On Friday, during the T20 match between England and South Africa at Taunton, England batsman Jason Roy became the first player to be given out Obstructing the Field in a T20 international match. Roy had set off for a single and was struggling to reach the bowler’s end and came in the way of the throw after the fielder took aim at the stumps.
Roy is only the eighth player in the history of international cricket to be given out Obstructing the Field. Here are the players who have the dubious distinction of being given out in this manner, across Tests and ODIs.
The former England captain and Yorkshire legend was the first to be given out in this manner in international cricket, back in 1951 during the 5 th Test at The Oval. Hutton was hit on the glove while facing the ball and though the ball was heading to the stumps. He wilfully waved his bat to prevent the ball from falling on the stumps but it prevented the wicketkeeper, who was trying to take the catch, from getting to the ball. This remains the only occasion of obstructing the field in a Test.
The first such dismissal in a one-day international. During the second match against England in Karachi in 1987, Pakistan batsman Rameez Raja was on 98 and in a hurry to complete his second run and reach his century. He used his bat to prevent the ball from hitting the stumps. He had to be satisfied with 99.
In an ODI against Sri Lanka in Ahmedabad in 1989, Navjot Sidhu had sent back his partner Mohinder Amarnath when attempting a run. Amarnath kicked the ball away as the bowler Ravi Ratnayeke was getting to it. Amarnath is the only Indian player to be given out Obstructing the Field
Against India in Peshawar in 2006, Inzamam-ul-Haq was out of his ground when Suresh Raina took aim at the stumps. Inzamam was out of his crease when the throw arrived and blocked the ball with his bat to protect himself. He later said he never fully understood the rules.
Against South Africa in 2013, Pakistan batsman Mohammad Hafeez was struggling to reach the bowler’s end while running between the wickets. The ball struck him but he was adjudged to have altered his line of running so to prevent the ball from hitting the stumps
Later in 2013 in Port Elizabeth, Anwar Ali was running to the bowler’s end when the throw struck his shoulder. The umpires were convinced he deliberately changed direction to get in the way of the throw to avoid being run out
Against Australia in 2015, England batsman Ben Stokes played the ball back at the bowler Mitchell Starc. Seeing Stokes still out of the crease, Starc fired the throw back towards the stumps but Stokes brushed the ball away with his glove to protect himself and fell down on the pitch. The umpires felt Stokes had erred and gave him out.
Jason Roy was the first to be given out Obstructing the Field in a T20 international. He came in the way of the throw while running and the ball struck his boot
