crease within time. It was TV umpire, David Millns, who promptly appraised the event after requesting the production team to rewind and fast-forward a couple of frames shown to him, post which he instructed the on-field umpire to call it a "no-ball".

Tom Kohler-Cadmore wasn't one to miss out on the ideal prospect of the free hit, as he smashed the next delivery beyond the cow-corner fence. As a result, the wicketkeeper's mistake turned out to be quite expensive for Northamptonshire in the end.

Also Check: Watch: Rory Burns misses easiest of run-out chances in T20 Blast quarter-final 1, video goes viral

What do cricket laws say about wicketkeeping and stumping?

According to law 27.3 of the MCC (Marylebone Cricket Club), the body which regulates laws for the game, the stumper must not be standing in front of the line of the stumps, or have any part of their body or gloves ahead of the stumps, when the bowler delivers the ball. If the wicketkeeper does so, and it affects the play, the umpire can call it a no-ball. Under the standard laws, there are two provisions available.

Also Check- Watch: MCC President Mark Nicholas confers England legend James Anderson with honorary lifetime membership

"The wicket-keeper shall remain wholly behind the wicket at the striker’s end from the moment the ball comes into play until a ball delivered by the bowler touches the bat or person of the striker or passes the wicket at the striker’s end or the striker attempts a run," says law 27.3.1 of the MCC.

"In the event of the wicket-keeper contravening this Law, the striker’s end umpire shall call and signal No ball as soon as applicable after the delivery of the ball," the law 27.3.2 further states.

Interestingly, when it comes to international cricket, a similar instance had transpired during the second T20I between India Women and South Africa Women with Uma Chetry being denied her first dismissal on international debut for precisely what went down with McManus.