Many popular sports, its fans do understand the game and enjoy it to the fullest, but still, they are not aware of certain terminology of the game. Handled the ball is one such dismissal in the game of cricket which is still rare and probably that is why many crazy cricket fans probably are not aware of this terminology of cricket. So let us know what exactly is handling the ball or handled the ball in cricket.
Handled the Ball in Cricket
It is one way of getting out or it is one name of dismissal in the game of cricket. There are only nine such incidents in test cricket and only two such dismissals have occurred. Before knowing about those incidents, let us know the rule on ‘handled the ball’.
Handled the Ball Rule
Handled the ball rule comes under the Law 33 of the ‘laws of cricket’ which is governed by the Marylebone Cricket Club or the MCC. There are two circumstances which can be the reasons for a batsman to get handled out. One is the batsman holds the ball with one or both of his hands intentionally and without prior permission given by the fielding side. In the other situation, the batsman is given out if he returns the ball to the fielder without prior permission given by the fielding side.
The second situation is a bit confusing because returning the ball to the fielding side can also be seen as a ‘good gesture’ by the umpires. One more way to get out handled out is to stop the ball going into the stumps by hands and not by pads or bat. Many such incidents of handled the ball situations have occurred in the past.
Handled the Ball Dismissals in Test Cricket
- Russell Endean (3) – South Africa Vs England at Newlands, Cape Town – 1st January 1957
- Andrew Hilditch (29) – Australia Vs Pakistan at WACA, Perth – 24th March 1979
- Mohsin Khan (58) – Pakistan Vs Australia at National Stadium, Karachi – 22nd September 1982
- Desmond Haynes (55) – West Indies Vs India at Wankhede Stadium, Bombay – 24th November 1983
- Graham Gooch (133) – England Vs Australia at Old Trafford, Manchester – 3rd June 1993
- Steve Waugh (47) – Australia Vs India at M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai – 18th March 2001
- Michael Vaughan (64) – England Vs India at M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore – 19th December 2001
Handled the Ball Dismissals in ODIs
- Mohinder Amarnath (15) – India Vs Australia at Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne – 9th February 1986
- Daryll Cullinan (46) – South Africa Vs West Indies at Kingsmead, Durban – 27th January 1999
- Chamu Chibhabha (18) – Zimbabwe Vs Afghanistan at Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo – 20th October 2015