It’s a dismissal you rarely see in cricket, but Bashley (Rydal) seconds batsman Harry Anstee was given out Hit Ball Twice as his side tumbled to a shock four-wicket defeat to Premier Division 3 relegation strugglers Lymington II.
Bashley were already in deep trouble at 60-6 when Anstee (who had made four) was sent packing under Law 34, which forbids a batsman to strike the ball twice unless he is either protecting his wicket or is returning the ball to the fielding team, with their permission.
Standing umpire Stuart MacTavish, confirming that two Lymington players had appealed, explained: “I think, to be honest, Harry just had a mental aberration.
“He received a ball that he squeezed onto his pad, then immediately hit it to short extra cover, without the fielders having given permission for him to return it.
“We could not have judged that he was defending his wicket as the ball was never anywhere near it, so we had no option than to give him out, on appeal, Hit Ball Twice under Law 34.”
Reacting to the Hit Ball Twice dismissal, Lymington chairman Peter Tapper, left, a respected and retired Southern League cricketer, said: “Technically, the umpires were right, but under the Spirit of Cricket my personal belief as Chairman was that the appeal should have been withdrawn.
“Sadly it clouded what was a very good win - but at the expense of the broader image of our Club.
“It should be noted that both this season’s league matches (between Bashley Rydal II and Lymington II) have been controversial.”
Bashley went on to make 135, mainly thanks to a late stand between Neil Taylor (33) and skipper Simon Ridley (24).
The Bashley captain then took 3-27 to have Lymington rocking at 24-4, when Ross Whyte, one of six Isle of Wight based players in the home team, emerged to crack a crucial 68, including ten fours.
Lymington were still in trouble at 69-6 when Whyte was joined by former South Wilts youngster Archie Knight, who made 32 in a match winning stand of 67.
To add to Bashley’s woes, Dorset Under-17 captain Alex Turner was withdrawn from the attack by the umpires for bowling two above waist-high no-balls.
Bashley were already in deep trouble at 60-6 when Anstee (who had made four) was sent packing under Law 34, which forbids a batsman to strike the ball twice unless he is either protecting his wicket or is returning the ball to the fielding team, with their permission.
Standing umpire Stuart MacTavish, confirming that two Lymington players had appealed, explained: “I think, to be honest, Harry just had a mental aberration.
“He received a ball that he squeezed onto his pad, then immediately hit it to short extra cover, without the fielders having given permission for him to return it.
“We could not have judged that he was defending his wicket as the ball was never anywhere near it, so we had no option than to give him out, on appeal, Hit Ball Twice under Law 34.”
Reacting to the Hit Ball Twice dismissal, Lymington chairman Peter Tapper, left, a respected and retired Southern League cricketer, said: “Technically, the umpires were right, but under the Spirit of Cricket my personal belief as Chairman was that the appeal should have been withdrawn.
“Sadly it clouded what was a very good win - but at the expense of the broader image of our Club.
“It should be noted that both this season’s league matches (between Bashley Rydal II and Lymington II) have been controversial.”
Bashley went on to make 135, mainly thanks to a late stand between Neil Taylor (33) and skipper Simon Ridley (24).
The Bashley captain then took 3-27 to have Lymington rocking at 24-4, when Ross Whyte, one of six Isle of Wight based players in the home team, emerged to crack a crucial 68, including ten fours.
Lymington were still in trouble at 69-6 when Whyte was joined by former South Wilts youngster Archie Knight, who made 32 in a match winning stand of 67.
To add to Bashley’s woes, Dorset Under-17 captain Alex Turner was withdrawn from the attack by the umpires for bowling two above waist-high no-balls.
