Harry Brook was dismissed by Beau Webster in Sydney.
England batter Harry Brook’s dismissal in the 5th Ashes 202came into controversy when footage of his dismissal showed Beau Webster had his back foot outside the return crease. Since then, the talks have been around the umpiring blunder, with many claiming it was a no-ball.
No, Harry Brook’s dismissal in the second innings wasn’t a no-ball, and Beau Webster bowled a legal delivery. While his back foot was outside the return crease at the time of release, the first contact is what actually matters, and Webster’s first contact was inside the line, as visible below.
According to MCC’s rules for Fair Delivery, “For a delivery to be fair in respect of the feet, in the delivery stride, the bowler’s back foot must land within and not touching the return crease appertaining to his/her stated mode of delivery.”
As seen in the image, Webster’s initial contact was inside, and he wasn’t touching or crossing the return crease either. Once the first impact with the surface is made, how the bowler uses the depth of the crease doesn’t matter.
The rule doesn’t state that a bowler can’t touch the return crease at all; it’s just that the first contact should be within the return crease. If not touching the return crease at any stage were the case, most deliveries would have been no-balls, for bowlers more often than not touch some part of it during their stride, while some deliberately go wide of the crease to create a different angle.
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The initial contact Beau Webster made was so quick that most didn’t notice. Additionally, his back foot was so out of the return crease that it instantly became noticeable.
Hence, the confusion erupted, but eventually Harry Brook’s dismissal was a legal delivery, unlike what social media has been claiming. The third umpire monitors each ball closely, and it’s hard to escape after bowling a no-ball with so much live footage being tracked.
Beau Webster, who is usually a medium-pacer but turned into an off-spinner, was well within the rules to go wide of the crease before delivering. As visible below, even on other deliveries, he would touch the return crease, but only after making first contact inside.
Webster bowled a decisive spell in the second innings in Sydney, taking three wickets for 64 runs in 16 overs. All of those wickets came via legal balls as well.
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