Indian umpire Nitin Menon was under the thick of things on Day 2 of the ongoing 5th and last Ashes 2023 Test at The Oval, because of his excellent call as third umpire to give Australia batsman Steve Smith not out under really tight and also confusing circumstances in case of a run-out appeal by the hosts.
In the 78th over of Australia’s innings, Smith tapped Chris Woakes on the leg side and set for a couple. George Ealham, who was the substitute fielder fielding at deep mid-wicket, made a quick sprint toward the ball and did very well to pick it up in a go and fire the ball at the striker’s end.
Wicket-keeper Jonny Bairstow received the throw and messed up the stumps. Initially, on the first replay, it seemed that Smith was out and the Aussie batter even started to walk to the dressing room and England began celebrating.
However, third umpire Menon kept his cool and patience and decided to look at the replays closely. After plenty of deliberations and checking of multiple angles, Menon ruled that the bail was not completely dislodged from both grooves when Bairstow hit the stumps, and before the bail was entirely dislodged from the base of the middle stump, Steve Smith had just gotten inside his crease.
There was also debate about whether Bairstow had dislodged the bail before taking the ball, making the bail irrelevant. In both cases, Smith was not out and was saved by Nitin Menon’s alertness of not making any hasty call on the first replay, and the third umpire was praised by everyone.
Here’s Nitin Menon’s decision to give Steve Smith not out was correct:
Yes, Nitin Menon’s decision of giving Steve Smith NOT OUT in the controversial run-out appeal was correct because the bail wasn’t completely dislodged from the groove of the middle stump until Smith had made in the crease.
The Marylebone Cricket Club, the world authority on laws, also confirmed that Nitin Menon’s decision to give Smith not out was indeed the right one.
“Law 29.1 states: “The wicket is broken when at least one bail is completely removed from the top of the stumps, or one or more stumps is removed from the ground,” MCC’s tweet said.
“Tom Smith’s Cricket Umpiring and Scoring, MCC’s Official Interpretation of the Laws of Cricket, adds: “For the purposes of dismissal – a bail has been removed at the moment that both ends of it leave their grooves.”
Tom Smith's Cricket Umpiring and Scoring, MCC's Official Interpretation of the Laws of Cricket, adds: "For the purposes of dismissal – a bail has been removed at the moment that both ends of it leave their grooves." (2/2)
➡️ https://t.co/EyxKtnx0i2#MCCLaws
— Marylebone Cricket Club (@MCCOfficial) July 28, 2023
