Funny Incidents

Ben Stokes Given Out 'Obstructing the Field' vs Australia

2015-09-13England vs AustraliaEngland vs Australia, 2nd ODI, Lord's2 min readSeverity: Mild

Summary

Ben Stokes was given out for 'obstructing the field' after raising his hand to protect himself from a throw, becoming only the 7th player in ODI history to be dismissed that way.

What Happened

During the 2nd ODI at Lord's in 2015, Ben Stokes was dismissed in one of the rarest and most controversial ways in cricket — obstructing the field. After playing a shot and setting off for a run, Mitchell Starc fielded the ball and threw it at the stumps. Stokes raised his hand to protect himself, and the ball deflected off his hand. It was the cricketing equivalent of getting a parking ticket for parking in a space that didn't have a meter — technically correct, utterly surprising, and deeply annoying.

Australia appealed for obstructing the field, and after a long deliberation that involved multiple conversations, furrowed brows, and the kind of rule-consulting normally seen in constitutional law cases, the umpires gave Stokes out. His reaction was one of complete disbelief — he stood at the crease staring at the umpires as if they'd just told him the earth was flat. His face was a portrait of bewilderment, confusion, and the specific frustration of a man who has been dismissed by a law he didn't know existed.

The Lord's crowd booed the decision lustily, and even some Australian players looked uncomfortable, wearing the expressions of men who had won an argument on a technicality and weren't entirely proud of it. The incident sparked a massive debate: was Stokes genuinely protecting himself, or was he deliberately blocking the throw? Replays were inconclusive, and the debate raged for days.

The dismissal was so unusual that many fans had never seen it before and had to Google "obstructing the field cricket" to confirm it was actually a real mode of dismissal. It was legal, it was correct (probably), and it was absolutely hilarious in its obscurity. Cricket, a sport with more laws than most countries, had produced a dismissal that even lifelong fans had to look up.

⚖️ The Verdict

Only in cricket can you be given out for getting in the way. Stokes' baffled face perfectly captured the absurdity of it all.

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