Why 'Fake Fielding' Law? Just Don't Be Fooled!

Why 'Fake Fielding' Law? Just Don't Be Fooled!

You’ve heard the expression “the law is an ass” – especially when its application to the letter contravenes common sense. The game of cricket is bound by laws and while most are useful there comes along, every now and then, one that highlights the silent ‘s’ in asinine.

The latest to have caught my eye is the one on ‘Fake Fielding’ – Law 41.5 for those who like numbers. For reasons best known to themselves, MCC, the self-appointed guardians of the Laws of Cricket, have decided that any attempts by fielders into fooling the batsman that they have intercepted the ball, when they haven’t, is an act of such dastardly subterfuge as to be worthy of punishment – in this case the awarding of five runs to one’s opponents.

It is a penalty that places it on the same level as ball-tampering an act some, but not all, consider to be among the most heinous in sport. MCC claim fake fielding to be against the spirit of the game, something that could just as easily be levelled at their new queueing policy for Lord’s Test matches, though that is another story.

The Law, which came in recently, has already been applied, Marnus Labuschagne incurring the penalty after pretending to intercept a cover drive by Param Upal, during a match between Queensland and a Cricket Australia XI in Brisbane last week. Labuschagne’s actions, where he stood up after diving, imaginary ball in hand and feigned to throw, made Upal hesitate, though the batsmen did eventually complete the run which stood along with the five added for the contravention of Law 41.5.