Veteran all-rounder Deandra Dottin has become the first West Indies cricketer in history to be dismissed obstructing the field, achieving the unwanted feat during Sunday’s second ODI against Sri Lanka in St George’s.
Chasing a 209-run target for victory at Grenada National Cricket Stadium, the hosts were 5-115 in the 30th over when Sri Lankan captain Chamari Athapaththu produced a wayward delivery down the leg side. Dottin, unbeaten on 13 at the time, missed a sweep shot, with the on-field umpire signalling a wide.
However, the ball ballooned off the pads of wicketkeeper Kaushini Nuthyangana into the air back towards the pitch, with Dottin needlessly tapping the ball with her bat and then catching it in her left glove. Athapaththu and Nuthyangana immediately appealed for obstructing the field, with Dottin eventually adjudged out.
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The 34-year-old became the sixth woman to be dismissed obstructing the field at international level, while 16 men’s cricketers have been out in such a fashion.
The West Indies were ultimately bowled out for 194 in 48 overs, suffering a 14-run loss, with Sri Lanka taking an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match ODI series.
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Dottin has played 151 ODIs and 138 T20Is since making her international debut for the West Indies in 2008, also featuring in six seasons of the Women’s Big Bash League.
Although her actions were seemingly harmless, the Laws of Cricket state that a batter cannot use a hand not holding the bat to deliberately touch the ball.
“The striker is out obstructing the field if in the act of receiving a ball delivered by the bowler, they wilfully strikes the ball with a hand not holding the bat,” Article 37.1.2 reads.
“This will apply whether it is the first strike or a second or subsequent strike. The act of receiving the ball shall extend both to playing at the ball and to striking the ball more than once in defence of his wicket.”
Article 37.4 added that: “Either batter is out obstructing the field if, at any time while the ball is in play and, without the consent of a fielder, they use the bat or any part of their person to return the ball to any fielder.”
Marylebone Cricket Club, the sport’s lawmakers, released a statement on Monday further clarifying why Dottin was correctly given out obstructing the field.
“While the ball is live, it belongs to the fielding side except when the striker is trying to hit it,” the statement read.
“A striker may have a sweaty glove, and their picking up the ball might change its condition. The other batter, unbeknownst to them, might have left their ground, so by interfering they might be preventing a potential run out.
“If this Law didn’t exist, batters could constantly interfere with the fielding side, hiding behind the excuse of ‘just returning the ball’. Often, it would be innocent, but it would be a way of masking more sinister behaviour. For that reason, the Law is a blanket one – unless the fielding side consent, the batter must not return it.
“In a scenario like this, the fielding side might sometimes choose not to appeal, and that is entirely within their gift. However, once they do appeal, the umpires had no option but to give the striker out.”
The third and final ODI between the West Indies and Sri Lanka gets underway at the same venue on Thursday at 12.30am AEDT.