Funny Incidents

Kevin Pietersen Invents the Switch Hit

2008-06-15England vs New ZealandEngland vs New Zealand, 2nd Test, Old Trafford2 min readSeverity: Mild

Summary

Kevin Pietersen stunned cricket by switching from right-handed to left-handed mid-delivery to smash Scott Styris for six, effectively inventing the 'switch hit.'

What Happened

During the 2nd Test against New Zealand at Old Trafford in 2008, Kevin Pietersen did something nobody had ever seen before in international cricket. As Scott Styris ran in to bowl, Pietersen — a right-handed batsman — suddenly switched his stance to left-handed and smashed the ball over the cover boundary for six. It was the batting equivalent of a magician pulling a rabbit out of a hat, except the rabbit was a cricket ball and the hat was the bewildered confusion of everyone in the stadium.

The reaction was priceless. Styris looked utterly bewildered, his run-up stuttering to a halt as he tried to process what had just happened. The New Zealand fielders exchanged confused glances that said, "Did he just... can he do that?" The umpires seemed uncertain whether it was even legal, reaching for their rulebooks like law students confronted with an unexpected exam question. Commentators went into meltdown trying to process what they'd just seen.

Pietersen did it again later in the innings, this time off Daniel Vettori, depositing the spinner into the stands with a left-handed slog that was so audacious it bordered on disrespectful. He was essentially telling some of the best bowlers in world cricket: "Not only can I hit you right-handed, I can switch to left-handed and hit you just as far." The arrogance was breathtaking. The skill was even more breathtaking.

The "switch hit" sparked an enormous debate about the laws of cricket. Was it legal? Should the bowler be allowed to change his field? Should the umpire switch the wide line? What about the leg-before-wicket law — which stump was "off" stump if the batsman had switched? Cricket's lawmakers eventually ruled it legal, noting that batsmen had always been allowed to change their stance during a delivery. But the initial moment of confusion was comedy gold. New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori admitted he had "no idea what to do" when Pietersen switched, which pretty much summed up everyone's reaction. Rules committee members probably hadn't had this much fun since the aluminium bat debate.

⚖️ The Verdict

Only KP would have the audacity to completely reinvent how batting works in the middle of a Test match. The confused faces were worth the price of admission alone.

Tags

#kevin-pietersen#switch-hit#invention#old-trafford#audacious

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